Best Tricks On A Roulette Table

Roulette is one of the most iconic casino games, appreciated for its blend of chance and strategy. While the outcome of each spin is entirely random, there are methods to optimise your bets, and avoid the most common mistakes.

This article presents the best tips for playing roulette wisely and maximising your gaming experience.

Types of Bets and Number Selection

Understanding the different types of bets is essential to optimize your chances in roulette. Some options allow you to play longer and manage your budget better, while others involve a higher risk.

✅ Strategic Bets to Better Manage Your Game

These bets maximize your chances of winning by covering more numbers while maintaining a good balance between risk and return.

Using Outside Bets – These bets include red/black, odd/even, and low/high. They offer nearly 48.6% chances of success in European roulette and allow for more stable progression without excessive bankroll fluctuations.
Limiting the Use of Inside Bets – Bets on a single number or restricted combinations (split, street) offer high payouts but with a very low probability of success (1 in 37 chance in European roulette). It is best to avoid them or use them sparingly.
Betting on Columns or Dozens – Each column and each dozen covers 12 numbers and pays 2 to 1. This type of bet offers a good compromise between risk and return. It is interesting to combine multiple columns or dozens to cover a larger part of the table.
Playing the Square Strategy – A square bet covers 4 adjacent numbers on the table. Although the payouts are lower than a straight-up number bet, the probability of winning is much higher (1 in 9.25 chance in European roulette).

🎯 Specific Rules That Can Improve the Player's Chances

Some roulette variations and specific rules can reduce the house edge, making the game more favorable for the player.

Testing the "La Partage" Rule if Available – If you place an even-money bet (red/black, odd/even, low/high) and the 0 comes up, this rule allows you to recover 50% of your bet instead of losing everything. This reduces the house edge from 2.7% to 1.35% in French roulette.
Playing the "En Prison" Rule – A variation of the "La Partage" rule, it also applies to outside bets when 0 appears. Here, the bet remains "imprisoned" on the table and will be freed on the next spin if it wins, allowing the player to recover 100% of their bet instead of losing it immediately.
Using Announced Bets (Tiers, Orphans, Neighbors of Zero) – These bets, specific to French roulette, allow you to bet on entire segments of the wheel in a single wager, optimizing table coverage. They are useful for diversifying bets while maintaining a certain strategic consistency.

Betting Strategies and Systems

Betting systems are often used by players to try to maximize their winnings or extend their gaming session. However, no strategy can change roulette probabilities, and some are riskier than others.

Strategies That Allow for a Longer Playing Session with Minimal Risk

These strategies do not guarantee a win, but they help manage the bankroll better and limit sudden losses.

The D'Alembert System – This system is based on an arithmetic progression: you increase your bet by one unit after a loss and decrease it after a win. This reduces volatility compared to the Martingale and allows for longer gameplay without quickly risking everything.
The Fibonacci System – Inspired by the famous Fibonacci sequence (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8...), this betting system consists of adding the last two lost bets after each loss and decreasing after a win. It offers a gentler bet increase than the Martingale and limits sudden losses.
The Paroli System – The opposite of the Martingale: instead of doubling after a loss, you double after a win. This system allows players to take advantage of winning streaks while reducing the impact of consecutive losses. A streak of three consecutive wins can maximize profits without taking excessive risks.

Systems to Avoid at All Costs (Dangerous and Ineffective)

These betting systems are very popular, but they carry high risks and can quickly deplete a bankroll.

The Martingale – One of the most well-known strategies, but also one of the most dangerous. It consists of doubling the bet after each loss, hoping to recover all losses in a single win. However, a long losing streak can quickly lead to enormous bets and deplete the bankroll before recovering.
The Labouchère System – This strategy follows a complex betting pattern where lost bets are added together to try to recover losses over multiple spins. If a losing streak occurs, bets escalate rapidly, leading to massive losses in a short time.
The James Bond System – This system involves betting on multiple sections of the table (high numbers, six-line, and zero) to maximize winning chances. However, it does not eliminate the risk of loss and can be devastating if several unfavorable spins occur in a row.

Pitfalls to Avoid and Common Mistakes

Many players make classic mistakes in roulette by believing in misconceptions or applying ineffective strategies. Here are the most common pitfalls to avoid.

Always Prefer European Roulette Over American Roulette – American roulette has a double zero (00), which increases the house edge to 5.26% compared to 2.7% in European roulette. If given the choice, always opt for the European version to reduce potential long-term losses.
Beware of the "Hot and Cold" Illusion – Some players believe that if a number hasn't appeared for a long time, it is "due" to come up. In reality, each spin is independent, and probabilities remain unchanged, regardless of past results.
Avoid Always Betting on the Same Number – Continuously betting on a single number is tempting due to the high payout potential (35 to 1), but the chances of success remain very low (1/37 in European roulette). A more balanced approach is recommended.
Avoid Falling Into the Probability Trap – There is no mathematical rule requiring an alternation between red and black. Just because red has appeared 10 times in a row does not mean black is "due" on the next spin. Each spin is independent.
Beware of "Sleeping Numbers" – A number that has not come up for a long time does not have a higher chance of appearing on the next spin. Each spin is independent, and the probabilities remain the same.

📌 Conclusion
Roulette remains a game of chance where no strategy can guarantee long-term winnings. However, by understanding the different types of bets, applying prudent betting systems, and avoiding the most common pitfalls, it is possible to better manage your bankroll and improve your gaming experience.