Guide to Playing Roulette in New Jersey

Even those who know nothing about roulette are familiar with that spinning wheel and the sound of the clicking metal ball. Indeed, that image has become iconic as the essence of the casino for many. But roulette's reputation for high stakes excitement is well earned; the roulette is frequently one of the most crowded, loudest tables at the casino. 

Read below to find out why roulette is loved by so many. Will the wheel show you some love back? We'll also give you our tips to minimize your chances and increase your winnings with roulette. 

Rules of Roulette

The basic rules of roulette are very simple. As a player, you do nothing but bet. (No, you don't get to roll the ball or touch the wheel!) The players place money on the number that they think will win, or try to narrow their bet based on what range of numbers they guess is most likely. Guess is a keyword here as players have no influence over the action of the game, only on how much they bet.

Roulette Betting

Generally speaking, the more specific your bet, the better the return; the more general, the lesser the payback. If you place your money on the exact color and number where the ball lands, you get paid 36x your original bet!

With the exception of Hollywood films, those who put their life's savings on a single number don't usually fare that well. Instead, gamblers must decide whether they'd like to have more possible wins with their bet that would pay at a lesser ratio, or if they would like to bet narrower, but with the chance at a bigger win. These latter are called inside bets, and they pay anywhere between 7x for numbers 00 to 3 (and these are only available if you're playing 00 roulette) to 36x for guessing the winning number correctly. Inside bets can be bets on between 1 and 5 different numbers.

Outside bets cover more numbers and have lower returns. Outside bets that have a 2x payback are for correctly betting on an odd/even or red/black (where you have 50% chance of being right), and you get 3x for correctly betting on sets of 11 to 12 different numbers. 

Variations of Roulette

You'll find three variations of roulette in New Jersey casinos. We have listed these from simplest to the most complex. While the fundamental rules do not change, you'll see that more options need additional rules to provide order and ensure fair play. 

• Roulette Royale (European roulette): this version uses only one zero and incorporates la partage rules. Some potentially lucrative side bets involved in are available in this variation.
• Three Wheel Roulette, on the other hand, does not involve the partage rules, and it adds complexity by having 3 wheels in operation. The 3 wheels allow 3 winners per spin, and there is only one zero. The players place their wagers on three different spins, so it is possible to win more than once per spin.
• Double Bonus Spin Roulette has two zeros on the wheel (a 0 and a 00). The yellow bonus well makes this variation a very different game compared to the other. The yellow bonus well which multiplies the players’ chances of winning, as statistics demonstrate that the ball lands here 1.5 times more often. When that happens, the reward is two free bonus spins in addition to a bonus prize. If you bet on the yellow bonus pocket, you have some increased winnings coming your way. Double bonus spin roulette has a house edge of 1.97%.

RTP and House Edge

European roulette – 2.7%
American roulette – 5.26%
French roulette – 1.35%

Roulette Strategy

The number one rule of roulette is to find a table or game with the lowest house advantage. Again, American roulette has the worst odds, even if you might win big. 

Unless you have superhuman powers, there is no strategy you can apply to control where a ball lands. And even if it is statistically unlikely that the ball will land on 8 black 20 times in a row, it is not impossible. So skill and, to some extent, strategy are ruled out for roulette. 

You can only control what you bet on and how much you bet. There are bets that are rather strong in roulette, and we definitely recommend you go for one of those every round.

Stick With Your Number Strategy

If there are 36 possible numbers, can't you just put money down on one number, and increase slightly with each loss? If you increased $1 per bet on 20 and it took 5 spins before you landed on 20, you'd win $5 x 36 ($180) and only have lost $15. Making $165 is not bad. However, you're not playing with a deck, so don't count cards. It is statistically nearly impossible that no number would repeat before the ball lands on every number just once.

Chances are much more likely that you'll blow through your bankroll before your number comes up. If you have no inside or outside bets contributing to your wins. If hanging out until your lucky number comes up is your definition of a great evening, more power to you. But there are better ways to try to beat the odds of roulette. 

Slow, Steady, and Exciting Strategy

As roulette is very much a game of chance, you may apply a strategy, but there is no skill in the game. We recommend a strategy where you place both low and high stakes bets to maximize your chance at a big win while smaller wins cover your losses. 

If you are seeking the way to cover as many possible numbers as you can, you'd do best to bet two of the larger areas (e.g., evens, black, or a column). For example, you might bet on the middle column and on red. Then you'd cover 26 numbers with just 2 bets. The column will pay you 2 to 1, though it is the riskier bet.

You may want to supplement this bet with your lucky number (that's the exciting part). While statistically far less probable than betting evens and a column, the latter two bets are providing you some buffer and, over time, should provide some money in for the money you're losing on the straight-up bet. 

This method does allow you to play smart while also exercising some reserved wildness at the same time. This minimizes your losses, gives you a continuous shot at a nice win, and prolongs the playing. 

Avoid These Bad Roulette Bets

American Roulette: over twice the house edge. Do yourself a favor and search for a European roulette table. Online players are always at an advantage because you can see the RTP clearly displayed, read reviews from websites, and hear feedback from fellow players in online forums. Use the tools available to you!

Topline or Basket Bet on American roulette: RTP of 92.1%, or a house edge of 7.9%. You're actually better off betting on the straight-up, which has nearly 95% (or over 97% in European roulette).

Split bets: half the payout as the straight-up bet, but not twice as likely to be landed on. If you're feeling lucky, just go for the number that's calling your name over the split bet. 

Conclusion

For many, roulette is the classic casino game. People who love it do so for reasons unfathomable by strategist: it all depends on luck. Still, there are some comparatively safe bets to make. 

The straight-up bet, with its 94.74% RTP, is better than most casino slots, and better about the same as lower RTP online slots. So in terms of luck, roulette is comparable to slots. It is the game that shines on the fortunate, and it has plenty of smaller payouts to keep things interesting. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the worst bet in roulette?

The top line or Basket Bet in American Roulette. This has the lowest RTP, which means anything else is a better bet.