The game of roulette originated during the 17th century in France. The roulette wheel game gained popularity very quickly throughout Paris and by the end of the seventeenth century it was one of the most popular games in all of France. There are many entertaining stories pertaining to the legend of roulette, specifically that Francois Blanc so determinately sought out the secrets to winning the game that he struck a deal with the devil. This entertaining story is frequently supported by the fact that if you added every number on the roulette wheel you would get 666. Of course even those who are not fans of Faust and deals with the devil will no doubt enjoy the game as much as those who are.
When you play roulette you have to place all of your bets before the ball begins to drop. Once the ball is in motion you cannot place additional bets. When you play online versions it is very similar to playing the roulette machines in a casino. On your screen you have the picture of the table and the wheel. You can place your bets anywhere on the table until the wheel starts spinning and the ball starts bouncing. Once the ball comes to a complete stop, winners are paid and a new round starts. In a virtual setting, you can choose to place an unlimited number of bets and hedge your bets by betting on various factors within the game.
When you look at the roulette table or virtual table you will see 12 rows by 3 rows comprising all 36 of the numerical values. It starts at the bottom left hand corner with a red 1, then moves up the grid to the number 2, followed by 3. After that it snakes back down to the bottom left, moving over one column and increases 4, 5, and 6. By the end of this grid you have red 36 in the upper right hand corner. On the outside left hand side is the green 0 or 00. On the outside right hand size are the column bet areas. Directly below the grid with the numbers are three squares that span the length of 3 numbered squares. These represents the first 12, second 12, and third 12 respectively. Below the box titled first 12 you can choose to place a bet on numbers 1 through 18 or you can place your bet on even. Below the box titled second 12 you can place your bet on red or black. Below the box titled third 12 you can place your bet on odd or the higher numbers 19 through 36.
That said, when you place bets you can choose a bet on red or black. The payout is a one-to-one ratio which means if you bet $20 on red, if the ball lands on any number that is red, you win the amount that you bet. You can also place a bet on odd or even. If you choose to place a bet on odd, if the ball lands on any number that is odd, you are a winner. The same is true for bets placed on low or high numbers. These 3 betting options, red or black, even or odd, high or low, have 18 numbers total so the probability of winning is about 50-50.
But the fun doesn't stop there. If you are feeling confident you can also choose to place a bet on a set of 12 numbers. These are grouped on the virtual table and you will see the lines that designate sections of 12, and then sections of 6. So you can choose to bet on a given section of 12. If the ball lands in one of the numbers included in your section of 12 you win twice as much as you bet. You can place a bet on a group of 6 numbers as well. If you choose, you can place your bet on 5 numbers, 4 numbers, 3 numbers, 2 numbers, or just one number. If you are placing a bet on to numbers or higher they have to be near one another and you would place the virtual coin on the line that they share. For example, if you wanted to place a split bet on the numbers one and two, you would place your coin on the line that is the top line of the number one box and also the bottom line of the number two box. If you are placing a straight bet on a single number you would put your virtual coin in the center of that box. The lower your chances of winning, the higher the payout. If you place a bet on a single number and you win you get 35 times your original bet. If you place a bet on a set of two numbers and you win one of those to you get 17 times your original bet.
If you place a bet on a group of 6 numbers it is called Double Street. Placing a bet on 5 numbers is called First Five. If you choose a group of four numbers that is called a Corner Bet. If you place a bet on 3 numbers that is called a Street bet. Should you choose to place your bet on just two numbers that is called a Split bet. Placing a bet on a single number is called a Straight bet. There are also European roulette games and American roulette games. European games have a single zero on the roulette wheel but American games have the double zero on the roulette wheel. Any bets including a Straight, Split, Street, Corner, First 5, Red or Black, Even or Odd, Low or High, Dozen, or Column are considered Inside Bets.
As you play roulette online you can choose to place a bet on black, even, and a group of 12 so that if you only win one of those three you have earned by the total amount that you bet instead of losing all of your money. As you continue to learn to play roulette online more effectively you might strategize to hedge your bets.
With this guide to online roulette, you can practice regularly - check out the roulette selections and casinos reviewed here at True North Casinos. With beginner's roulette online you get the chance to start with a free play/demo version before you play roulette for real money.
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