Roulette Strategy Guide for Beginners

When it comes to roulette strategy, there’s a wealth of information out there for the budding player. Ultimately, the best way to play roulette is up for debate, but that’s where we come in! Our roulette betting strategy guide will take you through the most popular strategies around, giving you the lowdown on top roulette tips and tactics.

Basics

For players who are learning how to play roulette, it’s worth exploring some of the basics of roulette betting strategy. 
Outside bets (bets which aren’t placed on a specific number) are probably the best way to win on roulette, since they give a winning payout of around 1:1, meaning that you’re far more likely to either win or make a small profit from your bet.

You could also spread your chips across several outside bets, providing you with multiple ways to win in a single round. On the other hand, placing an inside bet (a bet on a specific number) could net you a potential payout of 35:1, making it the bet of choice for aggressive players and risk takers!

Martingale

Now, let’s explore some of the more complex roulette strategies. The Martingale strategy is probably the most famous roulette betting strategy around, and many players swear that it’s the best roulette strategy they’ve come into contact with.

To play a Martingale betting strategy, you need to double your bet every time you lose. By the time you win, you may have recouped your losses, and even made a tidy profit, since the size of the bet has been increased by so much. Many players use Martingale when betting on colour, but it can be used on any outside bet, from odd/even to high/low.

For example, in the first round, you could place a bet of one chip on black, with the ball landing on red. In the second round, you could place a bet of two chips on black, with the ball again landing on red. However, in the third round, you could place a bet of four chips on black, with the ball landing on black. You would win eight chips, which would cover your losses, as well as provide you with a profit.

The benefits of using this roulette strategy are that it’s simple, and can provide you with an excellent chance of winning. Timing is all important – if your losing streak goes on until you reach the house limit, you won’t be able to recoup your losses. Essentially, the Martingale strategy gives you the chance to win your money back, but you’ve got to make sure that your bets don’t get out of control!

D’Alembert

The D’Alembert strategy is somewhat similar to the Martingale strategy, except that after you lose, you’ll improve your bet by one unit, rather than doubling it, and if you win, you’ll reduce your original bet by one unit. This unit can be any number which you set yourself, which helps you stay in control while you play – something which can elude players using the Martingale strategy!

Let’s look at an example of how to play using the D’Alembert strategy. In the first round, you bet five chips, and lose. In the second round you bet six chips, and lose. In the third round you bet seven chips, and win. In the fourth round you bet six chips, and lose. In the fifth round you bet seven chips, and win, and in the final round you bet six chips, and win. You’ll end up with a net profit, despite there being an equal number of wins and losses throughout the game.

Essentially, the D’Alembert strategy minimizes the risks of the Martingale strategy, and as such it’s the best roulette strategy for players who want to pursue a steady, low-risk game. Since the D’Alembert is a flatter strategy than Martingale, with a slower rate of increasing bets, it reduces the risks of extensive losses, although it can mean that players aren’t able to recoup all their losses with one win. Again, the D’Alembert roulette betting strategy works best on outside bets, and means that players don’t have to worry about crazy, spiralling bets that trouble the table limits.  

Paroli

In many ways, the Paroli roulette strategy is the opposite of the Martingale strategy. Rather than doubling your bet after a loss, you’ll double your bet after you win. The USP of this strategy is that when you double your bet, you’re essentially using the casino’s capital, so any losses you accrue are from capital which wasn’t yours to begin with.

For example, in the first round a player might bet five chips on red, and win, then bet ten chips on black, and win, before betting twenty chips on black, winning again. This would make a total profit of 35 chips. If you were to bet 40 chips on black and lose, the vast majority of the chips that you lose would be chips that you won from the casino, minimizing the risk of substantial losses.

The Paroli strategy is arguably the best way to play roulette for those who want to minimize their losses. Once again, timing is everything. Lots of players choose to cash out after three wins. If you cash in when you’re on the upswing, the Paroli system could help you to walk away a winner!