Roulette is a true casino classic, and has always been one of the most popular games in both land-based and online casinos alike. It is one of the greatest games of chance ever created, and has a certain charm that no other game can offer. If you want to start playing and winning at real money roulette, you need to know the basics of the game, and which are the best UK casinos where you can play it. This article will provide you with just that.
Online Roulette – Rules & Variations
We will go ahead and assume that you are not entirely familiar with the concept of roulette, and give you a basic overview of what the game is all about. In a typical game of roulette, you bet on a number, or a range of numbers, from 0 to 37. The croupier then spins the wheel and throws a ball in it, which eventually lands in one of the numbered pockets, thus determining the winning number.
There are many possible bets in the game of roulette. The two main groups are called ‘Inside’ and ‘Outside’ bets, based on where they are located on the betting table. Inside bets include wagering on an exact number, or on a small range of numbers. Outside bets cover more pockets – like Red/Black, Even/Odd, and larger ranges of numbers.
Different bets yield different payouts, depending on their probability of success. For example, betting on Red has a much higher chance of success than betting on the number 8. Bets that are less likely to win yield much better payouts.
European Roulette
There are several main variations of the game, the most popular one being European roulette. The wheel features red and black pockets numbered from 1 to 36, and a special green pocket for the number 0. This is the variation that most people are familiar with, and the list of online games based around it is endless.
When it comes to roulette, the casino always has an advantage. It’s just the way the game is designed. European roulette has an estimated average house edge of 2.70%. While it may not seem as a big deal, this casino advantage is the reason why roulette players always end up losing money in the long run. You just can’t beat the casino.
American Roulette
At first, this variation does not seem to be much different than the European one. However, there is one small addition which really impacts the game – American roulette has an extra green pocket labelled ‘00’. This double zero pocket heavily turns the odds in favour in the casino, increasing the house edge to 5.26%, which is almost double when compared to the European version.
You can imagine that American roulette is not among the most popular variations of the game. At one point in time, American gambling authorities even wanted to add more slots in order to increase the house edge even more. Thankfully, that didn’t happen, since forcing such a change would’ve caused players to abandon roulette forever.
French Roulette
The third main roulette variation is more generous towards the player. The layout of the table and the wheel are exactly the same as in the European type – the difference is in the two special rules that apply only in French roulette – La Partage and En Prison.
The La Partage rule applies for situations when the player has placed and even-paying bet (such as Red/Black, Even/Odd, and 1-18/19-36) and the ball lands on the green zero pocket. When this occurs, the player automatically receives half their bet back.
The En Prison rule is quite similar, as it applies to the same situation. If you have placed an even bet and the winning number is zero, your bet goes ‘to prison’. If you manage to win your next bet, you will receive your imprisoned bet back.
By using such player-friendly rules, French roulette has an astonishing average house edge of 1.35% for even bets. Sure, the casino advantage is still there – but it’s pretty low, especially when compared to the 5.26% of American roulette.
The Best Roulette Game Developers
There are literally thousands of online roulette games out there. Some of them are good, and others – not so much. If you want to play roulette with real money, you need to make sure you play a game by a reputable developer, since they are certified as ‘fair’. Also, you would want your experience to be enjoyable, right? Here are some of the companies that specialise in creating top-notch roulette games.
Microgaming have been around since 1994, and naturally, their selection of roulette games is vast. They have multiple games that cover European, American, and French roulette, as well as other titles that expand upon the initial game concept. For example, Multi-Wheel Roulette is a fun variation that we really enjoyed playing.
Playtech develops sleek, user-friendly, and extremely fun roulette games. They have also pioneered many exciting spin-offs of the main game, such as Video Roulette, Pinball Roulette, and Mini Roulette. We should also mention their Marvel Comics-themed roulette, which features a special pocket that unlocks a mini game.
NetEnt is a Scandinavian company that develops casino games of the highest quality. Their library is not that big, but every roulette game in there is an absolute gem. It’s difficult to come across better looking games that the ones developed by NetEnt.
Top Casinos for Real Money Roulette
Time to find out which are the best online casinos to play roulette at. All the operators in our Top 10 list feature great roulette collections and immersive live dealer games. However, those three definitely stand out in terms of quantity and quality of available games.
888 Casino has around 10 great RNG roulette games, created by esteemed developers. The table limits vary, so there is something to enjoy for both low-stakes players and high rollers. Also, 888 has one of the best live casinos out there, featuring software from Evolution Gaming. The live games are absolutely perfect, and there are more than 16 roulette tables available.
Betway is a Microgaming-powered casino, which means that it has some of the best roulette games that this legendary developer offers. The total amount of RNG games is 10, and among the usual variations you can find games like Multi-Wheel Roulette and Multi-Player Roulette. The live dealer games are once again provided by Evolution Gaming, but with one important difference. Betway features a Playboy-themed casino, where you can play roulette with dealers dressed like Playboy bunnies.
BetVictor has one of the best collections of RNG roulette games out there – there are over 15 games created by a variety of developers, including NetEnt. At BetVictor you can play games like Pinball Roulette, 3 Wheel Roulette, and 3D Roulette. This operator also has not one, but four live casinos, powered by software from MediaLive, Evolution Gaming, NetEnt, and Xtreme Live Gaming. Needless to say, roulette players will have a blast at one of the 20+ available tables.
Are There Any Working Strategies for Roulette?
Everyone needs to understand one very important thing – there is no proven strategy for winning at roulette. There are plenty of systems out there, but none of them perform as they should in the long run. This is all due to the inherent house edge that the game of roulette has. Even the so-called ‘even’ bets do not have a 50% chance of winning because of the green zero slot.
You can find plenty of articles on roulette strategies online, and you are more than welcome to give them a try. Just keep in mind that none of them work as intended. Sure, you can end up winning some money, but your losses will catch up eventually. It’s just the way the game is.
Roulette is a game of chance, and not having any way to influence the outcome of the spin is a part of its charm. Our advice to you is to not go deep into math and strategies, and simply enjoy the game.
Play Online Roulette at a Top 10 Casino Today
Roulette is and always will be one of the greatest casino games. Big wins are not guaranteed, but who knows – you might be the lucky guy who ends up winning a fortune. If you want to play with real money, just make sure that you are playing at a licensed and reliable casino.
Pick one of the operators from our Top 10 list of best UK casinos, and try out their roulette games. We highly recommend going straight for the live dealer games, as they provide the authentic casino experience we are all looking for. You are guaranteed to have lots of fun – and maybe win some cash while at it.