Author: T

THE DECLINE OF ROULETTE
Casino executives, like all other businessmen, focus on the bottom line. Each game on the casino floor is expected to stand on its own. Complicated formulas tell executives how much each game is worth to the bottom line. Included in the equation are the costs for employees and equipment. In this context, slot machines are the best choice for the casino executives, with blackjack a distant second.

Other table games, such as roulette and craps, barely register. A casino can generally make more money from three slot machines than from one roulette table. If promoted and managed properly, roulette could be a casino’s most profitable game. To attract more action per hour to a roulette table, the casino must attract more players.

But players in the US are staying away from the tables in increasing numbers. Because of the high house advantage in the US, experts have often described roulette as a “sucker’s game”. And because nobody wants to be thought of as a sucker, roulette is ignored by serious players in the US. Casino executives often disdain roulette players because they are thought to be uneducated customers who don’t understand how to play.

This is not so in Europe. Because of the reasonable house advantage and because it isn’t sneered at, roulette is often the most popular game in the casino. These players are, therefore, valued customers who are treated with respect and deference, no matter their level of knowledge or skill at the game. Consequently, if you, as a beginner, are in the enviable position of being able to play in the US or in Europe, choose Europe every time.

ROULETTE’S APPEAL
The disciplined non-professional player can expect to play with only a minor disadvantage in both craps and blackjack, but there is no escaping the 5.26 per cent house advantage in “00” roulette (or even the seemingly less harsh 2.7 per cent at the “0” wheel).
But the vast majority of casino gamblers are playing for entertainment or excitement. Few are using a disciplined strategy that takes full advantage of any game. They are “hunch” bettors paying a big price.

In blackjack, the hunch bettor will fall victim to a high house advantage. Since basic strategy can cut the house advantage to a very attractive level, the opposite is also true. Players who bet with their hearts can raise the house advantage to seven per cent or more. Craps players are the same. Betting the field, the hardways, or the any seven bet may feel right at the time but, in the long run, you’re damaging the overall appeal of craps. Because both of these games are touted as “player friendly”, casino customers may not even realize they’ve dramatically increased the disadvantage they are facing by not playing intelligently. But despite that, these same players will avoid the roulette game, purely because they’ve heard of its high house advantage.
Roulette is unique in that no matter how bets are placed, the house advantage remains constant: 5.26 per cent. This is still very high for even-money bets, but is a relative bargain for long-shot play. There is no other game in the casino which can offer up to a 35-1 payout with only a 5.26 per cent “vig”.

There is also no other game which does not penalize for hunch play. If you like to be entertained by hunch betting, and/or like to play for long odds on your hunches, then roulette is actually a much better deal than you’ll find with either craps or blackjack.
 

FINDING THE RIGHT GAME
As you see, the only way to reduce the house advantage is to find a game that offers either en prison or a single “0” wheel. In the US, casinos go through phases of trying to attract the roulette player by replacing the double “00” tables with some single “0” wheels. Whether it is Las Vegas or Atlantic City, those are the games you want to find. Hunt around.
In Europe, since all games are “right” games, the decision is much easier. A European would be offended to find a “00” wheel installed where their beloved “0” wheels were located. Once again, however, be aware of your bets. Since all players use the same chips, it is important that you know how much and where you bet.

STROKING THE SYSTEMS
As opposed to Bingo gratis beware of any roulette betting system that depends on a progression of bets; it is doomed to fail. You may experience some short-term wins with a progressive system but, eventually, the house advantage will catch up with you and you’ll experience a disastrous loss that may wipe out any previous successful sessions.

Over the long run, any progressive betting system has to find a way to beat the hefty 5.26 per cent house advantage and, in the long history of roulette, no one has been able to develop a system that would beat even the low French disadvantage of 2.7 per cent.

It becomes more important, therefore, to be able to rely on human or mechanical error to become a consistent winner at roulette. There are several “systems” that may help you discern where and when the ball is going to land in a particular number or group of numbers. By reading this next section, you will understand why many roulette players seem to be studying the wheel with such great concentration.

CLOCKING THE WHEEL
In most cases, you cannot predict where the ball is going to land, but many roulette players believe that recording where the ball has landed in the past will allow them to estimate when it will land there again.
To accomplish this, roulette players sit for hours, recording the list of numbers that hit. They note when a number hits more frequently than should be statistically probable, and then bet on that number, hoping the trend will continue.
They will also try to determine whether the ball is landing in any one “section” more than another section. If you look at the roulette wheel and use the “0” as the 12 o’clock point, the wheel can be divided into four quadrants. The roulette wheel is masterfully laid out, even when the “00” is added. On the American wheel, directly across the wheel from any even number is the next odd number, and vice versa. Pairs of even numbers alternate with pairs of odd numbers, except when split by the “0” and “00”.

Clocking the wheel can be very laborious, but some casinos have added an electronic device to help. These “scoreboards” record the last 20 numbers and colours that have hit. For those who don’t want to go back hundreds of spins, this scoreboard can be of great assistance.

One system is to note whether one or more numbers have hit twice or more within the last 20 spins. If so, the player places a straight-up bet on that number for the next five spins. If it hits, he pockets the profits. This continues until the number doesn’t hit in five spins, and he gets up in search of another table hitting the “big” numbers.
Another method is to record the number of times the ball falls into a section of the wheel. By tracking the 20 spins, the ball must fall into one of the quadrants more than 25 per cent of the time, since this should be the statistical norm. When you discover an anomaly, bet the numbers in that section for ten spins. If you win, continue to play that section until it regresses to hitting the normal amount, which should be five times for every 20 spins.

BIASED WHEELS
It is possible for a roulette wheel to be “biased” in such a manner that the observant player can obtain an advantage over the casino in the long run. These biases are caused by mechanical defects in the roulette wheel. But finding a wheel that is so defective as to actually overcome the built-in house advantage is extremely rare.

Most biased roulette wheels are not balanced correctly, and the spin of the wheel causes the ball to fall in one section of the wheel statistically more than in any other section. To make a valid observation, however, the player must be prepared to “clock” the wheel for an extended amount of time. The minimum amount of spins you want to observe is 500 because anything less would be considered short-term, and not statistically valid. You also must find a group of numbers that recur at least five per cent more frequently than would be considered normal in order to overcome the house advantage.

To make blackjack more interesting, many casinos have developed variations or additional bets on blackjack games in an on line casino.
In most cases, these varied and imaginative games should be avoided as they may distract beginners or intermediate players from their goal, which is to beat the house using basic strategy. But they can be enjoyable, once you understand that playing strict basic strategy is the only way to win.

Some of the more widespread blackjack options, that you will find in casinos around the world are:

– Multi-Action Blackjack: This game has three betting circles, in which you place three separate bets. The dealer uses one upcard, but plays it out three times to satisfy the three bets. The player plays out his hand before the dealer makes any moves. If he busts, he loses all three bets. Basic strategy should be used for this game because the expectations are exactly the same. But the danger arises when the player doesn’t make draws that may bust his hand, which plays right into the casino’s hands. If you insist on playing this game, don’t vary your basic strategy.

– Over/Under: In this game, you make a side bet on whether the next hand you will be dealt will be either over 13 or under 13 on the first two cards. Aces count as one, and the dealer takes all 13 ties. The rule is very unfavourable to the player, and should be avoided. But you can still play basic strategy blackjack on a table with this option without any effect.

– Red or Black: In this bet, you are betting whether the first card you are dealt is red or black. This might appear to be a 50-50 proposition, but the casino throws in a kicker. If the second card is the same colour as the one you choose, the bet is a tie. Forget it.

– Face-Up or Double Exposure Blackjack: This game is not blackjack. Yes, you are trying to get closest to 21, but there’s a considerable difference. You get to see both of the dealer’s cards. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Wrong. What you give up to see the dealer’s cards simply isn’t worth what you gain. You only get paid even money on blackjack, but the big drawback is that you lose ties. There are situations, however, where the game can be played without giving the house an unreasonable advantage. But because it is rather extensive, it should be avoided until you feel comfortable with the basic strategy and can move on.