Getting to grips with Roulette variations
If you’re a Roulette fan, you may already be familiar with its history – that it was ‘accidentally’ invented by Blaise Pascal while he was trying to invent a perpetual motion machine, and that its name is derived from the French for ‘little wheel’. You may also be aware that it’s known as ‘The Devil’s Game’ in some circles, due to the fact that all the numbers on a Roulette wheel add up to 666 (yup, we’ll wait while you pull out a calculator). But what you may not know is that there’s more to this game than meets the eye – and more variations to it than you might have come across in your gaming career.
So if you’re looking to branch out and start playing new games and placing new bets, take a look at some of the most popular Roulette variations out there, and get ready to put a whole new spin on winning.
European Roulette
Yes yes, if you’re a Roulette fan you’ll obviously already know about European Roulette – but we had to start with it for the beginners. The most classic of both land-based and online Roulette games, European Roulette features 37 numbered spaces on its wheel and betting table (0 to 36), and is by far the most common variation of the game. With opportunities for inside bets (bets on actual numbers) and outside bets (bets on outcomes such as red/black or odd/even), European Roulette is one of the most popular versions of Roulette there is – and one of the most lucrative as well, with a low house edge of just 2.7%.
American Roulette
Although American Roulette might look exactly the same as European Roulette to the untrained eye, look a little closer – because this variation of the game has 38 numbered spaces on the wheel and the betting table, rather than the 37 of European Roulette. While this may not seem particularly noteworthy, in fact the inclusion of the double zero space actually affects the house edge, pushing it from the 2.7% of European Roulette all the way to 5.26% – making it a less rewarding option for players.
Despite this ‘minor’ detail, American Roulette is still one of Roulette’s most popular variations, potentially due to the fact that some players just like giving themselves more of a challenge. If you do decide to place your bets on this slightly riskier version of Roulette though, a word to the wise – avoid the five number bet of ’00’, ‘0’, ‘1’, ‘2’ and ‘3’ at all costs, because with a house edge of 7.89%, it has the dubious honour of having the worst odds of any Roulette bet out there. Rather choose a different bet instead and keep your bankroll looking as healthy as possible.
French Roulette
You don’t have to speak French in order to play this variation of the game – although when it comes to the names for the various bets, it might actually help a little. Similar to European Roulette with its 37 numbered spaces (no double zero here!), French Roulette also has a house edge of 2.7% – but this can be halved to a hugely favourable 1.35% thanks to a rule known as La Partage.
Under the La Partage rule, if you wager on an even money bet and the Roulette ball lands on zero, you’ll win half your bet back (which makes sense, as ‘la partage’ is French for ‘sharing’). So essentially you and the house are sharing the even money bet you’ve made, which lowers the house edge by half. And that’s a pretty good day at the tables if you ask us! There are a number of other unique bets and rules particular to French Roulette, such as ‘En Prison’, ‘Finales en Plein’, ‘Les Voisins’, ‘Les Orphelins’ and ‘Tiers’, all of which add to the excitement of the game – so if you’re looking for something similar to European Roulette but also different, French Roulette could be the variation for you!
Mini Roulette
Here’s where the English translation of ‘little wheel’ makes sense – with Mini Roulette! As the name suggests, it’s a smaller, more scaled-down version of traditional Roulette, and it’s a variation that’s finding increased popularity online. With fewer numbers and betting options to choose from, it is slightly different, but similar enough to the main game for you to feel comfortable playing. And of course, Mini Roulette doesn’t automatically mean mini wins – so there’s still plenty to play for!
Multi-Wheel Roulette
Why spin one Roulette wheel when you can spin up to eight at the same time! That’s the concept behind Multi-Wheel Roulette, and it’s one that’s hugely entertaining, and potentially hugely rewarding too. Most often found at Microgaming casinos, Multi-Wheel Roulette allows you to place a single bet and spin multiple wheels (usually two to eight) for an outcome. Win on more than one wheel, and you’ll have a sizable amount coming your way – more wheels, more wins, more fun. That’s Multi-Wheel Roulette, and we are here for it!
Multi-Ball Roulette
If you have a game with more than one Roulette wheel, you have to have one with more than one Roulette ball too right? That’s the idea behind Multi-Ball Roulette, a game that allows you to bet on Roulette while spinning not one, but three Roulette balls at the same time. In this way, you’ll be able to bet on more than one number simultaneously, and hopefully increase your winning chances too.
No-Zero Roulette
Single zero, double zero – what about just no zero at all? Welcome to No-Zero Roulette, a version of Roulette that takes the house edge all the way down to zero, theoretically allowing you to break even over a sustained period of time. As you can imagine, No-Zero Roulette isn’t as favoured by the house as other versions of the game, so you may have to do a little searching to find it, but once you do, give it a spin and see if any luck comes your way.
Roulette Royale
Tired of slots players getting all the progressive jackpot excitement? Now you can too with Roulette Royale – the game that packs a jackpot punch. With all the fun of European Roulette and all the thrills of a progressive jackpot, Roulette Royale could be just what you need to add to add some extra exhilaration to your gaming – try it for yourself today and see!
With so many sensational Roulette variations to try out, not to mention other versions like live casino Roulette, Spingo and Premiere Roulette Diamond Edition too, there’s no end to the excitement that Roulette can bring. So if you’ve been wanting the wheel of fortune to start spinning your way, there’s no time like the present – choose your game, choose your bets, and see what kind of winnings fate has in store for you!
Happy Spinning 🙂
Oh please, spare me the insipid details of roulette types! What’s next, a lecture on paint drying? It’s like you’re trying to bore people to death!
The variations in Roulette are quite intriguing; curious to discover which version truly captivates players. 🤔
Curious about all the variations, wonder how they differ in excitement! 🤔