Most people get the general gist of how roulette is played, but those who haven’t actually played the game might be a bit surprised at how many different bets can be made.
The first distinction to make is which type of roulette you’re playing. In single zero roulette there are 36 red and black numbers on the table (and on the wheel) plus a green zero. The house edge for single zero, or European, roulette is 2.7 percent.
Double zero, or American, roulette is the same except there is an additional green number–the double zero. The house edge for double zero roulette is 5.26 percent. [Always play single zero roulette when you have a choice. – Ed.]
The next distinction is between “inside bets” and “outside bets.” Inside best are those that are made within the grid of numbers on the table. The odds for winning inside bets are much worse than the odds for winning outside bets. Of course, the pay-offs are higher for inside bets.
Following are the possible inside bets:
Six-Number Line Bet: A bet made on a block of six numbers (taking up two rows) on the table. Winning bets pay 5 to 1.
Five-Number Line Bet: A bet made on a block of five numbers. Winning bets pay out 6 to 1.
Square Bet: A made on a block of four numbers (8-1).
Split Bet: A bet made on two numbers next to each other (17-1)
Straight Bet: A bet made on single number (35-1)
Outside bets are those which are placed on various groups of numbers. Following are the possible outside bets:
Even-Money: A bet that pays off 1 to 1. These bets include the high-low bet (on the numbers 1-18 or 19-36), the black/red bet (on all black numbers or on all red numbers) and even/odd bet.
Column Bet: These consist of picking one of the three Singapore Online Casino columns of numbers on the table. They pay out at 2-1.
Dozen Bet: A bet on either 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36. These also pay out at 2-1.
Cybergambling Tip: The ‘Best’ Gambling Sites
How do you find the very best gambling websites? I’ve always advocated sticking with high-profile services, but there’s one very important caveat to keep in mind: Significant exposure is always a good sign in terms of selecting a reputable service, but top billing on the Internet doesn’t necessary equate to being the best.
The prime example is search engine placement. A lot of search engine users make the assumption that the first links to pop up on search results pages are best choices. While in some cases this can be true, keep in mind that Web developers have several techniques for assuring that their sites are placed toward the top of the results pages. It’s done by inserting key words and key phrases in strategic places in the source code of Web pages. It’s called search engine optimization and it’s a very common practice.
A second way for gambling services to grab top billing is simply to purchase a spot at the top of the list. This can be done at some search sites, but it’s more commonly seen at portals and gambling links directories.
It’s also a good idea to be cautious when reading reviews and articles at gambling e-zines and portal sites. Some online publications post “advertorials” in which an advertiser will pay the publication to post a favorable article or review about its services. Other publications are owned by the gambling site operators themselves and are thus very biased.
All of the above examples, as sneaky as some of them sound, are generally accepted as legitimate practices. So, by all means, don’t be appalled when you come across them. (They’re everywhere!) Illegitimacy only lies in examples in which the publishers try to hide the truth. For example, advertorials are fine–and even helpful–as long as it says somewhere that the article is a paid advertisement.
Again, it shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as sneaky when online gambling operators finagle their way into top billings and premium placements, but don’t make the mistake of automatically associating exposure with quality.
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