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Roulette is one of the oldest casino games in existence and has gained in popularity over the years with a dedicated following world-wide. It is generally a slow and relaxing game interspersed with jolts of excitement.
Currently, there are two types of roulette wheels: single-zero (0) and double-zero (00). With a double-zero roulette wheel, the most common wheel in existence, the casino's edge rises to 5.26%, whereas a single-zero roulette wheel has a casino edge of only 2.70%
Roulette strategy is in the betting; the players have absolutely no control over picking the winning number. The spinning of the wheel and the releasing of the ball are all done by a croupier (the house), the players only involvement is in making wagers.
In Roulette the house edge is the same for all possible bets. The only exception being the five-way bet on a double zero machine (1, 2, 3, 0, and 00) which gives the house a greater edge. So pick a number, or a group of numbers, and hope luck is on your side.
The only thing the player can do to improve his/her chances of winning is selecting a table that offers better odds. There are three different variations on the game of roulette; they offer the player different odds of winning, so when possible play the tables that offer the best odds for the player:
The standard double-zero wheel is the most common in North America. This machine gives the house a 5.26% edge; it is the worst table for players to win on.
In Europe (and recently at some North American casinos) roulette is played on a wheel that contains only one zero. The single zero wheel reduces the house edge to 2.70% and offers the player better chances of winning. Some casinos offer both, which leads to the question 'considering the odds why would anyone play a double zero machine if a single zero machine is available?'.
Also in Europe the have a variation called “en prison” that reduces the house edge to 1.35% and represents and even better chance for players. The “en prison” variation is offered when the zero is the winning number. Instead of the house claiming all of the money bet the player has the option of losing half of the wager or leaving the wager and waiting for the outcome of the next play. If the player had originally bet on red to win and the next play results in a red number then the players money is returned to him (without the usual payoff). These two European variations may explain why roulette is played much more in Europe than in North America.
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