The Basics of Roulette
The roulette wheel is made up of numbered compartments that alternate between red and black. The amount of pockets will differ depending on whatever variant of roulette is being played by the casino. The American variant typically uses a wheel with 38 slots, which includes a zero and a double zero, but the European system employs a wheel with 37 pockets, which only has the single zero.
Despite the fact that tactics and side bets add an added degree of complexity to the game, the basic concept is easy—the player wagers on the ball landing on a specific number or combination of digits.
Players compete against the house rather than against their other gamblers, with each player being identifiable by a distinct coloured chip. Betting restrictions in roulette games may be quite variable depending on the game. Thus, the environment is suitable for both the novice who is just getting his feet wet and the more experienced player who is seeking to play for larger sums of money.
Playing the Game
To begin the game, a player must place a wager that is within the betting limits. Once all of the bets have been received, the wheel is spun and the ball is rolled while the wheel is still spinning. When the ball has landed in one of the pockets and the wheel has come to a complete stop, the game is over and the money is distributed to the winners or collected for the house.
In the case of online roulette games, a Random Number Generator is used to select all of the numbers (RNG). This is licensed and evaluated by an independent third-party firm in order to verify that rigorous requirements of fair play are met.
Types of Roulette Bets
The many types of bets you can place in roulette are split into ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ bets. Players can place any combination of the following bets in any way they lie.
- Straight-up Bet – Covers 1 number and pays out 35:1.
- Split Bet – Covers two numbers and pays out 17:1.
- Street Bet – Covers three numbers and pays out 11:1.
- Corner Bet – Covers four numbers and pays out 8:1.
- Line Bet – Covers six numbers and pays out 5:1.
- Column Bet – Covers twelve numbers and pays out 2:1.
- Even-Odd Bet – Covers eighteen numbers and pays out 1:1.
- Colour Bet – Covers eighteen numbers and pays out 1:1.
- High-Low Bet – Covers eighteen numbers and pays out 1:1.
The European version of roulette, with its fewer pockets, offers a higher probability of a win. Should the ball settle in the zero pocket the player can take back half of his bet thanks to the “en prison” rule.
Variations of Online Roulette
Thanks to the innovations of some of the best casino game developers in the business like Microgaming, NetEnt, and IGT, these online roulette games are easier to pick up than ever, being available on PC, Android, and iOS platforms. Yes, you can even take the gaming experience on the go as long as you have a cellular data connection that’s fast enough.
Another of their innovations lies in the novel twists that they’ve incorporated into the standard gameplay of roulette. We’ve included a few examples that we found the most interesting, but you can find many more out there if you know where to look.
Double Ball Roulette
Double Ball Roulette puts two balls into play, as the name suggests, and gives players approximately double the chances of winning. In this variation, players like to play both inside and outside bets to maximize their payouts.
Dolphin’s Roulette
Inspired by the Dolphin’s Pearl game, this unique spin adds a bonus slot game on top of the roulette gameplay through which players can place side bets to increase their payout.
Live Dealer Roulette
Developers like Evolution Gaming have been pushing the limits of the online casino gaming experience with their foray into “live casino games”—essentially casino games that allow players to interact with a physical table with a real dealer operating it. These live roulette games are arguably the closest that anyone’s ever come to bridging the gap between digital software and the experience of playing a casino game in person.
The Best Roulette Sites to Play Online
Given the game’s enormous popularity, it is practically impossible to find an online casino in the UK that doesn’t offer a roulette game. But with so many options available, how does a new player choose between them?
Well, many online casinos now provide the possibility to play free Roulette (some casinos call it the play for fun option). This is a fantastic method to study the rules and formulate your own strategy. You’ll also be able to acquire a sense of the game’s speed and etiquette without needing to pay for the experience.
In the list above, you’ll find our recommendations for UK online casinos that offer excellent roulette games.