How to Read the Roulette Board

Many players do not understand the nuances of the roulette board. There are subtle differences between the types of wagers and their associated odds and expectations. Unfortunately, the casinos make the worst bets appear to be the most attractive.

The board on roulette is divided into two general categories of wagers. The first are called outside bets. The spaces for these wagers are all outside the perimeter of the board. It is relatively simple to decipher how these wagers work.

One outside bet is red or black. Players wager on the number coming up being one color or the other. Another outside bet is odd or even which similarly is wagering whether the winning number will be an even number or an odd one. Both of these bets play even money although the odds of them happening is a little less.

Another outside bet is placing a wager that the number will be between 1 and 18. The corresponding alternative wager is that the number will be between 19 and 36. Both of these wagers also pay even money. Those also have odds of occurring of a little less than 50%.

There are another class of outside bets called "dozen bets". One can wager on the number being between 1 and 12, or 13 and 24, or between 25 and 36. This basically splits the numbers above 0 into 3 groups. Each of these wagers pays two to one.

Another category of wagers are called inside bets. This involves either betting a single number or small group of numbers. These bets have much higher pay offs, but some have much worse odds. Pay outs vary by casino, but most pay 35 to 1 if you pick the single winning number.

Boards with European roulette have one green number which is the 0. Boards with American roulette have two green spaces one being 0 and the other being 00. This creates a subtle difference in odds between the two. The European version is slightly more advantageous to the player.

Most players use emotion and guesswork to select their wagers. Smart players have flocked to an alternative. They are now utilizing sophisticated strategies devised by cutting edge software. This can prove to even the odds which are always tilted in the casino's favor.

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