Neighbours Roulette Strategy

Neighbours Roulette Strategy

Invented in France in the late 19th Century, Roulette is one of the world’s oldest and most popular casino games. Literally translated as “Little Wheel”, the roulette table is also referred to as the “Devils Wheel” because the sum of the 36 numbers on the wheel comes to an ominous 666. Remaining a staple offering of the online and bricks & mortar casino industries centuries after its introduction, most of the bets surrounding the game are by now very well understood. However, not all have been so thoroughly explained. Falling firmly into the latter category is what is known as the Neighbours roulette strategy.

Neighbours Roulette Strategy Explained

The major clue as to what a Neighbours bet is can be found in the title. Neighbours bets consist of a bet on a single number and also those numbers on either side of it – usually consisting of the central selected number, the two numbers to the right of that number, and the two numbers to the left.

The crucial point to note with Neighbours betting is that when we say “either side”, we are not referring to numerical order, but rather the order in which the numbers appear on the wheel. So placing a bet on the number 11, for example, would NOT consist of the numbers 9,10,11,12 and 13, but rather the numbers 13,36,11,30 and 8.

How to Play using Neighbours Strategy

How a player places a Neighbours bet depends on whether they are playing at real-life or online casinos.

Real Life Casino

Neighbours bets fall into a category known as “call bets” – a name originally introduced in the French bricks & mortar casinos of yesteryear.

With a Neighbours bet, rather than placing the chips on the numbers themselves, the gambler will “call out” their bet to the croupier, who will then place the chips on the gambler’s behalf. Simply inform the croupier you would like to place a Neighbours bet on a specific number, place the required chips within their reach, and they will do the rest.

Online Casino

When playing roulette online, gamblers are presented with the standard betting layout, consisting of inside bets such as single numbers, and outside bets such as red or black. In addition to this betting interface, there is also what is known as a “racetrack” bet placement area. An exact representation of the numbers as they appear on the wheel – albeit in an oval “racetrack” style layout – this is the area in which Neighbours bets are placed. Note that whilst some online casinos provide the racetrack as standard, on others, it must be selected from the layout menu.

Placing a chip on a number on this wheel area will automatically also place a chip of matching value on the two numbers to either side, for a total of five chips. I.e., placing a $1 chip on the number 11, as in the example above, would also place a $1 chip bet on the numbers 13, 36, 30 and 8 – for a total bet value of $5. This is an important point to remember when selecting your size of bet.

In addition to the standard two numbers on either side of Neighbours bets, many online sites contain an adjustment feature enabling players to select 3,4,5 or even more numbers on either side of the central number should they wish.

Is Neighbours Betting Profitable?

All casino games have an edge in favour of the house, and roulette is no different. Gambling operators are, after all in the business of covering their overheads and making a profit.

In roulette, the house edge is built into the odds available to the player. A European roulette wheel, for example includes 37 numbered slots – 1-36 and zero. As such, the true odds of selecting a winning number are 36/1. However, the odds available to the player are 35/1, creating a small edge of 2.63% in favour of the house.

With a Neighbours bet effectively being five or more separate bets on single numbers, the edge against the player is therefore 2.63%. No better and no worse than any other bet on the table.

Does Neighbours Strategy Work For Roulette?

The question of whether the strategy works depends on the goals of the individual player.

Does the Neighbours strategy increase a player’s chances of making a profit? For the reasons outlined above, no, it does not.

However, the strategy does have a couple of potential selling points.

Firstly, it enables players to tailor the level of variance to suit their preferences. A single number strategy for example, usually results in very long losing runs and infrequent payouts. A standard five-number Neighbours strategy in contrast, isn’t anything like so volatile and may create a smoother gaming experience. An experience that can be smoothed out further by increasing the number of Neighbours.

The second attractive feature of the system is that it changes those disappointing near misses into wins. For example, when backing single numbers, there is nothing so frustrating as seeing the ball land in the slot right next door to your selected number. With a Neighbours bet, however, you need not worry about this. Provided the ball lands within two (or more) slots on either side, you will be onto a winner.

Is the Neighbours Roulette System Allowed/Legal in Casinos?

Whether online or in the real world, Neighbours betting is a legitimate technique and well within the rules. Most casinos provide the facility to bet in this way and will be only too happy for you to use the method.

One point to note here is that Neighbours betting is very common in European and French style roulette, but only occasionally offered in American Roulette. The reason for this is not entirely clear but likely comes down to no more than tradition. However, as a general rule, we would always recommend playing European or French roulette, as the additional double zero slot of the American game hikes the house edge up to 5.26%.

Conclusion

There are few games more exciting than roulette. From the excitement of placing those bets on your lucky numbers to the anticipation created by that little white ball spinning around the wheel before coming to rest, this centuries-old game continues to enthral. Neighbours betting is no get-rich-quick scheme or method to recover previous losses. It is, however an option well worth being aware of when placing those real money bets. Whether an experienced player or a newbie, this system is particularly useful for those looking to potentially decrease the number of consecutive losses or turn those crushing near misses into dollars!

Start your roulette adventure by choosing a casino from our list of the best casinos to play roulette.