Introduction to the Game of Roulette

roulette

Roulette, which means ‘little wheel’ in French, is typically a casino game that is derived from the Italian game Biribi. In the game, you have the option to place bets in various ways: on single numbers, odd or even numbers, a group of numbers, black or red colours, high or low numbers, and more. You may have seen it being played in pop culture films owing to its popularity as a wagering game – it indeed is quite fun and engaging!

History of Roulette

Like most interesting things, it has quite a colourful history. The creation of this game is often accredited to the genius of French mathematician Blaise Pascal in the seventeenth century. He was engaged in the process of inventing a machine in perpetual motion and happened to create a version of the game. However, the origin of the game is quite a debated topic. Many ancient civilizations have been known to have played similar games all across the globe.

  • Roman Roots:
  • The life of a soldier is not an easy one. There are many hardships, losses, and traumatic experiences. Such was also the case in ancient Rome, where keeping the morale of the soldiers high was important to bag wins at wars. Some believe that gambling games involving spinning of chariot wheels or shields gave rise to a version of Roulette.

  • Greek Gambles:
  • Lady Luck played a huge part in the daily lives of ancient Greek citizens. Much like the Roman soldiers, the Greeks had their gambling games to pass the time. There seems to be one particular game that bears a major resemblance to modern-day Roulette, where symbols were drawn inside a shield, and an arrow would be placed beside it. The shield would be spun, and people would place bets on the symbol that the spear or arrow would point at once the spinning stopped.

  • Chinese Connection:
  • A lot of people attribute the origin of Roulette to ancient China where a board game similar to the concept of Roulette was played. It involved thirty-seven animal figurines that had to be arranged into a square, where the numbers would add up to 666. It is said that Dominican monks brought this game to Europe and modified it by changing the layout and added a slot for zero. Be it coincidence or deliberate, the numbers on the present day Roulette wheel come to a total of 666!

After the 17th century, Roulette spread all over Europe and eventually travelled to the US in the 19th century with the European settlers. Off to a rocky start, the casino owners initially were unhappy about the limited house edge and increased it. This led to low earnings for the players who started losing interest in the game. The single-zero European style was rejected, and the American Roulette with double-zeroes became the norm.

Rules Based on the Types of Bets You Can Place

It is always a wise idea to know the types of bets available to you to maximize your chances of winning. This is primarily a game of luck, but keeping these bets in mind may turn the odds in your favour! Chips of different colours are provided to players to avoid confusion. Always remember to redeem your chips at the table!

In Roulette, there are two types of bets (depending on the personal betting strategy of the players), namely: INSIDE BETS and OUTSIDE BETS.

Inside Bets

They are suitable for players taking more risks, provides lower chances of winning with a higher pay-out. Players betting on inside bets usually have a larger bankroll. The different types of inside bets are:

  • A Single Bet is made when the chip is put on top of the square of a single number.
  • Split Bet is a dual single bet placed on two horizontally or vertically adjacent numbers, in-between the numbers.
  • A Street Bet is made when the players place their bets in a horizontal row on three adjoining numbers, while the wager is placed at the end of the line.
  • Square Bet is made on a group of four numbers while the wager is at a particular corner where the numbers meet.
  • The Five Bet is only used in American Roulette tables based on numbers 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3. The wager being at the corner next to 0 and 1.
  • Line Bet involves betting on six consecutive numbers forming two horizontal rows. The chip is put at the end of the two rows, between each other.

Outside Bets

These offer players higher chances at winning with lower pay-outs, perfect for players with more conservative strategies. The various outside bets are:

  • The Dozen Bet offers a bet on 12 numbers for each spin, provided the number is in the specified dozen.
  • Column Bet is a bet such that the number is in the chosen 12 numbers vertical column.
  • As the name specifies, Bet on Colour allows players to bet on numbers that are either all red or all black.
  • Odd/Even Bet are ones that contain either all even numbers or all odd numbers, provided a 0 or 00 doesn’t turn up, in which case the bet is lost.
  • Bet on Low/High is where the wager has to be in the chosen range, either all the low numbers (1 – 18) or all the high numbers (19 – 36).

Wrapping It Up

With the age of technology, the game is making a strong comeback over other casino games. You can sit comfortably at home or enjoy the thrill live at casinos- either way, it’s easily accessible, and you can make use of it!

My 5 Top Tips for Playing Live Roulette

Tips and Advice for Playing Live RouletteRoulette fans like me will tell you that the live version of the game is one of the best ways to play. Nothing beats placing your bets and chatting away with the pretty croupier, all without having to leave the comfort of home. Whether you have played the game with real dealers before, or you are a newbie, here are my top 5 tips to ensure you get the most out of your playing experience.

Try Different Game Variants

There are many interesting roulette variants available with real dealers, other than the traditional French, European and American versions of the game. Take for example Evolution Gaming’s Immersive Roulette. This variant gets you up close and personal with the action, thanks to HD streaming, slow motion replays and numerous camera angles. It even scooped the coveted EGR award for Game of the Year 2014. Microgaming casinos offer Playboy Roulette, where the croupier is dressed in the iconic bunny uniform. Each provider has their own unique specialities, so try out what’s on offer to find the perfect fit for you.

Only Play at Trustworthy Casinos

Whichever game tickles your fancy, the most important thing to remember is to pick an operator that is licenced and regulated in the UK. There are sites such as www.safecasinos.org.uk/live-roulette/ that provide valuable advice about which operators are legitimate and can be trusted. Only by choosing a reputable operator that is regulated by a recognised authority, can you play with the peace of mind that you will be safe and protected from being ripped off or becoming a victim of fraud.

Try Using a Betting System, but do not Rely on it

There are various betting systems and strategies that you can follow in order to try and make a profit when you play. Some involve betting more when you lose and less when you win. There are others that take the opposite approach. Although there are some systems which are based on mathematical principles, such as the Martingale Strategy, there are no fool-proof methods of guaranteeing you will win. By all means you can try playing with an established method, but remember that there is no certainty it will work.

Set yourself Limits and Stick to them

It probably sounds like common sense, but you should never bet more than you can afford to. However, if you do not set yourself any kind of limit, there is every chance that you could lose track of what you are spending and exceed your bankroll. By setting a limit before you start to play, you can opt for a table with the most appropriate betting limits. Never be tempted to overcome any losses by playing with higher stakes than you can afford, this is a sure fire way of creating real problems.

Look out for Favourable Bonus Offers

The majority of online casinos provide a welcome bonus to entice new players to join them. This is great for us players as the casino provides you with extra funds that enable you to play for longer and to win real money. However, before accepting a bonus, you should check the terms and conditions to ensure that live games are eligible for the offer. Many operators exclude these types of games from their bonus deal. Therefore, before you opt in for a bonus, make sure you check that it is valid for the games that you want to play.

New Player Officially Enters the British iGaming Market

casinoYggdrasil gaming got their licence in December last year, but only managed to complete its full roll out on the British market yesterday. They have officially announced the launch of their proprietary iSENSE 2.0 platform and full range of games to the UK players. Over last year, the well-established and respected Swedish gaming supplier already signed agreements with major players from the island, names like Betsson Group, ComeOn! Casino, LeoVegas Casino, Mr Green Casino – some of the best brands when it comes to online gambling.

The CEO of the company, Fredrik Elmqvist, comments “We’ve had a very encouraging start given that we only received our licence at the end of last year, and are already live with some operators. […] The UK marketplace is the most competitive in Europe, but we have a track record of succeeding in every market we enter, and I am confident our industry-leading platform and games will allow us to repeat the trick there.”

Yggdrasil’s portfolio is quite wide indeed, covering popular and unique casino games, lottery products and slots. They also offer some great promotional tools, designed specifically to increase customer engagement and retention. The company won iGaming’s “Software Supplier of the Year” at the 2016 International Gaming Awards. That is to top the “Software Rising Star” they got last year on the EGR B2B Awards.

Even though they are relatively new to the scene, the company is well-funded and have released some of the most impressive slots out there up to date. Their financial report for Q4 of 2015 backs that more than any words could – in a year that was really tough for the industry worldwide with regulations changing and global financial crisis in the happening, Yggdrasil managed to not only stay afloat, but increase revenues by an incredible 696 per cent, reaching €1.1 million and €524k in earnings after taxes. Their mobile performance went through the roof as well, accounting for a huge 41.75% of the entire gross game win. That’s all along with the expansion to new markets. It is surely a name you should remember (as hard as it is to pronounce), as we will be hearing of them more often this year, I can guarantee you that.

“We’re not the biggest, but we are the best” is their slogan and they certainly are working hard to live up to it. Yggdrasil’s first ever progressive online slot – the Joker Millions – quickly became a huge hit in the UK and worldwide.

Instead of trying to top the ever improving graphics in the oh-so-competitive slots world, Yggdrasil decided to offer something simple instead, go all the way classic and rely more on lucrative prizes to do the job. The game was presented at ICE Totally Gaming 2015 and then released in a few online casinos. It can be played on mobiles and tablets, on both – iOS and Android systems. It has some very unique features like the Freeze & Re-spin and the Column Multiplier, as well as Mystery Wins and Jackpot Spins. The company’s team has grown as well to meet demands – now they are 45 (sounds small but they were estimating on 28 as the top they will need by the end of last year, just to give you an idea), and they are still recruiting.

Well, that’s it for now, welcome, well done to them so far and let’s hope they manage to stay on top and please our very demanding market!

Live Dealer Roulette on a Mobile Device

Live Dealer Roulette on a Mobile Device

Playing live roulette on the go combines two of the best features of online casinos: the option to take your favourite games anywhere you go and the possibility to enjoy an authentic casino environment in the company of real dealers remotely. Many roulette fans consider this to be the best way to play their favourite game – they can do it anywhere they go and they don’t miss out on any of the excitement of playing against a real dealer.

Compatibility – Is Your Mobile Device Good Enough?

If you would like to try playing live dealer roulette on the go yourself, then you’re probably wondering if your device is powerful enough to keep up with the HD video streams that the best live gaming software houses provide. Just like most other casino games, live roulette is accessible through devices that have a relatively recent version of iOS or Android. I’ve experimented many times with different devices, casinos and browsers, and I’ve noticed that most live games run smoothly on both iPhones and iPads that run on iOS 6.0 or later and smartphones and tablets that have Android version 2.3 Gingerbread or later.

All in all, we can say that live roulette can be played on most modern cell phones, except for Blackberries and Windows Phones, and on all types of tablets. Of course, it all depends on the specific game and the software provider, the most popular among which we’ll take a closer look at in the next paragraphs.

Mobile-Friendly Live Gaming Software and Different Tables

Sure enough, there are more than one software provider that offers live dealer platforms which are also mobile friendly. And each provider has tables with different features and offers a different experience. The most notable live gaming software house in the online gambling industry is undoubtedly Evolution Gaming. As opposed to other gambling software suppliers, Evolution Gaming produce only live dealer games and platforms which gives them the chance to develop their products to the point of perfection. The same could be said about the mobile version of their software – it’s perfectly compatible with touch screens of all sizes and it offers many options that can come quite handy for the roulette fans. On top of everything else, Evolution Gaming’s Immersive Roulette was precisely the game that won them the prestigious EGR award for Casino Game of the Year. This roulette variation is really impressive as it features slow motion replay of the winning moment, multiple camera angles and very attractive dealers. Other interesting roulette table that you can see in Evolution Gaming’s mobile platform is Sports Roulette where the dealer discusses with the players the latest sports news.

Another software provider that has a nice live dealer platform which is also compatible with mobile devices is Playtech. This is, in fact, the most popular casino software developer in the world and therefore theirs will be the mobile platform that you most often encounter online. Though the quality of their games is not as high as the one of Evolution Gaming, they are still a great choice for playing live-dealer roulette on the go. The roulette tables in their live casino software are, in fact, the ones that feature the lowest tables limits, so this undoubtedly the best choice for the low rollers.

PokerStars Expands Casino Offering

Pokerstars Casino Product ExpandsThe operator has recently launched a huge collection of games, to strengthen their casino offering under various licenses. The largest numbers of games have gone online on their dot.com, dot.eu and UK sites, with a rich collection of video pokers, including Deuces Wild, Joker Poker, Double Bonus, Double Double Bonus and Jacks or Better. The highest RTP (return to player) is offered by the Double Bonus game – 99.11% and the highest payout is 4000 times the original bet.

The Blackjack collection has also been expanded with a brand new addition – HighHand Blackjack, a multi-player game in which players compete for side pot action. Various sidebets have also been added, such as Perfect Pair and 21 + 3.

Another collection that grew significantly is the slots that PokerStars offers, the desktop number now standing at 87, of which 16 are also available for mobile. Some of the most popular are Big Bad Wolf, Starburst, Twin Spin, Lost Temple, Bars and Bells, Merlin’s Millions SuperBet, Magic Portals and The Invisible Man. The highest RTP can be found playing on the Big Bad Wolf slot, which stands at a decent 97.34%. PokerStars will also offer slots for the first time in Spain, where so far the operator’s casino product only included table games.

‘Slots are the most popular casino games on PokerStars globally, and we’re happy to now offer some of the most popular titles in the world to Spanish players’, said Director of Casino for PokerStars and Full Tilt, Sam Hobcraft, as reported by gamingintelligence.com.

Italian players will be happy to know that they now have access to live-dealer blackjack and roulette games over the desktop platform. This follows the successful rollout of live casino games on the Spanish market.

PokerStars initially started launching casino games on its poker platform at the end of 2014, after its parent company was acquired by Amaya Gaming Group Inc, in a $4.9 billion deal.

Divide et Impera – Conquer Roulette with Racetrack or Called Bets

Hey, friends! Jack the Conqueror here, back to bring you some really cool and useful insights in the world of Roulette games and I am not just saying that! I will put my money where my mouth is and I will prove to you that they have been lying to you over and over again how outside bets can put money in your pocket in no time with the right strategy. Nothing further from the truth, take it from me! Let’s begin!

Call Bets Divide the Roulette into Sectors

Call or announced bets are wagers placed on certain sectors of the roulette wheel, which means covering adjacent numbers with only one bet. The next thing you should know is that every sector has different bets placed in certain positions on the table layout, such as straight-up which pays 35 to 1, splits – 17 to 1 and corners – 8 to 1. Let me elaborate a little on the subject, it’s really easier than it sounds.

Voisins du Zero Stations on Roulette LayoutTake Voisins du Zero (neighbours of zero) for example. The bet needs 9 units which are placed in 7 positions on the table layout, as follows: 2 chips or units on 0/2/3 street (pays 11 to 1), 2 chips on corner 25/26/28/29 (pays 8 to 1) and 4/7, 12/15, 18/21, 19/22, 32/35 split one chip (pays 17 to 1). Let’s draw the line and see what this adds up to: 9 chips or units, which can be by value of 1, of 5 or whatever denomination you wish to play with. Say for example you want to play Voisins by £5, that will require a total bet of £45. The Mathematics Department of the University of Alabama have made an interesting experiment regarding the roulette odds for the American 00 version of the game. But when it comes to European and French Roulette, the house edge is lower, thus your chances of winning are higher. And if you place a bet on Voisins, the odds of you hitting a win stand at a whopping 45.9%, simply because you cover 17 out of the 36 numbers on the roulette wheel. Not bad, I would say. And the highest payout is 0/2/3, since you have two units or chips placed there, which will be multiplied by 11, as it covers 3 numbers. So, if you do the Math for a Voisins by 5, you will come up with a win of 5 * 2 * 11, which equals to 110. I would say that is a pretty good win, with pretty good odds.

The next sector is called Orphelins (orphans) – because the numbers are split on both sides of the wheel and the odds of winning are at 21.6%. It requires 5 units, covering 8 numbers and the highest payout is for number 1 – 35 to 1, plus 1 chip placed on the winning number, so 36 to 1. The last main sector is called Tiers du Cylindre (thirds of the wheel) aka Serie 5/8 and it covers 12 numbers with 6 chips. As you have probably guessed, all bets are placed in split positions, the highest payout being 17 to 1 and the odds of winning are 32.4%. So, now that you know, would you really waste your time making progressive wagers on red/black or whatever even odds wagers, when you can win as much as 36 to 1 with call bets? I didn’t think so, either!

So, as you can see, there are many ways of tilting the odds in your favour in online, but also in land-based casinos, as an article by the newscientist.com reported. My advice to you: always do the Math yourself and don’t get fooled by the tons of get-rich quick strategies out there. Simply follow this simple rule: divide and conquer, with the help of racetrack bets.

Innovative Roulette Games to Try Online

One of the best things about playing roulette online is the huge variety of games that sites offer and I am not only referring to the American and French versions. Not by a long shot. If you have ever visited online casinos, you will see that the biggest ones feature some pretty ‘exotic’ roulette games, such as Pinball Roulette and Marvel Roulette. These are two of the most intriguing titles that you can try online and I seriously doubt you would ever see such a table in your London casino or anywhere else, for that matter. So, let’s see which are the craziest roulette games and which ones are advantageous for the player and which for the house.

Marvel Roulette with Huge JackpotsMarvel Roulette – a game which combines roulette and slots, to give you a chance to hit on of the much-coveted Marvel Jackpots: Power Jackpot, Extra Power Jackpot, Super Power Jackpot and Ultimate Power Jackpot. All bets on Marvel-themed games contribute to these jackpots with a small percentage and knowing how popular these are, it’s no wonder that these jackpots have made so many players rich. The way to win one of the jackpots is by betting on the Marvel Bonus slot, which is extra in this variation and it actually lowers the RTP of the game to 95.73%. And still, it’s an interesting and rewarding game. I first read about this game on what is imho the best online roulette website.

Pinball Roulette GamePinball Roulette – a game to bring out the child in you. If you loved Pinball machines when you were younger – and perhaps you still do, you will have a ball with this roulette variation. Pinball Roulette is using a system similar to that of the game after which it’s named, so don’t expect to see a wheel on this one. Furthermore, there is a huge chance that the ball will collect some extra winnings while it’s bouncing in the pinball playfield. And unlike other roulette games, this one also has a gamble feature and a decent RTP of 97.30%.

Immersive Roulette to be added to Casumo Collection

Evolution Gaming's Immersive RouletteCasumo is an online casino operator that practically rules the gambling market in Northern Europe and has recently added UK users to their list of happy players. After receiving a gambling licence to operate in the United Kingdom, the operator signed a partnership with the number 1 live-dealer platform provider Evolution Gaming. The software company is to provide a complete line-up of live-dealer games to the Casumo desktop and mobile platform and are expected to be rolled out in the following months.

‘We have wanted to expand our portfolio into the fast growing live casino segment for some time’, said CEO and co-founder of Casumo Oscar Simonsson. ‘During this process we have looked into many different live casino providers both among existing and new ones’. ‘In the end, given our best of breed approach it was only Evolution that we felt truly represented the quality and innovation of Casumo’, he added.

Currently Casumo users can enjoy the live casino games provided by Microgaming, which include only Baccarat, Blackjack and Roulette. The partnership with Evolution Gaming is to enrich that collection, adding special games and variations such as Casino Hold’em and Immersive Roulette.

A world-first from Evolution, Immersive Roulette is sought by millions of players all around the world thanks to its premium-quality graphics, Hollywood-style multiple camera view and the slow motion replay of the spin. Players can enjoy in detail every movement of the ball, with the 200 frames-per-second HD video. The numerous game and video settings offer players the chance to have a tailor-made live dealer experience. Immersive Roulette was awarded ‘EGR’s Game of the Year 2014’, which is yet another testament of the fantastic gaming adventure that players embark on.

The most interesting fact is that Evolution Gaming has also recently signed a partnership agreement with Microgaming to provide Europe-oriented Microgaming customers with its product. The first operator to benefit from this partnership was Betway Casino and the integration of their games is already underway. Betway users will soon be able to enjoy standard and VIP live games streamed from the supplier’s Latvia-based studio. Both Microgaming and Evolution Gaming are expected to benefit from the partnership, expecting a long-term revenue growth.

It’s Not about the Name, It’s All about the Game!

Welcome to My Roulette WebsiteFirst, hello, welcome and thank you for being here! My friends call me Jack the Conqueror. Well, they don’t really call me that, but that is the nickname I earned for having ‘conquered’ one of the greatest games ever invented – the Roulette. But we’ll get to that in a minute. First, I will share some things about me. Don’t worry, I am not going to bore you with unnecessary information like where I went to school, what I do for a living or, God forbid, my zodiac sign.

But I am going to tell you that this site is about the game that has always fascinated me and got me to start working on this site. Also, another thing you should know about me is that I also learned how to deal this game in a land-based casino – which I am not going to mention, for obvious reasons. The point is I was that captivated by the endless possibilities of winning, including all systems and strategies you can think of for winning or let’s say for beating the house for once. So, I started a course for casino dealer or croupier, as they are called.

I have to say that I simply couldn’t wait to get to dealing roulette, since we started learning the card games first. Well, my friends, when it came to actually holding the ball and spinning the wheel, I have to admit that, although my knees were shaking, I felt like king of the world and hence my nickname – Jack the Conquere. Yeah, bit of a cliche, I know. But you can’t imagine how happy I was and I felt like the mysteries of the roulette were about to be revealed and I was over the roof. But I was soon to find that there are no secrets, nobody actually teaches the dealers how to win, there is are no tricks, no hypnosis, nothing else but a wheel, a ball and a layout. And still, there are some things that I will save for later, so make sure you drop by every once in a while. Until then, good luck and hope to ‘see’ you soon.