If you can add, subtract, multiply and divide, the following roulette systems might be just right for you. Can they get you a real mathematical edge over the venerable game of roulette? No. Sadly no system whether developed by me or by the geniuses (and ploppies) of the past can do that. No matter what you do you have to challenge the house edge – and that’s just the way it is.
So why do I call these strategies 5th grade ones? That’s simple, advanced math is not something you want to attempt while trying to decide what you are going to do in a gambling game. Gambling strategies should be sharp and to the point so they can be utilized in such a way as to not give you a headache while playing. You don’t want to finish your sessions at offline or online roulette with some chips but also with a splitting headache.
My second reason is that I am not a mathematician. I rely on the math of those extremely intelligent men and women in order for me to understand the true underpinnings of the games; but playing such games requires something that can be done fast. It also requires something that is fun. Seriously, without the fun part what’s the point of playing roulette or any other game in the casinos?
[Please note: Are there any cautions before I explain these strategies to you? Yes. Do not over-bet, do not go on tilt trying to make up previous losses and do not throw the money out there like crazy even if you are winning because bets that are being increased because of good luck go against the same house edge as all your previous bets. The house doesn’t lose its edge because it lost some money to you.]
THE AMERICAN OR THE EUROPEAN WHEEL?
Obviously if you get the chance to play the European single-zero wheel that is the one to choose as long as your betting minimums are the same as those you use for the American double-zero wheel. The house edge on the European wheel is almost half as much as on the American Wheel, 2.7 percent compared to 5.26 percent.
However, if the American wheel offers “surrender” or if the European one offers “en prison” then you must decide if you prefer to play the “even-money” strategies where the house edge is cut in half by these options. Surrender and en prison are wonderful additions to the roulette world. Use them if you can.
THE SUBTRACTION ROULETTE SYSTEM: 2 – 1 = 1
Get ready for some simple subtraction.
Go to the roulette table and check out the top two numbers on the scoreboard. Let us say that they are 26 and 14. Just subtract the lower number from the highest number (26 -14) and you get 12. On the next spin of the wheel you will place a bet on 12.
Now you wait for the next two numbers to hit, let us say 5 and 9. Now you subtract 5 from 9 and the next bet will be on the 4. Win or lose you wait for the next two numbers to come up and then you repeat this procedure.
There might be a conundrum when the 0 or 00 is the decision. So here goes:
- if the hit is 0 or 00 and then a 6 comes up, the number on which you wager will be the 6 since 0 from 6 equals 6.
- 00 from 6 is also 6
- if the hit is a 0 and the next number is 00, you will bet 0 since one 0 cancels the other zero out (00 – 0 = 0 instead of three zeroes you only have one left – (this is my own style of mathematics!)
- if the numbers are the same, say 33 and 33, you will bet the 00 on the American wheel and the 0 on the European wheel
- do not bet more than one number and keep your bet as low as gives you a manageable thrill (please see my article on the “manageable thrill”)
- keep in mind that you have either a one in 38 chance to win on the American double-zero wheel and a one in 37 chance to win on the European wheel so the wins do not flood in
- betting individual numbers can see long losing streaks but a win brings in 35-to-one
THE ADDITION AND DIVISION ROULETTE STRATEGY: 20 + 2 = 22 DIVIDED BY 2 = 11
With this strategy we are going to use addition and division to get an average and use that average as the number on which we will wager. Again you use the top two numbers on the scoreboard to utilize this method of play.
So let us say that the top two numbers are 26 and 36. Add them and you get 62. Now divide 62 by 2 and your number is 31. That’s the number on which you will wager. Now wait to get two more numbers and do the process again.
At first you might think that you can’t get averages of the top numbers such as 35 or 36. This isn’t so. Two spins in a row with 36 end up as an average of 36.
How likely are two 36s to come up in a row? No more or less likely than any other two numbers you might pick. If you think a 7 and 11 will come up on the next two spins then the odds of that happening are the exact same as two 36s appearing. The 7 has a one in 37 or a one in 38 chance to appear. Once it does then the 11 has a one in 37 or a one in 38 chance to appear next.
[Please note: In short, every roulette number has the same chance of coming up on the next spin as any other number. The game you are playing is (probably) random and there is no control of what numbers will appear. So the addition and division strategy will cover all the possible numbers and averages of those numbers but none of this can alter the house edge in any way.]
Here are some other things to take into consideration:
- Do we have any problem with the 0 and /or 00? No. If one number is 24 and the next is 0 or 00, the average comes to 12. (24 + 0 = 24 divided by 2 = 12).
- What about fractions? Here you round up. So if you get a 15 and a 16 the total comes to 31. But when you divide 31 by 2 the result is 15.5. Make it 16 and bet the 16.
THE EVEN-MONEY WEIGHT OF EVIDENCE ROULETTE STRATEGY
Now I am going to take a look at the outside “even-money” proposition bets of odd/even, high/low and red/black. These bets are called “even-money” because they pay out on a one-to-one basis. You bet $10 and if you win you win $10.
The house edge is established when you realize that while you have 18 ways to win you have 20 ways to lose on the American double-zero wheel (a 5.26 percentage edge) and 19 ways to lose on the European single-zero wheel with 18 ways to win (a 2.7 percentage edge). If you want to translate an edge into actual money just figure that 5.26 percent is an expectation of $5.26 lost for every $100 wagered or an expectation of $2.70 lost for every $100 wagered.
I’ll use red/black as the bet we’ll analyze. Okay, you check out the scoreboard which in my example will have the last 20 numbers recorded. On some occasions scoreboards will only show the last 16 numbers.
You now count up the red and black numbers that have hit. You notice that the red has come up more than the black. You therefore bet the red option. You will keep betting red until the scoreboard shows black as the dominant color. If the scoreboard shows a tie between the two colors then you wait for the next spin. The color that appears (except the 0 or 00) will change the relationship of red to black.
This exact technique can be used on the high/low and the odd/even propositions as well. I do not recommend making multiple bets. Stick to just one of the propositions.
GETTING DARING WITH SPLIT BETTING
If your betting levels are greater than the table minimum you might decide to split your bet on these even-money propositions. Again I’ll use the red/black as the wager.
The table minimum bet is $10 but you like to bet $40. Now you notice that red has appeared four more times than black. You then take your $40 and make a red bet. If red only now appears two more times after this decision you cut your bet to $20.
In short you are wagering based on how ahead one or the other proposition is in the lead and you bet that lead up to $40.
Given the fact that this is a somewhat daring strategy let’s add in the option of also using one of the other even-money propositions as attendant bets. So you see that high has come out two more times than low and that red has come up two more times than black. You split your bets $20 on red and $20 on high.
Do not do an even-money split bet if you cannot squeeze everything into your normal wagering amounts. Again the house has the edge so that should always be in your mind. Don’t lull yourself into thinking that any casino gambling system can overcome that edge. That is the folly of some casino gamblers; they forget the facts of the games they play. So repeat after me: “The house has an edge on every single bet you make. I might be a nice person but that doesn’t change the house edge.”
BE CAUTIOUS WITH YOUR MONEY
Although the house will have the same edge on the individual number bets and on the split “even-money” bets the pattern of how you will win or lose will be different between the two strategies.
Since you only have a one in 37 or one in 38 chance to hit a number straight up on the European and American wheels respectively, there will be, as I said, long losing streaks, although, yes, you might get lucky right off but that is the longshot with this style of betting. It is similar to slot machines where there are long streaks of losing with dynamic wins now and again. Those dynamic wins can often put the player over the top. Slot players dream of the dynamic win. I tend not to do that.
The “even-money” bets will be more of a back and forth between you and the house; this is much like the pattern of blackjack and baccarat. There are no single huge wins on a decision but you rarely go into extremely long losing streaks. Yes, in the end the house is going to take its cut from your total betting amounts. You do have the important decision to make as to how you want the pattern of your wins and losses to be.
[Please note: I am sure that you have noticed that there are pauses in your betting with my strategies. This is a strong money management recommendation. You are not betting every spin every time on the straight up bets – but you are still in the game and enjoying the anticipation of what will happen next. In my opinion anticipation is one of the true joys of casino playing.]
The bottom line of any gambling system or strategy is how you play roulette and what kind of control you have over your betting amounts and, even more important, your emotions. We do face a tough opponent in the casino and I think most of us know that. Stay steady; stay in control and have some fun.
All the best in and out of the casinos!
