Online Roulette

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• All the required regulatory and gambling licenses needed to operate,
• Good cash-out times,
• A Large selection of roulette games,
• Excellent customer service,

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• How to Play Roulette
• Roulette Strategies
• Tips for Playing Roulette

How To Play Roulette

Since the earliest versions of roulette in regal France, it has had players on tenterhooks as the ball spins around the wheel. A large part of the appeal in roulette comes from the fact that the game itself is one of pure chance – there’s nothing you can do to increase or decrease your chances of landing a winner, other than structuring your bets.

This means that anyone can play roulette, whether it be land based or online roulette and more importantly, anyone can win at roulette, regardless of your skill or experience. That being said, it’s still crucial to understand the basic elements of the game and to have an idea of what to expect when you set foot at a roulette table. Broadly the same rules apply online as offline, except for a few specific roulette variations, meaning whether you play at a New Zealand site or an international one, the same rules will apply.

Roulette Game Basics

The Roulette Table

The basics of roulette are very straightforward and its the same for both land based and online roulette. If you’ve never played the game before, it’s easy to get the hang of things. The action unfolds on a wheel with anywhere between 37-38 numbered slots, depending on the variation you’re playing (European roulette has 37 slots and American 38). European roulette has one zero and American roulette has a single zero and a double zero, with the double zero counting for the extra slot number.

The aim of the game is to guess which number the ball will land on when it stops spinning, with players winning 35-1 for a correct outright call. So £10 on number 7 will net you £350, plus your £10 stake back should you land a winner.

Players place their bets by laying chips on the game layout table. In most cases, this can even be done during the spin, up to a certain point – there’s usually 10 seconds or so of grace in online games where you can place your bets with the ball in motion. When the ball comes to rest, the dealer calls out the winning number, and players are paid according to their bets and stakes.

Each spin takes anywhere from 30 to 90 seconds to complete, and players are invited to bet at the beginning of each new spin. Different game versions have their own timings and other unique elements, but by and large the action unfolds in a similar way with each spin.

When you bet outright on a single number, 35-1 is paid over true odds of 36-1 or 37-1, with the difference representing the house edge on any given spin. In reality, there are a number of different types of bets you can put in place which pay out at different rates of return, depending on the numbers covered in each spin.

Eurpean Roulette Wheel – 37 numbers (0 to 36):

Betting in Roulette

There are two main classifications of bet in roulette – known as ‘outside’ bets and ‘inside’ bets respectively. Each different bet has a slightly different structure, covering slightly different numbers, and more importantly, skewing the odds and probabilities in different ways to the standard outright bet.

The Straight is the name of the outright bet in which players pick a single number. This pays 35-1, but obviously you could be waiting a while to strike it lucky on a single number. The inside bets provide a number of alternative betting patterns for you to choose from.

Inside Roulette Bets

1. Straight Up: A bet that only covers one number and therefore the chip is placed on one number. Pays 35/1
2. Split: A bet on any two adjacent numbers, made by placing chips on the border between two number squares on the layout. Pays 17/1
3. Street: Place chips on the outer corner of a row of three numbers to back any of the three in a single bet. Pays 11/1
4. Six Line: Two street bets in one. Place the chip on the common external corner of two rows of three to bet on these lines. Pays 5/1
5. Corner: Also known as a square bet, this is a bet on four numbers made by placing chips on the common corner of all four positions. Pays 8/1
6. Trio: Two numbers plus zero – place the chips on the zero line bordering the numbers you want to bet on. Pays 11/1
7. Basket: A bet on 0, 1, 2 and 3, or 00, 0, 1, 2 and 3 in American roulette. Place chips on the outermost corner of the zero line and the first number for this bet. Pays 11/1

Each bet influences the probability of your outcome arising on any given spin, and therefore distorts the odds you’re paid for a win. More numbers covered per spin means a lower multiple win, but obviously you can expect to win more frequently than if you were to place single number bets.The other category of bets, the ‘Outside’ bets, are so called because they fall outside of the numbers on the board. Instead, they cover more broad brush outcomes, and there are five specific types commonly open to roulette players.

Outside Roulette Bets

1. Odd or Even: A bet on odd or even numbers. Pays 1/1
2. Red or Black: A bet on red or black numbers. Pays 1/1
3. 1 to 18, 19 to 36: A bet on a range of 18 numbers, either first or second 18. Pays 1/1
4. Columns: A bet on any of the three columns on the table, covering a non-consecutive dozen numbers. Pays 2/1
5. Dozens: A bet on any of the three possible dozens on the table, covered by a single spin. Pays 2/1

Most table layouts indicate the exact payout for different types of bets. Alternatively if you’re playing online, check out the game information where you’ll find a full rundown of all the different types of bets supported in your game variations.

Other Roulette Rules

Aside from the basic spinning and betting elements of the game, there are a couple of other rules that can crop up from time to time. ‘La Partage’ rules mean the house divides even money bets when the outcome is zero – effectively halving the house edge. This means you get pushed half your stake back, rather than losing the hand altogether in cases where a zero appears. This isn’t played universally, but you’ll find it explicitly explained in the game rules whether or not La Partage rules apply.

Similarly, the other rule you’re likely to come across is known as ‘En Prison’. This locks even money bets on spins where a zero appears. If you win on the next spin, your even money stake is returned to you, no harm done. When En Prison rules are not in play, you would lose your stake in the usual way if a zero appeared, so again, En Prison contributes to a lower house edge and a better chance of holding on to your stake.

Although we’ve covered the basics, there are dozens of different types of roulette, with each varying slightly from the last. Once you’re equipped with an understanding of the most basic types of bets open to you, you’re free to explore different game versions and variants that New Zealand has to offer from there. Not only will this help keep things fresh, but you can also discover some variations with additional prizes, jackpots, side bets and more.

So what are you waiting for? Now you’re equipped with the basics, you can practice for free or if you are feeling lucky start playing roulette for real money today – available in its many forms.

Tips For Playing Roulette

Free Roulette

If you are new to online roulette then it’s a good idea to play for free in practice/demo mode first. This will allow you to get used to the rules and how to place bets. There is no pressure of losing any money and you can take your time. Understanding the basic rules will not take long to learn and once you feel comfortable you can then progress to playing roulette for real money. Give our how to win at roulette article a read to learn about different strategies you can implement to try and reduce the house edge.

European vs American

Always try to play the European version of roulette as it only has one zero compared to the two zero’s on an American roulette table. There is one less number and both pay at the same odds of 35/1 for guessing the correct number, therefore it is a no-brainer to choose European roulette as the house has less of an advantage.

Table Showing the Difference between Odds in European and American Roulette

Source: The Mathematics of Complex Bets

Set A Budget

Gambling in any form is all about enjoyment and therfore it is important to set yourself a budget. Always play with money you can afford to lose and if you happen to lose the money you set aside to play roulette then call it a day. If lady luck is on your side and you win, then think of it as a bonus!

Get Stuck In

Remember, no skill is required to play online roulette in NZ and therefore it is a simple game to play. It is just you (the player) vs the house. Once the chips have been placed on the roulette table, the croupier spins the ball in one direction and the wheel in the other and all that is required from you is a bit of luck to guess the correct finishing position of the ball on the roulette wheel. The bets are then paid out accordingly. So let loose and start playing roulette today by joining one of our top rated online roulette casinos!