Roulette may seem like a game of pure chance, but there are ways to shift the odds ever so slightly in your favor. While you can never overcome the house edge, implementing a few simple strategies can stretch your bankroll and maximize your potential winnings over the long run. We’ll explore the smartest approaches to betting at King Billy Casino, when to walk away, and other tips to boost your bottom line the next time you spin the wheel.
Understand the House Edge
Before strategizing, it’s helpful to understand the built-in house edge for roulette games:
Roulette Variant | House Edge |
European Roulette (single zero) | 2.70% |
American Roulette (double zero) | 5.26% |
As you can see, the extra zero on the American wheel nearly doubles the house advantage. If possible, stick to European roulette to get better odds.
Now, let’s explore some betting strategies to further minimize the house edge while playing.
Bet Outside for Better Odds
The simplest way to increase your odds is to avoid risky inside bets like single numbers or double streets. These sexy wagers promise massive payouts but have extremely low odds of hitting. Instead, stick to safer outside bets like red/black, even/odd, or 1-18/19-36.
While the payouts are smaller, outside bets give you nearly a 50/50 chance to win. This cuts the house edge in half compared to betting individual numbers. Consistently, betting outside provides more modest wins over time versus high-variance inside bets.
Use the Martingale System Selectively
One common system for attempting to overcome the house edge is the Martingale, where you double your bet after each loss. This allows you to recoup previous losses once you finally win.
In theory, the Martingale ensures you’ll eventually walk away with a profit. But in reality, it’s an easy way to bust your bankroll if you hit a losing streak. Seven losses in a row could leave you betting $128 to try to win back $1.
We only recommend using the Martingale sparingly, like when on a hot streak. But quit doubling once losses mount or your next wager exceeds your stop loss limit. Chasing losses via Martingale is a recipe for going broke at roulette.
Take Breaks and Watch for Tilt
Speaking of going broke, even the best strategies fall apart if you lose emotional control. Nothing hurts rational decision-making more than the psychological tilt that comes after repeated losses.
When you feel frustrated or vengeful against the table, take a breather. Grab a drink, take a walk, or play a different game for a while. You must keep your composure to make calculated bets that maximize earnings.
Similarly, frequent breaks help you evaluate whether your roulette strategy remains effective. Sometimes, after losing for an hour or more, it makes sense to stop playing altogether and try again another day when luck improves.
This brings us to our next tip…
Know When to Walk Away
One underappreciated key to preserving your bankroll is to quit while you’re ahead. Too many players get sucked into loss-chasing, trying to earn back their session losses with bigger bets near closing time.
A better approach is to choose a walk-away win amount before you start playing. Once you’re up for that predetermined amount, call it quits. This could be $50, $100, $200, or any sum that constitutes a “win” based on your budget and session length.
Locking in wins guarantees you walk away profitably. Even if you’re down $1,000 early, hitting your goal of $50 up signals, it’s time to cash out and prevent further damage. And in the best case where you score an early hot streak? Banking some profit instead of giving it all back to the house is the fastest way to build your roulette fund over multiple sessions.
Bring Enough Cash (and Leave the ATM Card Behind)
Assuming you’re playing at a live casino, the size of your bankroll equals the most you can potentially lose. One mistake recreational players make is not bringing enough initial cash to last through normal ups and downs. Or they head to the ATM to re-up when they’re down, letting losses spiral out of control.
Decide on a loss limit you can stomach before leaving home, then bring only that amount in cash. No credit cards, no debit cards, no casino IOUs. When your cash runs out, your play session must end.
Yes, this means you “miss out” if you get hot after going broke. But protecting your entire bankroll from catastrophic loss in one visit is more important than chasing wins with money you can’t afford to risk.
Consistency Beats High Variance
Roulette offers both small, consistent wins and hugely lucrative but less likely bets. Though the outsized payouts seem more exciting, they often lead to quick player bust-outs.
For reliability, stick to less volatile outside bets. While a $1 wager on a single number can return $35, it only wins around 1 in 37 spins on average. Meanwhile, betting $1 on red or black pays even money and wins nearly half the time.
In other words, boring consistency generates more profit over hundreds of spins. Leave the risky bets for high rollers who can afford the swings.
Roulette remains entirely a game of chance. But by betting smart, playing with discipline, and knowing when to walk away, you can dramatically boost your odds and maximize repeat winnings. Over time, boredom and steadiness do indeed win the race against the house edge.