Roulette
There are plenty of different theories and stories with regard to how roulette came to be, but the similarity amongst the three most popular stories is that the game definitely originated in France. When that was so as well as who it was that invented the game are two items that are still heavily disputed by historians.
Regardless of how you think roulette came to be, an undisputed fact is that the game is one of the most popular casino games around. Whether you are online or at a brick and mortar casino, roulette is never overlooked. Between the game’s simplicity and its ability to dish out big winnings, there are few who can be surprised at how many people love the game.
Basic Roulette Strategy
Roulette is unlike so many other casino games in that it does not make use of any cards or dice. Instead, what you have is one big wheel that is fit inside a bowl equipped with a track on its outer rim. The roulette wheel is equipped with 38 slots (37 in some versions), each with a different number 1-36, 0, and 00. Apart from the 0 and 00 slots, the wheel is colored black and red, with the colors alternating every number. The other two slots are green in color.
The game itself is rather simple. Once all bets have been placed, the dealer will take the ball and spin it in the opposite direction of the wheel, which is also spun. After a few seconds, both the ball and the wheel will come to a rest, and the ball’s position (ie. The numbered slot it is in) will determine which bets are winners.
While the game itself is simple, the bets able to be made are not quite as easy to memorize. Basically, roulette can be played safely or with a lot of risk. Naturally, as is the case with most casino games, the more you live on the edge, the more you stand to win. Below will be a list of the different bets able to be made within a game of roulette, what the bet means, and how much a winning wager stands to win you.
| Bet Name | Explanation | Odds | Odds Against |
| Single Number | Bet on any single numbered space on the reel | 35:1 | 36:1 |
| Split | Any 2 adjoining numbers (adjacent or above/below) | 17:1 | 17.5:1 |
| Basket | 0, 2, 3 or 0, 1, 2 | 11:1 | 11.33:1 |
| Street | Any 3 horizontal numbers | 11:1 | 11.33:1 |
| Corner | Any 4 adjoining numbers that form a block | 8:1 | 8.25:1 |
| Six Line | Any 6 numbers from 2 separate rows | 5:1 | 5.167:1 |
| 1st Column | 1, 4,7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34 | 2:1 | 2.083:1 |
| 2nd Column | 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 35 | 2:1 | 2.083:1 |
| 3rd Column | 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36 | 2:1 | 2.083:1 |
| 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Dozen | 1st (1-12) 2nd (13-24) or 3rd (25-36) | 2:1 | 2.083:1 |
| Odd | 1, 3, 5, 7…. | 1:1 | 1.056:1 |
| Even | 2, 4, 6, 8…. | 1:1 | 1.056:1 |
| Red | Red numbers | 1:1 | 1.056:1 |
| Black | Black numbers | 1:1 | 1.056:1 |
| 1 to 18 | Numbers 1-18 | 1:1 | 1.056:1 |
| 19 to 36 | Numbers 19-36 | 1:1 | 1.056:1 |
As you can probably guess, the most frequently utilized bets are the ones with the 1:1 and 2:1 odds. Though these bets are by no means a sure-thing, they do feature some of the best odds of any casino game out there. Many people will tell you, errantly, that if you play long enough you are bound to come out on top. While this may sound good, the reality is that, in theory, you could place the same exact bet and spin the wheel 100 times without winning once. For this same reason, you will hear many people to tell you to avoid the game altogether.
Roulette at New Jersey Online Casinos
Now that you understand how the game works, you might be confused as to how it can work online. After all, the game revolves—no pun intended—around a physical ball being spun around a real wheel. With the computer generated graphics that exist, aren’t New Jersey online casinos able to set the game up so you lose every spin?
Technically, yes, but in reality this is not the case. If you do your research, and we have, you will find that every New Jersey online casino is guaranteed by the state to have games that are completely and entirely random. This is something that is tested and verified many times throughout a given year. As such, you will never come across a situation where a casino is simply forcing you to lose every virtual spin of the wheel.
Beyond that, there are live online casino games where you are watching a live-streamed ball and wheel being spun. This should eliminate any and all doubts that may exist. Check out our top lists of recommended NJ online casinos here at NJCasinos.org, as most offer roulette as one of their featured table games on all these software platforms.