Roulette Betting Systems

The casino’s entire edge in roulette is a result of two green slots (zero and double-zero) floating in a sea of red and black. Without those slots the game is a no-edge contest. With the extra

Basil Nestor is the author of the new Playboy Complete Guide to Casino Gambling. This wonderful book teaches players how to avoid sucker bets and win more when playing gambling games. He is also the author of The Smarter Bet Guide series for video poker, slots, craps, and many other books about gambling. Basil's website is www.smarterbet.com slots, the house has a considerable advantage.

Betting on zero and double-zero (or including those numbers in a combination bet) doesn’t change the situation. There is no system, no method, no pattern for playing roulette that will prevent the game from extracting a house edge of 5.26 percent on a double-zero wheel.

There are only two exceptions to this mathematic tenet, bias and rule changes (such as playing a single-zero wheel). We’ll cover both tactics later in this chapter, but right now let’s examine why most roulette betting schemes don’t work.

“But what is zero?” she inquired. “Just now I heard the flaxen-haired croupier call out ‘zero!’ And why does he keep raking in all the money that is on the table? To think that he should grab the whole pile for himself! What does zero mean?” Fyoder Dostoevsky – from his story The Gambler written in 1866

Inside Bets vs. Outside Bets

A straight bet obviously has more risk and offers more reward per spin than a bet that pays 1:1, but both bets cost exactly the same over time. That’s the roulette paradox.

People who spread chips around the table lose at the same long-term rate as those who bet single numbers or groups. The adjacent table shows why. Betting multiple chips on a combination is identical to dividing the bet on individual numbers. For example, $10 split between eleven and fourteen will return the same amount as $5 straight up on eleven and $5 straight up on fourteen. This is true for all combinations.

Multiple Straight Bets vs. Combination Bets

Numbers	11 & 14	4,5,6	19,20,22,23	7-12	19-36
Straight bets	2	3	4	6	18
Win Amount	35	35	35	35	35
Losing bets	-1	-2	-3	-5	-17
Net total after win	34	33	32	30	18

Combination Bets	2 chips split	3 chips street	4 chips box	6 chips on two rows	18 chips on high
Win	34	33	32	30	18
Losing bets	0	0	0	0	0
Total after win	34	33	32	30	18

Putting multiple chips on a combination bet returns the same amount as splitting the wager and betting each number individually.

There’s nothing wrong with spreading bets around, but there’s nothing right about it. In the long run it doesn’t make any difference.

Similarly, betting $10 on a single number may seem riskier and more expensive than betting $10 on red, but both bets cost the same in the long run. The table labeled “Straight Bets vs. Outside Bets” shows the results from 380 decisions when there is an exactly average outcome.

Straight Bets vs. Outside Bets

Straight bets pay 35:1		$10 wagers
Total Decisions	380
Wins	10	$3,500
Losses	370	$3,700
Net Result		-$200
Outside bets pay 1:1		$10 wagers
Total decisions	380
Wins	180	$1,800
Losses	200	$2,000
Net Result		-$200

Straight bets and outside bets have the same long-term cost.
These numbers reflect average results after approximately eight hours of play.

Of course, results are rarely exactly average. That’s the lure and the heartbreak of roulette. Normal streaks of winning and losing make some people think that particular bets or combinations of bets win more than others. Indeed, some bets do win more frequently, but they’re all equal when it comes to the house edge.

The preceding material is a portion of what you'll find in Basil Nestor's Unofficial Guide to Casino Gambling.

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