Roulette Strategies Explained – Are These Betting Systems Effective?
Roulette is a game of chance and uncertainty, but there is some room for strategizing. It is one of the most played and most popular casino table games, but despite its popularity, many beginners seem to bet without any game plan or strategy.
We will look at a few popular roulette strategies and share some tips on how to work on your roulette tactic.
Fundamentals of Roulette Strategy: Gameplay & Rules
Before we break down the top roulette strategies, we believe it’s necessary to introduce you to the basics of playing roulette, the roulette table, and the types of bets. Even if you’re familiar with the rules, beginners will find this section useful.
The Roulette Table
The roulette flat table is divided into an inside and an outside section, which includes different betting options. The inside part of the flat table layout comprises 36 red and black numbered squares where you put your chips to make a bet. You can bet on one or multiple number combinations. The numbers on the flat layout are identical to those on the roulette wheel, and when you place your chips in a given box, you predict the ball will land on the specific number(s).
On the other hand, the outside part of the table includes more broad bet types, such as odd or even or red or black. Further, here, you can also bet on the ball to land on a range of numbers, such as the first, second, or third 12 numbers, or 1 through 18 and 19 through 36.
The Roulette Wheel
The wheel is where the main action takes place after you’ve selected your bets. It shows the same numbers 1 through 36 in red and black pockets. If you’re playing European Roulette, there is an extra 0 (zero) pocket in green. With American roulette, there is a 0 pocket and an additional 00 (double zero) pocket. The numbers on the wheel are not ordered, but rather they are jumbled for more random outcomes.
How is Roulette Played
A roulette strategy can be a complex betting system that you need to learn and develop in the long run. But the steps of playing are basic.
- Placing your bet – The first action you take in roulette is placing a bet. You do so by determining the type of bet and amount and placing the virtual table.
- Spinning the wheel – When you put your chips on the table, the croupier will spin the wheel. You will know if you’ve won based on where the ball lands and what type of bet you’ve placed.
- The outcome – Once the wheel stops spinning and the result is known, you can prepare for the next round of betting.
Some Key Roulette Bet Types and Payouts
There are various options for betting based on the arrangement of numbers, columns, and colors on the roulette table.
- Bet on colour – You bet whether the ball goes into a red or black pocket, regardless of the number. If you predict the correct colour, you win at even money (1:1).
- Straight-up bet – A risky bet, you predict that a ball will land on a specific single number, paying out at odds 35:1.
- Split bet – Place your chips on the lines dividing two numbers horizontally or vertically like 20/21 (vertically) or 13/16 (horizontally), with odds of 17:1.
- Odd/even – Bet on whether the ball lands in an even or odd number, paying out at even-money odds.
- Column betting – The flat layout shows three columns with different number arrangements of 12 numbers per column, paying at 2:1 odds.
- Street bets – these are similar to split bets, but except for 2 random numbers, you bet on three possible numbers in order, like 16, 17, 18, or 7, 8, 9, with odds of 11:1.
Note, this is just an overview of popular roulette bets, but there are other options, like dozens (betting on first, second, or third 12 numbers), corner bets, six lines, and high or low.
Top Roulette Strategies
There are different variants and sub-variants of roulette (American, French, European, Speed Roulette, Auto Roulette, etc.), but the following strategies can be applied to most, if not all, versions.
Progressive/Non-Progressive Strategy
Almost all roulette betting systems can be divided into two categories based on the size of your bet: progressive and non-progressive.
- Progressive betting – The name explains this type of roulette betting, which includes placing progressively bigger bets based on whether you’ve won or lost your last bet. You simply increase the bet amount every round, which is a risky method given that you invest more money every round, but it has its benefits because, in the long run, you can compensate for earlier losses with 1 or 2 winning hands. Martingale and Fibonacci are two examples of progressive betting in roulette. This is a strategy for more advanced and serious players who have the budget that can support placing progressively bigger bets.
- Non-progressive betting – This is the opposite of progressive betting, meaning you settle for a bet amount each hand, no matter whether you’ve won or lost the last bet. Non-progressive betting in roulette is considered more advantageous for short-term casual players, but it still has some risk. The James Bond system is an example of a non-progressive roulette system.
Martingale System
Simple and popular, mostly among experienced roulette players, the Martingale System is designed to help you regain losses with a single bet, even after multiple consecutive losses. Our roulette experts have used this strategy for years and can testify to its effect. The idea behind the Martingale strategy is simple.
You place your bet. You lose. You double the bet amount with the same bet for the next round until you win, which should help you regain your losses. But the risk is obvious here. You cannot be certain you will win in the next few hands, and you might use up your betting budget before you hit a proper win. On top of that, the roulette table might have a betting limit that will shut down your strategy right in its tracks.
Grand Martingale Roulette Strategy
The Grand Martingale is almost identical to the Martingale system but with even greater risk and greater bets. You double your bet for every loss, except every time you double your stake, you add a bet unit equal to your original wager. For example, if you start with A$2 and lose, your next bet should be A$4 + $2. If you lose, the next round of betting will include A$8 + $2, and so on. This is reserved for high-risk takers with big betting budgets.
Labouchere System
The Labouchere strategy starts with you thinking of the amount of money you want to win, but you must be reasonable with it. Once you decide on a win amount, you create a numbered sequence with numbers that amount to your desired win amount. For instance, if you want to win A$25, you can create the following sequence: 3, 5, 8, 4, 3, 2.
Next, you take the leftmost and rightmost numbers and bet the amount that these numbers add up to. If we take the above example, your bet would be A$5 (3+2). If you win, you should leave out the leftmost and rightmost numbers, leaving you with 5, 8, 4, and 3, where your next bet is A$8. However, if you lose your initial bet, you leave all numbers, and add the amount of your bet to the initial sequence, which would be 3, 5, 8, 4, 3, 2, and 5, meaning your next bet is A$8. If you lose, you keep at it, adding 8 to the sequence, and so on. But if you win, you keep crossing out the leftmost and rightmost numbers and repeat this betting method until no numbers remain in your sequence.
It’s important to use this strategy with even money bets like odd-even, red-black, or high-low (1-18, 19-36).
Andrucci Strategy
This high-risk roulette system depends on probability and chance and on keeping records of which numbers appear most after a few dozen bets. It is advisable to place anywhere between 30 and 40 even money bets and keep tabs on the exact number of each spin. After 30-40 bets, see the numbers that the roulette ball lands on most and start making (30-40) straight-up bets on one of the most recurring numbers.
This risky method has no mathematical background behind it. You simply go on a hunch that the number(s) that appear most within 30-40 bets will continue to appear for the next 30-40 bets, and there is nothing to guarantee that that will be the case.
Fibonacci Roulette Strategy
The Fibonacci strategy is mathematically tested, but it cannot guarantee that it will always work. It follows the Fibonacci series of numbers, where the amount of your bet is the sum of the previous 2 numbers in the sequence.
It goes as follows: 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13, 21… If you bet A$1 and lose, your follow-up bet is A$2. If you lose again, your next bet is the sum of the previous two numbers, which is $3. Here’s a table of how this strategy works in practice. If you win, you return to the bet size two numbers back until no numbers are left in the sequence.
| Bet amount | Outcome | Profit/loss |
| A$1 | Lost | A$1 loss |
| A$2 | Lost | A$3 loss |
| A$3 | Lost | A$6 loss |
| A$5 | Lost | A$11 loss |
| A$8 | Win | A$5 |
| A$3 | Lost | A$2 |
Roulette Betting Systems for Beginners
The strategies we listed above are quite risky and are generally used by experienced roulette players and those with big enough budgets to get a positive return from their strategy. However, there are also a few roulette betting systems that, although risky, are more suitable for beginners.
D’Alembert Strategy
The D’Alembert betting system is simple to follow and doesn’t require large budgets. It is a negative-progression strategy that works only by placing even money bets. That means you increase your bet by a single unit (A$1) every time you lose and take away a unit for each win.
The idea is to balance your losses, but the strategy is not guaranteed to always end in a profit in the long run. Also, it would be smart to avoid this strategy on roulette tables with a high house edge. Here’s a look at how this system works in practice.
| Bet amount | Outcome | Profit/loss |
| $1 | Loss | -$1 |
| $2 | Loss | -$3 |
| $3 | Win | $0 |
| $2 | Loss | -$2 |
| $3 | Loss | -$5 |
| $4 | Win | -$1 |
| $3 | Win | $2 |
Paroli System
Another beginner-friendly strategy with reduced risk is the Paroli system, where you double your bet with each win and then go back to the original stake if you hit three consecutive wins. If you lose, you stick to the base budget. So, if you start with $2 and win, the next bet is $4. If you win again, the follow-up bet is $8. If you win for a third time, you return to the original amount, $2. If you lose, you stick to the base bet amount.
| Bet amount | Spin Outcome | Profit/loss |
| $2 | Win | $2 |
| $4 | Win | $6 |
| $8 | Win | $14 |
| $2 | Loss | $12 |
| $2 | Loss | $10 |
| $2 | Loss | $8 |
| $2 | Win | $10 |
James Bond Strategy
Named after the famous spy, the James Bond roulette strategy is a non-progressive method of betting, meaning you wager the same amount of money every round. It is most effective in European roulette, considering it has a single 0 (zero) pocket, and the system requires one of three bets to be on zero.
You place only three bets, which cover 25 of 37 pockets on the wheel (including the zero). The three bets include the high numbers 19-36, on which you place the biggest bet; 13-18, where you place your second-highest bet; and the smallest bet on 0. For example, if you decide to spend A$10 total, it can look something like
- $1 on zero
- $3 on 13-18
- $6 on 19-36
The only numbers remaining are 1 through 12. The good thing about this strategy is you can adjust your bet size based on your budget and spend even smaller amounts, like $3 or $4, if the minimum bets are $0.50 or lower. However, the James Bond strategy has its limitations. For instance, it works best with European Roulette and not with American Roulette which has a
What to Consider for Your Roulette Strategy
Identifying the right strategy for your roulette sessions takes time. But there are some pointers you can consider to help you in your choice. Here are a few to bear in mind.
- Game rules – Today, most Australian casino sites offer different versions of roulette. The core of the games can be similar, but there are certain features, payouts, and bet types that make some versions stand out. Open a desired Roulette game and read about the payouts, rules, house edge, and bet types. Choose simple games and start small when you start playing with real money.
- Online casino promotions – Some casino sites operating in Australia offer promotions suitable for playing roulette. Cashback is arguably one of the best promotions for table games, considering it will help you recoup some of your losses.
- Type of bet – We listed some of the most common roulette bet types above, but it is necessary to know which bets suit your style and strategy and how they pay out. For instance, the D’Alembert Strategy works with even money bets, but you should avoid betting on colour. Also, if you’re not one to take big risks, you should carefully choose any inside bets you want to place and see how that affects your strategy.
How to Improve Your Roulette Strategy
If you’re only starting with roulette strategies, you should carefully pick how you play. It’s worth giving the betting system some time to show results, but you shouldn’t force it and know when to try something new.
- Play free roulette games – One of the best ways to work on a roulette betting system is to play for free with no money. You can play RNG roulette variants at Australian online casinos that have a demo version to try the system before you bet real money. See how the system benefits you and note its weaknesses.
- Start with outside bets – Even money, outside bets like odd/even, or 1-18 or 19-36 cover many binary combinations and a range of numbers, making them more suitable if you are a low-risk player.
- Don’t bet on color – There is about a 50-50 chance that you will hit either red or black, but this bet is not advised. You have absolutely no control over whether the ball will end up in a black or red pocket, and the even money payout is just not worth it.
- Try a non-progressive strategy – We advise that you, as a beginner, try a non-progressive system, or a negative-progression tactic. These don’t require you to place increasingly larger bets, so you won’t hurt your budget as much as with progressive systems. If it’s a negative progression strategy, you reduce your bet amount.
- Play small – Depending on the roulette version, you can find roulette tables with favourable minimum bets of $0.50 or slightly lower or higher. It is always best to start with the smallest possible amounts when testing a new strategy for the first time.
Conclusion: Roulette Strategy and Responsible Play
No matter how rooted in math a roulette betting system is, there is no strategy that can always guarantee a steady return or 0% risk. In fact, most strategies we examined will show results only after you’ve played a while and sustained some losses.
To test the strategy, we strongly advise you to find a reliable casino site and start playing for free. Once you can prove that the strategy works, you can start playing for real but responsibly. Pick a casino that has responsible gambling tools like deposit limits, bet limits, session reminders, and loss limits to further minimize the risk of overspending.