Casino Mythbusting: 10 Roulette Myths

Roulette embodies all the qualities that we love about online casinos – exciting gameplay, a variety of betting options, and unique experience. This classic table game has been around for generations, so it should come as no surprise that now even online roulette has attracted its fair share of myths.

In this blog, we will cover some of the most popular casino myths and facts surrounding roulette.

1. Roulette Is A Game Of Chance

The premise of roulette is pretty straightforward. Players need to place a bet on the number or numbers they think the ball will land on. There are many expert opinions on how roulette is actually a game that’s partially dependent on both luck and strategy.  Many prominent roulette players have also claimed to have gained the upper hand over the house a number of times, but is roulette truly a game of chance?

True: While it’s true that roulette can often have a number bias, which occurs when roulette wheels tend to favour specific numbers or groups of numbers, the game is still random.

2. There’s One Type Of Roulette

As already mentioned, the game of roulette is quite simple and it stands to reason that there isn’t much room to create different versions of roulette. A roulette wheel typically has 37 numbers from 0 – 36, and the types of bets available to players are determined by these numbers. So are there really different types of roulette, or is it all just the same?

False: There are several versions of roulette. The version with 37 numbers is the classic European Roulette, but there’s another popular version that includes the additional double zero, known as is American Roulette. A casino in America even created a triple zero wheel! In addition, there are several modern online and live roulette variants such as Double Wheel Roulette, Lightning Roulette and many more.

3. All Versions Of Roulette Have The Same House Edge

The house edge or house advantage is an important factor when playing online roulette. This expected value determines the average amount that a player will win or lose in relation to the bet made. House edge is an important number for any online casino, as it will determine how much they can expect to make from any given casino game. So, different versions of roulette the same house edge, right?

False: Different versions of roulette have a unique house edge, because they have more or less numbers on the wheel, a second ball or wheel in play and other features. The house edge on a standard European Roulette table sits at around 2.7% – in other words, how much you’ll expect to get back from a game of roulette is about 97.3% of what you staked.

4. You Can’t Beat The House Edge

Okay, so the house edge varies when playing different versions of roulette. There are a number of players that can turn this house edge into their favour by placing a 50-50 bet and get the advantage in return. However, the house edge is fixed.

True: Roulette is a game of chance, and the house edge varies game to game. Different strategies can help to increase your play time and manage your bankroll, but of course, you can’t win every time you play.

5. Casinos Can Rig Roulette Wheels

If we were to have a look at how roulette has been portrayed in popular films and TV shows, there’ve been instances showing roulette wheels modified with things such as magnets to make the ball land in a specific pocket. But does this really happen?

False: No reputable land-based or online casino would ever rig a roulette wheel, as they would lose their license instantly and could get barred from operating. Always check that your online casino is fully licenced and has all games tested, verified and approved by independent third parties.

6. The Dealer Has Control Over Where The Ball Lands

The dealer’s main role in a game of roulette is to open the game, take bets, release the ball into the spinning wheel, then announce the winning number and corresponding winning bets. But what if the dealer can control when to drop the ball in the wheel in order to favour where it will land?

False: It’s impossible for the dealer to anticipate and control where the ball will land. Casinos have strict rules and preventions in place to ensure that each spin of the wheel is fair and random.

7. There’s No Pattern To Winning Numbers

Players that enjoy live roulette often sometimes notice patterns of winning numbers emerging and might even choose a game based on the last sequence of numbers hit. However, we’ve already mentioned that roulette wheels can experience number biases over time and that roulette is a game of chance. Still, do you think it’s possible for there to be a pattern in how winning numbers emerge?

True: Attempting to guess the winning number in roulette is part of what makes this game so exciting. A lot of players are superstitious and claim that they can spot patterns, but it’s human nature to look for patterns even where there are none. Just in the same way it’s possible to land 10 heads on a coin in a row.

8. You Should Play The Same Type Of Bet

Many players will think that if they’re winning on a certain bet, or betting on their favourite numbers, then they should stick to the strategy. With so many roulette betting options available within a game , and with the various odds they offer, is this really the best strategy?

False: It’s easy to fall into patterns in the hopes of finding a winning formula. The truth is, you’re better off trying out the many different types of bets at your disposal. Suddenly changing from an Outside Bet to an Inside Bet won’t affect the spin of the wheel or the outcome, and no bet is necessarily better than another. Find the style that works for you.

9. A Strategy Will Help You Beat Roulette

There are several casino games that require players to have a good strategy in order to increase their chances of winning. In games such as blackjack and poker, players can use a strategy in order to make better betting decisions, or simply just bluff their way through. So, if players can study data from previous roulette games in order to understand how to place their next bet, they should be able to beat the wheel.

False: A roulette system will never guarantee you’ll win, but strategies are a great way to try out what style of play works best for you, and can be useful when learning how to bet on a new casino game.

10. Roulette Was Inspired By The Devil

The French mathematician Blaise Pascal was the mastermind behind roulette. It’s widely claimed that he was inspired by the devil when creating the game. In fact, when you add up all the numbers in the roulette wheel, they tally up to 666. So it is true that roulette was inspired by the devil himself?

False: Well, we cannot really ask Pascal what his intentions were when he created roulette, but theory is he set out to create a perpetual motion machine. We’re glad he didn’t quite succeed but instead gave us this casino classic.

How many of these myths did you manage to bust?

Now that all the myths are busted, ready to play some roulette on our Canadian online casino?
