Expert review by Gemma Heathcote.
Roulette is justifiably considered the main game of the casino. Its incredible popularity lies mainly in the fact that it is one of the simplest games in the gambling industry. In addition, casino customers addicted to roulette often try to create their own system or method of changing bets to increase their chances of winning. The search for such techniques can be pretty exciting, but you should not get carried away with it since you must remember that flawless systems do not exist, and the game is not about earning but entertainment. Read more about bets on zero and the odds of gambling establishments below.
No one knows the name of its creator, but there is an opinion that it was given to us by Blaise Pascal, the same scientist who tried to invent the perpetual motion machine.
Roulette became popular in the mid-19th century, thanks to the activities of the Blanc brothers in Monte Carlo. Later, it was brought over to the American continent, where one more number was added to the standard cells of the drum – a double zero.
There are many types of roulette: mini roulette, no zero roulette, pinball roulette, triple wheel roulette, roulette with double and triple bonus spins; there are also models without numbers on the reels found in both online and land-based casinos.
Interesting fact: the first American roulette had an additional sector with an eagle, but the number of numbers rarely reached 28.
It is believed that despite the variety of roulette, the zero sector is of decisive importance. It is responsible for the mechanism programmed by the structure of the roulette wheel, which provides the house edge. However, remember that the real advantage for gambling establishments is in disproportionate odds of winning and payout ratios.
In roulette, zero is a separate sector, which is very different in shape and colour from the sectors of other numbers. Experts say that in a casino, it is zero that provides the house edge to the casino.
Many roulette players are biased towards this sector. Some even give it a mystical meaning. However, this is disbelief since the number “0” is no different from the others.
Also, the European version of the roulette has one zero, while the American version also has an additional sector with a double zero. If there is a “00” on the roulette field, the casino gets an even more significant advantage over the players. So, if in French roulette it is about 2.7 percent, this advantage increases by one and a half times in the American version.
An additional cell in American roulette is a double zero, which provides an even grander house edge than in European roulette. So, in European roulette, the advantage of a gambling establishment is 2.7%, and in American – one and a half times higher. Due to the change in the wheel’s structure, the possibility of additional bets, including bets on zero, appears.
A very common question is: “What colour is the zero sector in American roulette?” The answer is that, unlike the other (black and red) roulette numbers, “0” and “00” are coloured green. In addition, these sectors on the playing field have the shape of a pennant or a triangle, which also distinguishes them from other square and/or rectangular sectors. However, this does not affect the game process, the “mystical” properties of zero, or any other bonuses.
Due to its location on the field (European roulette), “0” allows you to make the following bets.
These options do not exist for any other sector in French roulette. However, the payout is standard: 35:1, 17:1, 11:1 and 8:1, respectively. And this explains how zero is multiplied in roulette.
The bet on “0” is multiplied by 35 times if the ball lands on zero. Each player who bet on a split increases the winnings by 17 times, those who bet on straight – by 11 times.
Assuming the maximum bet on one number in an online casino is $10, to fully “load” zero, the player needs to place 170 tokens with a face value of $1 in the following way: 10 + (3×20) + (2×30) + 40. If the ball landed on “0” with a complete like this (the maximum allowable bet on one number), the winnings would be 2520 dollars, taking the rate into account.
If we talk about American roulette, there is an opportunity to make an additional bet, which involves the sectors 1-2-3-0-00. The payout on it is made at the rate of 6 to 1 in case of winning. The probability of a positive outcome, in this case, is 13.16%.
Worthy of separate attention is the fact that in most cases, when the ball lands on zero or double zero, the bets made on colons, dozens and on the so-called simple odds (even/odd, red/black, 1-18/19-36) lose (become the house advantage). However, in some casinos, when “0” rolls out, bets made on simple chances are divided in half, so the casino takes 50%, and 50% goes back to the player.
In all other aspects of the game, zero is no different from other European and American roulette numbers. All the rules are the same, and it is also possible to make mouth bets.
The number of sectors increases by one in the European system and two in the American one with zero sector. If a player bets $1 on each sector, including “0” and “00”, the cost will be $38. One of the numbers will win, and the player will receive a winning ratio of 35:1 ($35 + $1 – the original bet). This way, the player will win $36. And yet, they will still lose because the initial cost was 38 dollars. This is because of two sectors – “0” and “00”.
The most straightforward way to bet on zero is to treat the box as a perfectly normal number sector. When players bet on one playing field, in case of victory, they receive a bet of 35 to 1. The probability of getting incredibly lucky and predicting correctly is 2-3%.
Another way to win, applicable only to American roulette, involves betting on five fields at the same time. When betting on five sectors: zero, double zero, 1, 2, 3, the payout in case of winning will be 6 to 1, but the probability of winning will be 13.16%. The house edge will be 7.89%. From this point of view, the bet on the first five cells is one of the worst ones since 7.89% is the highest indicator of the casino’s house advantage.
To competently get both sectors – zero and double zero – it is necessary to “block” two neighbouring sectors. In this case, the winnings on the bet will be 17 to 1, and the house edge will remain standard. But the player’s chances of making the correct prediction increase to 5%.