With origins in 18th century France, roulette is a classic casino game that has provided centuries of entertainment. Although, unlike Frenchmen in the Romantic era, modern day Canadians can play the game whenever and wherever they want.
The word roulette translates to ‘little wheel’, describing the table used to play the game. The wheel may be little, but it holds enormous possibility. Roulette tables are known to have bigger potential payouts than other popular games, and the online versions are no different. With so much on the line, and just a quick spin between you and your fate, roulette is an incomparable thrill.
Keep reading to find the best online casinos for roulette and to learn tips and tricks to help you master this exciting game.
Top Online Casinos for Roulette Players in Canada
Check out a few of our recommendations for the best places for Canadians to get started:
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How to Play Online Roulette
Roulette is a simple game that’s quick to master. At the base level, you place a wager on where a small ball will land when a spinning wheel stops. In American roulette, the wheel is typically divided into 38 sections, numbered from 0 to 36 (in nonconsecutive order) and an additional 00. These sections alternate between red and black, except for the 0 and 00, which are green.
When the wheel spins, the ball rolls around the track in the opposite direction, eventually landing in a virtual pocket associated with one of the numbers. Before this happens, you’ll place a bet that looks something like this:
- Roulette bets can be placed on a specific number, group of numbers, odd or even numbers, high (19-36) or low (1-18) numbers, or colour (red or black).
- The virtual dealer, also known as the croupier at the roulette table, spins the wheel and releases the ball.
- When the wheel stops, the ball will fall into the pocket of one of the sections.
- If that section stops on the number, colour, or type of number you selected. Congratulations! You’ve just won a game.
- Now you have a choice to make. You can either leave your winnings on the table and play the next round, collect your winnings, or stake a different amount entirely.
Like most casino games, some bets have a better edge than others. To learn how to fine-tune your strategy and make the most of your time at the roulette table, check out the table below. You’ll see that as the odds of hitting a certain bet gets lower, the payout gets higher!
Online Roulette Bets, Odds, and Payout Table
| Odds of Hitting | Odds of Hitting | ||
| Bet | Payout | In European Roulette | In American Roulette |
| Even or Odd | 1:1 | 48.65% | 47.37% |
| Red or Black | 1:1 | 48.65% | 47.37% |
| Low (numbers 1-18) | 1:1 | 48.65% | 47.37% |
| High (numbers 19-36) | 1:1 | 48.65% | 47.37% |
| Dozen (1-12; 13-24; or 25-36) | 2:1 | 32.43% | 31.58% |
| Entire Column | 2:1 | 32.43% | 31.58% |
| Six Numbers | 5:1 | 16.22% | 15.79% |
| Five Numbers | 6:1 | – | 13.16% |
| Four Numbers | 8:1 | 10.81% | 10.53% |
| Three Numbers | 11:1 | 8.11% | 7.89% |
| Two Numbers | 17:1 | 5.41% | 5.26% |
| Single Number | 35:1 | 2.70% | 2.63% |
The Rules of Online Roulette
Roulette isn’t just an exciting game, it’s also incredibly easy to learn.
Your first step on the road to becoming a roulette expert is learning more about the types of bets you can place. There are two primary types of bets in roulette. First, there are inside bets. Inside bets have a lower probability of occurring, but also have higher payouts. Then, there are outside bets. Outside bets have lower payouts, but are more likely to occur.
Outside Bets
Outside bets are so named because you place these bets on the outside area of the table. Outside bets include:
- Dozens: These are bets placed on a group of 12 numbers. There are three groups you can choose from: the first dozen (1-12), the second dozen (13-24), and the third dozen (25-36).
- Columns: A bet placed on a vertical column of 12 numbers on the betting table.
- Colours: A bet placed on the ball landing on a red or black number.
- Low/Highs: A bet placed on either high numbers (19-36) or low numbers (1-18).
- Even/odds: A bet placed on either all odd or all even numbers.
Inside Bets
Like outside bets, inside bets are named for where you place the bet on the table. In this case, the inside. An inside bet is either placed on a single number or on a line between numbers to create a combination bet.
- Straight up: A bet placed on a single number.
- Split bets: A bet placed on two numbers that are beside each other on the betting table, either vertically or horizontally.
- Street bets: A bet placed on three horizontal numbers.
- Corner bets: A bet placed on four numbers that create a square on the board.
- Line bets: A bet placed on six numbers that are in two adjacent rows.
The Variations of Online Roulette
With a game as old as roulette – one that is played all over the world – it’s unsurprising that several variations have developed. But don’t worry, all of the variations are easy to master once you have the basics of roulette. The structure stays the same: you place bets, the wheel is spun, and where the ball lands determines the outcome. Then, those who chose a winning number or colour get a payout, while those who don’t lose their bet to the house.
If you’ve read through the entire page to this point, you have a good understanding of American Roulette. The main difference in the other versions of roulette is the number of sections on the wheel, which affects odds and the house edge.
Let’s compare.
American Roulette
The American Roulette wheel has the numbers 1-36 displayed nonconsecutively on alternating red and black sections. There are also two green sections that are positioned on opposite sides of the wheel. They are numbers 0 and 00. These green wedges give the house an edge, since they are not included in even, odd, number group, red, or black bets. Given the number of bets that do not include these spaces on the wheel, it gives the house a slight edge of approximately 5.26%.
European Roulette
European Roulette only has one green wedge on the board, cutting the house edge almost in half. The house edge in European Roulette is approximately 2.7%. Another difference separating European Roulette from American Roulette is the order of the numbers on the wheel. The numbers are still displayed nonconsecutively, but their relative position on the board is different.
French Roulette
Roulette began in France, so French Roulette is considered the original version. Like European Roulette, French Roulette has better odds than than its American counterpart, containing only one green section. But also separating it from the European version is the rule of ‘La Partage’. This rule states that you only forfeit half of your even money bets if the ball lands on the green wedge, lowering house edge to 2.63%.
Recommended Roulette Games
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Online Roulette Strategy
Developing a great online roulette strategy is all about knowing your odds. Here are a few tips to get you started:
Practice or Free Play – No one tries something for the first time and is instantly great. It will take some time to familiarize yourself with all of the options and outcomes. The great thing about playing online is that there are a ton of free play or free spin options to help you get comfortable with the game. This is a fantastic way to get your strategy down before playing for real money.
Start Small – Go big or go home does not apply to online gambling. There’s no need to rush in with a massive bet. Find a table with a low minimum bet and high maximum bet. This way, you can start with a few small bets, but have plenty of room to double your losing bets if you want to use this strategy to recover losses. More on this strategy later.
Place Outside Bets – Again, go with the probability. Outside bets have a higher probability of occurring. They also have lower payouts, but as a new player, you have a much better chance of starting on a good foot placing outside bets.
Set Limits for Yourself – Roulette should be fun. And it will definitely stop being fun if you lose your rent money playing it. Decide what you’re willing to potentially lose before you start playing, and stick to it.
Remember the House Edge – It’s called gambling for a reason. And even the best strategy can’t overcome the house edge created by the green wedges. Chances are, you’ll walk away with less money than you came with. Playing the European or French roulette styles will give you a slightly better chance of a winning spin, but always play for the experience, not as a method of making money.
Play With Bonuses – If you’re ready to play, you might as well play with a little extra money in your bankroll. Check out our reviews for the best bonuses at online casinos for Canadian players.
Online Roulette Strategy for Beginners
Learning to strategically play the odds will give you the best chance of walking away on top. A simple, but effective strategy for new players is the Martingale system. To employ the system, you double every losing bet until you win. Then, collect your winnings and begin again with a low bet.
For example, say you bet $10 on red. If you win, you collect your winnings and place another $10 bet on red. But if you lose, stake $20 on red again. If you win this round, you reclaim your $10 and make a bit of profit. If you lose the $20 bet, the strategy says to double the bet to $40 and repeat your bet on red again.
This strategy is based on the law of averages, claiming that a losing streak will always end and eventually the player will win out. But there are a couple of important caveats to note. First, you need to keep making the same bet. If you switch it up, your statistical chance of winning goes down.
Second, there may be table limits that will prevent you from continuing to double your bet, meaning you’ll lose all of your doubled bets when you hit the ceiling. Be aware of this limit before you start playing and stop where you’re comfortable with the loss.
Online Roulette Strategy for Advanced Players
As an advanced player, there are many variations of roulette strategies to choose from. Some players follow their prefered strategy religiously, while others keep a few in mind when they sit down to play. Take your time to test a few strategies and learn what makes the most sense to you. Don’t hesitate to test strategies out on free play games before using them in a real game to make sure you understand how they work in practice.
Here are a couple of popular advanced strategies to get you started:
The Paroli strategy is almost the opposite of the Martingale system. Instead of doubling bets when you lose a round, you double it when you win. With this type of strategy, it’s easy to carried away. So set a limit to prevent yourself from betting a massive pile of virtual chips that you would have been better to cash out. People who prefer this strategy do so because if you do have a big time loss, you’re really just back to square one. You just lose the initial stake and your winnings.
The Fibonacci strategy uses the famous Fibonacci sequence to calculate bets. There is also the James Bond strategy, the Insurance strategy, and the Oscar’s Grind strategy.
Whatever strategy you choose, just remember, there are no guarantees; just enjoy the thrill.
Conclusion
While we’re placing bets here, we’re willing to bet that 18th century Frenchmen didn’t imagine a future where their favourite game could be played on a palm-sized device, while sitting on the couch in your underwear on a Saturday morning. But that’s the glorious reality we’re living in.
Understanding the odds in roulette will help you make smarter bets. Although it’s important to remember that the house has an edge at the roulette wheel. At the end of the day, it’s a casino game, and it shouldn’t have a notable impact on your life. It’s important to set betting limits for yourself, especially for a fast-paced game like this one. Never bet over you’re budget, and be able to walk away.
But hey, as long as you keep your limits in mind, knowing the odds are against you is part of the excitement. You have the possibility to win big, and everything you learn can help turn that potential into a reality.