If you are looking for your new favourite casino game, look no further than Roulette. Its basic play style makes it simple to learn and easy to understand which is why it is a favourite among many players across the globe, especially in the UK.
The widespread popularity of Roulette has led to the game becoming a key plot element in many films and TV series over the years. In fact, one of the most famous scenes in the 1942 classic Casablanca involves a roulette game whereby a couple gamble for a chance to secure their freedom in America in the cafe owned by the movie’s protagonist, Rick.
It’s important to remember that first and foremost Roulette is a game of chance so you don’t need to have a specific skillset or come up with a clever winning strategy, you just need to have lady luck on your side. However, just like its other casino counterparts’ blackjack and craps, Roulette comes with a lot of different variations which can be quite daunting for a novice player.
From the classic versions of European, French, and American, to the fantastically fun online versions, European Roulette still reigns supreme among UK players. Keep reading to find out why.
European Roulette
They may have left the EU but UK players still love their European Roulette. Also known as single-zero roulette, this version comes with an attractive house edge due to its roulette wheel having 37 sectors, numbered from 0-36. That’s right, the single zero gives European Roulette twice the odds of its American counterpart, giving it a house edge of 2.70% in contrast to the 5.25% of the American version.
The rules of the game are as follows, the numbers on the wheel are scattered in random order with 18 of the numbers in red and the other 18 in black, leaving the 0 to be the only green number. Players must then place their bets on a single number or a wide variety of numbers, as well as red or black and odd or even. This can only happen up until the dealer rolls the ball. Once the ball stops the dealer will call out the winning numbers and pay-out the successful players.
European Roulette is also home to a special category of wagers known as “called bets” or “racetrack bets”, that cover a specific section of the wheel or group of numbers. Call bets, also known as French bets, are wagers made by “calling” what you wish to bet on rather than placing the chips on the table. These types of bets are usually accepted at higher-stake tables in brick-and-mortar casinos. On the other hand, racetrack bets refer to the bets and different types of wagers that can be made on a betting layout that resembles a racetrack, located at the side of the standard betting layout.
With its straightforward rules and immediate results, it’s no wonder that European Roulette is a favourite amongst the Brits. To find out some of the best providers around offering this, and other variations, click here.
French Roulette
French Roulette comes from European Roulette, so UK players might want to try this variation out for size too. Like its predecessor, French Roulette has a relatively low house edge, due to its 37 numbers on the wheel. Although the board layout is slightly different, the game is still played the same way with a few additional fun optional rules that can truly elevate the gaming experience.
The first rule is known as the “La Partage” rule which states that if the ball lands on 0, players can receive half their stake back on their even/odd bets. Within the same circumstances, the “en prison” rule on the other hand states that instead of receiving 50% of their bet back, players have the option to leave their bet on the table for the following spin, placing the bet in prison – hence the name. These rules are known to make an appearance in European roulette too so they might not come as a big surprise to UK players but they are more commonly used in the French version.
English Roulette
Although we all know UK players love European Roulette, did you know that there is a lesser-known version called English Roulette which dates back to the 17th century? This variation uses the same 37 pockets with numbers ranging from 0-36 just like the European and French versions and a similar ball. The most significant difference with English Roulette is that there can all be 7 players and spoken announcements are forbidden except for the three classic wages, (Thirds, Orphans, Neighbours of Zero and one number and its two neighbours). Another interesting difference is that the Croupier provides each player with unique personalised chips that can only be used at the table.
