About Roulette Strategies & Probabilities

it should be obvious that Roulette, owing to its structure, entails luck and chance to succeed. This however, does not mean that there is nothing you can do to improve the likelihood of you winning.

The main thrust of your Roulette strategy will involve research, not so much how to play the game, but rather on the rules that are in effect. This is a fact that very few players take into consideration. Whether you are playing online or live, it must always be kept in mind that each venue has a different set of rules which can influence how you can win.

Look for the following rules and regulations, as they will go a long way towards helping you develop that winning Roulette strategy. Again, these apply to both live and online casinos.

1. Avoid the double zero wheel. You probably know that already, but it bears repeating: American wheels give the house a 5.26% edge, while the single zero European version lowers it to less than 3%.

2. Look for the "en prison" rule. It a nutshell, this Roulette rule sates that if you bet on odd or even and the ball lands in the zero slot, there will be no exchange of money; instead you will get another spin. If you win, you get your money back.

3. The "surrender" rule means if you bet on odd/even, high/low, red/black and the ball falls in the zero or double zero compartment, you get to keep half your wager.

4. Think twice about using betting systems. The best strategies look into the Roulette probabilities, not in any kind of betting method. Unlike Poker or Blackjack, calculating the odds here are very simple.

Take the American wheel: there are 36 numbers and two zeros. This means that your odds of hitting the number you picked is 1 in 38. The following illustrates the Roulette probabilities percentage for the most common types of bets.

For betting on a particular color, even/odd, low (1 to 18) or high (19 to 36) the probability is 46.37%, with a corresponding pay ratio of 1 is to 1. For wagers on 1 to 12, 13 to 24 and 25 to 36, the percentage is 31.58% (2:1 pay).

For any number (35:1, 2.6%), two numbers (17:1, 5.3%), three numbers (11:1, 7.9%), four numbers (8:1, 11%), six numbers, (5:1, 15.8%). Betting on zero, double zero pays you 6:1 (13.6%).

Winning requires more than random luck. You also need to know something about probabilities and odds. You also need to be aware of the stipulations that are in place so you can take advantage of them. This all translates to a winning Roulette strategy.