Roulette is by far the most popular online casino game. And when you place your chips on a Roulette table betting layout you’re probably asking yourself, ‘Where is the ball going to land?’ 

But the question you really should be trying to work out is, ‘When is the ball likely to land in one of the numbered pockets you’re betting on?’ Because in my opinion, building a strategy around this likelihood is the key to winning at Roulette.  

Allow me to explain. 

  • Most players bet on numbers before the ball has been spun because they’re trying to win using previous outcomes as a guide. They’re looking for a pattern and so bet in a way that if that pattern continues they’ll win. 
  • Other players stick to the same set of numbers or
  • Devise some other form of number picking System.

Whatever method you use to try and win, (And I’m going to suggest a System of my own at the end of this article) there’re a few important key points you should factor into your overall strategy. Implementing the advice, I’m going to refer to will set you apart from most Roulette players. 

Since Roulette is a random game of chance there are many that say winning depends on luck alone. So, I’ll address this point first.

LUCK

There’ll be times playing Roulette when you feel invincible, no matter the speed of the ball or the rotation speed of the wheel or the way the ball lands into one of the pockets, the outcomes will work out for you as if you were just meant to win. 

There will always be Roulette players that experience lucky days, but the problem with luck is it cannot be used as a method because you can never know when this form of luck will appear. 

Roulette players placing their bets

If you sense you’re on a lucky streak you could take full advantage by increasing your wagers as you’re winning and of course up until your luck vanishes. Being lucky is making profits spin after spin or when there’re only a few losses in-between wins. During these times you could also maximise your profits by increasing your wagers following a few losing results. In this way you’re turning outcomes into wins because you’ve managed your bankroll positively during the dominant cluster of those wins you’ve encountered. 

But let’s be under no illusions about Roulette, for it’s not so much a game about mysterious luck alone, but a game about the method or System you’ll use and moreover all about ‘timing.’ 

If a method works well when you’re using it, you’ll be in luck. You’ve heard the expression, ‘you make your own luck.’ Making it work for you on Roulette games is not only possible but using the right method and managing the highs and lows (within the timing: number of losses before wins and vice versa) will result in you being lucky and winning more often. 

THE PLAYER’S EDGE

Does one exist? If so it would contradict the house edge that is firmly established in mathematics. It doesn’t seem possible that a player can have an edge. I mean, unless a Roulette wheel has a bias, or you can work out where a ball might land as it’s spinning and before the call ‘no more bets’ is announced, or you can know the future, overcoming the mathematical model of the house edge is simply impossible.    

But there’s winning and there is winning. For instance, you could cover all the numbers and watch as the dolly marker is placed on one of your chips. However, since there’s 37 pockets on a European Roulette wheel and the Straight up payout is 35 to 1, having secured your 1 chip wager on a winning number along with the 35 chips you would win (total =36) you’d be losing 1 chip.

Leave out 1 number, covering just 36 numbers and you’ll be breaking even if one of your numbers is the outcome. So clearly this is not profitable. If you leave out 2 or more numbers, you can work out that the risk to reward favours the house because when you lose just once you’ll need to win lots of outcomes to recover your losses.  

IF THERE’S A PLAYER’S EDGE WHAT IS IT?

Years of forming different Roulette Systems had given me this answer. Sure, some methods are better than others and I do have my favourites, but what all good Systems have in common is they go through regular winning and losing phases. 

If you adjust your betting in line with the highs and lows of the method you’re using, you’ll generate a money management edge that’ll be reflected in your bankroll. 

Correct application gives you ‘an edge over your losses’ thus saving you losing more which results in you holding onto more of your winnings. Preventing your bankroll from being reduced keeps you in the game which means you’ll have the chip power to increase your bets when winning clusters occur. 

THE FEWER THE NUMBERS YOU COVER THE BETTER
AND THE OPTIMUM NUMBER IS NINE

There are three reasons why. 

  1. For a Roulette System to work, in my opinion it must be one where the numbers you pick go through ‘regular phases’ where wins and losses occur in clusters. If following a win there’re several losses in a row before the next win, increasing your wagers hoping to ride a streak of wins will fail and increasing your wagers (doubling down) expecting wins will also fail.

    Example 1: W/L Regular Phases occurring in clusters.

    W L W L L W W L W L L L W W L W W W L W L W L W L L

    In the above example both wins, and losses resulted 13x. Although both score an equal number of outcomes, they occur in clusters so increasing wagers following losses pays off because there’re few losses in a row. Likewise, increasing wagers following wins pays off since a win is never far away. 

    Even if I reduce the number of Wins you’ll still be profiting because you’re only covering 9x numbers. 

    Example 2: W/L Regular Phases occurring in clusters, but with fewer wins.

    L W L L L W L W L L L W L W W L L W L L

    In the above example there are only 8x wins verses 13x losses. But there aren’t many losses in a row and so there’re still clusters of wins. Therefore, increasing wagers following losses and following wins will pay off because you’re only covering 9x numbers. So, you’re in a strong position and even if I were to reduce the wins further you’re still likely to secure profits.
     
  2. Revert to covering more numbers and it follows that more wins are likely, however your profits will be reduced. Also covering more numbers means higher wagers for the times when you want to increase your bets, and this can lead to higher losses. Therefore, it’s important to stick to an average of covering 9x numbers. Depending on the System you’re using – and I’ll get to that shortly – it could be one or two numbers less or a few more. 9x numbers is a little under a quarter of a Roulette wheel. A Straight up pay-out gives you a 3 to 1 advantage. (35 plus your 1 stake = 36 less 9 = 27 i.e. 9 multiplied by 3 =27)
     
  3. Covering almost a quarter of the wheel gives you an almost 1 in 4 chance of winning. And using a method where wins and losses appear in frequent clusters means you’ll be able to (within reason) predict the likelihood of when wins are due.

TIP: Stick to the same System so that you form order into the way you bet. It doesn’t matter if you use the same set of Roulette numbers or a different set from spin to spin, but by sticking to the same System you’ll be able to regulate when and when not to bet and by how much to bet each spin. When you stick to the same System you can note down wins and losses and these will give you a sense of when wins are likely and when they’re not. 

So, the next time you bet on Roulette think of two things; ‘Method’ and ‘Timing’. If you bet with these in mind, you’ll convert would be losses into wins with in the money you’ll save.

SAME TYPE & OPPERSIT TYPE REPEATING SYSTEM

I formed this System based on the layout of numbers on the Roulette wheel and betting layout and the frequency of appearances. It was one of the first Systems I created back in the 1990s. If you read my article, you’ll know why connections on the Roulette wheel are relevant when choosing a System to follow.

Each of the 1 to 36 numbers relate to three of the six outside betting options: HIGH/LOW, EVEN/ODD, RED/BLACK. For example, #1 relates to Low/Odd/Red. But you don’t bet on the outside even chances in this System.

The System works as follows. If #1 was the last outcome you would place 1x chip on each of the following Straight up numbers that belong to the same group as #1 they are: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 These numbers represent the DIRECT REPEAT of the SAME TYPE: (Low/Odd/Red).

Then you place 1x chip on each of the following numbers, 

20, 22, 24, 26, 28 These numbers represent a complete OPPOSITE of the group #1 falls into i.e. they are all High/Even/Black.

The theory is, a Same Type or Complete Opposite Repeat might be the next likely outcome because on a Roulette wheel they are spaced out so that when a ball returns to the same half of the wheel divided from the zero down, you have just under a 50% chance of realising a connection! 

There are eight groups of Same Type numbers on a Roulette betting layout and wheel. These are: 

1, 3, 5, 7, 9
2, 4, 6, 8, 10
11, 13, 15,17
12, 14, 16, 18
19, 21, 23, 25, 27

20, 22, 24, 26, 28
29, 31, 33, 35
30, 32, 34, 36 

Each group of Same Type numbers can be matched to Complete Opposite Types or vice versa as follows. 

1, 3, 5, 7, 9 / 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 = layout of 10x numbers
2, 4, 6, 8, 10 / 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 = layout of 10x numbers
11, 13, 15,17 / 30, 32, 34, 36 = layout of 8x numbers
12, 14, 16, 18 / 29, 31, 33, 35 = layout of 8x numbers

You will be betting on 8x or 10x numbers in total in each game. So, the average will be 9x numbers. As you can see, there’re four groups of four numbers, total = 16x and four groups of five numbers, total = 20x. 

16 plus 20 numbers = 36 divided by the 8 groups = 4.5. You’re only ever betting on two groups in each game, so 4.5 multiplied by 2 = 9.  

This is a good Roulette System because Wins and Losses occur in clusters and go through regular winning and losing phases. After 3x or max 4x losses in a row you could stop playing to ride out what could turn out to be an extended losing phase where one of the 8x to 10x numbers do not occur. This will save you losing more money and allow you time to analyse your Win/Loss notes.

When a same Type is followed by a Same Type outcome or 

Opposite Type followed by an Opposite Type or 

Same Type followed by an Opposite Type or 

An Opposite Type followed by a Same Type,

one of these connecting outcomes will be a trigger for you to begin betting again.     

I don’t recommend covering Zero because over the long run Zero outcomes have no bearing on the success of playing this Roulette System.  

There’s no perfect Roulette System since all Systems go through phases of wins and losses. But in choosing an average of 9x numbers as opposed to many more and betting in a structured way you’ll increase your chances of identifying when to bet and by how much to bet to try and maximise your profits and minimise your losses. 

The art of winning when playing Roulette is learning how to manage the ups and downs based on the advice I’ve given above. 

Login to your 888casino account and study Roulette game outcomes. You’ll see that such Same and Opposite Type patterns reoccur even though Roulette is a random game of chance.

Stephen R. Tabone is an English Writer from Great Britain. He is a casino games professional pattern player and outcomes systemiser. He is the Author of Bestselling Baccarat books, ‘The Ultimate Silver Bullet Proof Baccarat Winning Strategy 2.1’ and ‘The Ultimate Golden Secret Baccarat Winning Strategy 3.0’.

In 2011, Mr. Tabone earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honours in Creative Writing and Philosophy from the University of Greenwich, London. And holds qualifications in Law and in Business.