American Roulette: How to Play and Maximize Your Bets

How to Play American Roulette

In this article, I take a closer look at American Roulette, a classic casino game recognized for its quick pace and iconic spinning wheel. When you’re ready to play for real money, be sure to check out our top 10 online casinos to play American Roulette.

The main aim of American Roulette, like in other versions, is to guess which number the ball will land on in the next spin. Players place their bets on single numbers or groups of numbers, hoping to predict the outcome.

The game features a wheel with 38 numbered slots, including both a 0 and a 00—unlike the European version, which has only a single 0. The extra 00 slot on the American roulette wheel increases the house’s advantage, giving the casino a better chance of winning compared to versions with only a single 0.

Rules Of American Roulette

Below, I’ve listed strategic rules to help players make more informed bets and improve their chances of winning during the game.

The Wheel: American roulette has a wheel with 38 pockets: numbers 1 to 36, plus a 0 and a 00. Half of the numbers are red, half are black, and the 0 and 00 are green.

Spinning the Wheel: After all bets are placed, the dealer (called a croupier) spins the wheel in one direction and rolls a small ball in the opposite direction.

No Bet After the Dealer Says ‘No More Bets’: Once the dealer calls “No more bets,” you can’t place or change any bets until the next round.

Chips Are Color-Coded: In roulette, each player gets chips of a different color to avoid confusion. Your chips have no value outside of the roulette table, so you’ll need to exchange them for regular chips when you finish playing.

Betting Time: After the dealer clears the table and announces that bets are open, you’ll have time to place your bets. Once the ball is about to fall, the dealer will call “No more bets” and you must stop placing or changing your bets.

Winning Bets Stay on the Table: If your bet wins, the dealer will leave your original bet in place and hand you the winnings. You can either let your bet ride for the next round or choose to remove it and place a new bet.

Losing Bets Are Cleared: After the ball lands, all losing bets are cleared off the table before the next round begins.

Betting Limits: Each table has minimum and maximum betting limits. Make sure you know these before playing so you don’t accidentally place a bet that’s too high or too low.

Even Money Bet Rule: If the ball lands on 0 or 00 and you’ve placed an even-money bet (like red/black or odd/even), you lose your bet. Some tables might offer a variation where you only lose half your bet if the ball lands on 0 or 00, but this depends on the casino’s rules.

A version of an American Roulette wheel can be found below:

There are many different bets you can place in American Roulette which are essentially the same as in all other forms of the game.

Before this, you need to choose the value of your chips, this is easily done when playing online by clicking on the chip value that you wish to play with. You can then click on different sections of the play area to place your bets.

You can put more than one chip on each bet up to the table limit for that type of bet, those with a higher payout will generally have a smaller maximum bet.

Types of American Roulette Bets

The straight up bet is when you place your chips directly on a single number, including zero or double zero. The odds for winning this type of bet are 35 to 1, meaning if you win, you’ll get your original bet back plus 35 times that amount.

The split bet is when you place your chips on the line between two adjacent numbers. The odds for winning this bet are 17 to 1, which means if your bet wins, you’ll receive 17 times the amount you bet plus your original bet back.

The street bet involves placing your chips on the edge of a row of three numbers. The odds for winning this bet are 11 to 1, so if you win, you get 11 times your bet plus the original amount you wagered.

The corner bet is when you place your chips at the corner where four numbers meet. The odds for winning this bet are 8 to 1, meaning if you win, you’ll receive eight times the amount you bet plus your original bet back.

The line bet is when you place your chips on the edge of two rows, covering six numbers. The odds for winning this bet are 5 to 1, meaning if you win, you’ll get five times your bet plus your original bet back.

Outside bets are wagers placed on broader options like red or black, odd or even, or high or low numbers. The odds for winning most outside bets are 1 to 1, meaning if you win, you get the same amount you bet, plus your original bet back.

The column bet is when you place your chips at the bottom of one of the three columns of numbers, covering 12 numbers. The odds for winning this bet are 2 to 1, so if you win, you’ll get twice your bet plus your original bet back.

The dozen bet is when you place your chips on one of the three groups of 12 numbers (1-12, 13-24, or 25-36). The odds for winning this bet are 2 to 1, meaning if you win, you get twice your bet plus your original bet back.

A color bet is when you place your chips on either red or black. The odds for winning this bet are 1 to 1, meaning if you win, you’ll get the same amount you bet plus your original bet back.

An odd/even bet is when you bet on either all the odd numbers or all the even numbers on the wheel. The odds for winning this bet are 1 to 1, meaning if you win, you get back the same amount you bet plus your original bet.

A high/low bet is when you bet on either the low numbers (1-18) or the high numbers (19-36). The odds for winning this bet are 1 to 1, meaning if you win, you’ll get back the same amount you bet plus your original bet.

An example of each type of bet can be seen in the image below, showing where you would place your chips on the roulette table for each bet:

American Roulette Odds and Payouts

The amount won on each type of bet depends on the likelihood of it coming in. I’ve included this American Roulette payout chart to give you an idea of the payouts for each type of bet. Some online casinos may vary slightly from the odds shown, so be sure to check the odds of your favoured bets before you start playing.

American Roulette Strategy

While American Roulette is a game of chance and the house edge can’t be eliminated, it’s known that a structured betting approach can help manage your bankroll. Below, I introduce some of the most popular betting strategies that players use in hopes of slightly improving their odds over time.

The Martingale System

To see how one of the most well-known betting systems plays out in practice, I tried the Martingale system, starting with a $10 bet on black.After losing the first round, I doubled my next bet to $20, and when that lost too, I went up to $40, then $80. I kept doubling after each loss, hoping for that one win to recover everything, but with each spin, the pressure—and the risk—grew quickly.

Unfortunately, the losses piled up fast, with a few wins sprinkled in and by the end of the night, I was down $160. The Martingale system is risky because while it can offer short-term gains, the potential for high losses is significant if a winning round doesn’t come quickly. Well, the winning streak never came this time, and I had to stop before I lost even more. I have been successful with this strategy many times in the past but not this time. Better luck next time!

The D’Alembert System

The D’Alembert system is a more gradual betting strategy compared to more aggressive methods like the Martingale. It involves increasing your bet by a fixed amount after a loss and decreasing it by the same fixed amount after a win. This method is based on the theory that there should eventually be an equilibrium of wins and losses over a long period.

Here’s how I applied the D’Alembert system. I began with a modest $5 bet. This base amount is crucial as it sets the increment by which bets are increased or decreased. After each loss, I increased my next bet by $1. This gradual increase is designed to help recover losses over time without the drastic escalation seen in systems like the Martingale.

After each win, I lowered the bet by $1 to gradually reduce my risk. This helps to secure profits by reducing the bet amount when on a winning streak, thus avoiding giving all the winnings back through larger bets. I had some wins and some losses, but by the end of the evening, I had broken even, with no major swings in my bankroll.

This outcome is considered successful in the D’Alembert system since the goal is often to enjoy the game without large losses rather than aiming for a substantial profit.

The Fibonacci System:

The Fibonacci system is based on the famous mathematical sequence where each number is the sum of the two preceding ones. This betting strategy applies the sequence to the amount you bet, increasing stakes according to the Fibonacci numbers after a loss and moving back two steps in the sequence after a win.

Here’s a deeper look into how this system was utilized. I began with a $1 bet, which is the start of the Fibonacci sequence for this purpose (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8…). After the first two losses, I moved up the sequence to bet $2, then $3.

This progression continued, following the Fibonacci sequence, which inherently involves a controlled increase in bet size. Following a win, I stepped back two places in the sequence. For example, after a win at $3, I moved back to bet $1 again.

This strategy helps in recovering losses without the risk of escalating the bets too quickly. By adhering to this systematic approach, I was able to steadily recover my initial losses. Over several rounds, the careful management of bet sizes and the natural progression of the sequence allowed me to end up with a small $65 profit.

The James Bond Strategy:

The James Bond Strategy, inspired by the famous fictional spy, is a structured approach to roulette that covers a large portion of the wheel with each bet, thereby increasing the probability of hitting a winning number. This strategy doesn’t vary the bet amount based on previous outcomes, making it a form of flat betting.

In this strategy, the bets are divided across different segments of the roulette layout. If you’re betting $100, for instance, you’d allocate $50 on the high numbers (19-36), which gives you a higher probability of winning a smaller amount.

Then $25 goes on a six-line bet covering numbers 13-18, offering a moderate payout.The remaining $25 is typically split with a smaller portion, such as $10, placed on zero. This is considered an insurance bet, as zero is a direct loss for most other bets (outside of specific bets on zero).

Placing a bet on zero acts as a safety net to recover some of the potential losses from other areas. This strategy effectively covers a significant portion of the roulette wheel, with bets placed on low, mid, and a specific single number. The distribution is such that it maximizes the chances of recovering the total bet amount or even achieving a profit, depending on where the ball lands.

 
European vs. American Roulette:

European Roulette is usually a better choice because it only has one zero on the wheel, which brings the house edge down to about 2.7%. American Roulette, on the other hand, has both a zero and a double zero, making the house edge 5.26%.

This means that if you play European Roulette, you’re generally going to lose less money over time compared to playing American Roulette, assuming you bet the same amount in both games, unless you have luck on your side.

American Roulette Tips

Understand the Wheel: American roulette has both a 0 and a 00, which makes it different from European roulette. This gives the house a bit more of an advantage.

Start with Simple Bets: Betting on red/black or odd/even gives you almost a 50/50 chance to win, so it’s a good place to start if you’re new.

Watch your Bankroll: Set a limit for how much you’re willing to bet and stick to it. Don’t bet more than you can afford to lose.

Avoid the Five-Number Bet: The bet that covers 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 has the worst odds, so it’s best to skip this one.

Look for Patterns, but don’t rely on them: The game is random, so even if red has come up a lot, it doesn’t mean black is “due” next.

Manage your Bets: Some people use systems like the Martingale to manage bets, but remember no system guarantees a win.

Know When to Walk Away: Decide before you start when you’re going to stop, whether you’re up or down. Don’t get caught up trying to win back losses.

Check Table Limits: Each table has minimum and maximum bets. Make sure you’re aware of these before you start betting.

Take your Time: Don’t rush your bets. Think things through, and remember that the game is about luck.

Play for Fun: Roulette is a game of chance, so enjoy it and don’t take it too seriously. Winning is nice, but the main goal is to have fun. We offer free roulette games right here on Casinoencyclopedia.com, so you can test your luck and strategy without risking any money.

Final Thoughts on Playing American Roulette

American Roulette remains a casino favorite for good reason. With a variety of betting options and fast-paced excitement, it offers something for both new and experienced players. I hope I have helped clarify the key aspects of the game and given you the confidence to make more informed choices at the table. Whether you’re playing for fun or aiming to stretch your bankroll, understanding the basics can go a long way.

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