How Do I Play Smart Roulette?
Published on August 1st, 2006 7:01 pm ESTIf you use an internet search engine to search for Roulette strategies or systems, you will likely get hundreds of thousands of results. This is because just about everyone thinks that they have some kind of winning formula or miracle secret that will help you win big at Roulette.
The truth is, most of these are snake oil in disguise. Roulette is a game of chance- you can not predict where the ball will land. There is no mathematical formula for Roulette. In Poker or Blackjack, you can calculate odds and make educated decisions on your betting based on these odds. In Roulette, there is no such thing.
So how do you play smart Roulette? By managing your money and staying in your budget. That sounds very simple, but that's because it is. Smart Roulette means knowing when to play, how to play, and when to walk away.
First, you should decide on a set amount of money that you will be playing Roulette with, and Roulette only. This should be an amount you are comfortable parting with, in case you don't win. Depending on your bets, you could win several hands that have good odds, or lose your money quickly on bets that have long odds. So only budget an amount you are OK parting with, in case you lose it.
Next is to set aside anything you win. You must stay in your budget. If your budget is $100, and you win 40 and re-bet that 40, that means you have actually spent $140, and busted your budget. It is always better (and much more fun) if you walk away from the table with something rather than nothing. Setting your winning chips aside means you will always walk away with at least a little money (and quite possibly a lot).
If you want to play for a longer period of time, make sure you make the minimum bets, and that you are sitting at a table that has a low minimum bet. If your budget is $100, then sitting at a $20 minimum table means you won't play many hands. But sitting at a $5 minimum table means at least 20 spins.
Once you have gone through your initial budget, walk away. Since Roulette is a game of chance, even if you are winning that does not mean you will continue to do so. A hot streak at Roulette can turn to a stone cold streak in only a few spins of the wheel. It really is better to walk away and go play something else. If you still want to play more Roulette after walking away for awhile, then make a new budget and follow the same set of rules all over again.
The last piece of advice for playing smart Roulette is actually a good rule of thumb for any gambling game- and that is to stop playing if you are getting emotional. Specifically, we are talking about when you get mad or upset at a run of bad outcomes or bets. This will cause you to make progressively worse decisions and bets- and to lose more money. Playing while you are upset is a recipe for disaster, so don't do it.
