Roulette Royale is a standard European-style game of roulette, which, however, stands out from all the rest in one very important aspect: unlike the dozens or even hundreds of releases out there, it features a progressive jackpot. The game was created by Microgaming and is currently one of the most popular roulette versions in the portfolio of the Isle of Man-based game developer.
It comes with crisp graphics and a convenient, single-screen layout that makes it extremely easy to play even for complete novices. Based on the traditional European type of roulette, Roulette Royale has 37 numbered pockets on the wheel. In contrast, American roulette is played with a 38-pocket wheel, which increases the house edge. Players should also be aware of the house edge before they start playing this particular game. The casino’s advantage, also known as the house edge, jumps to 37% when the jackpot is reset. Another thing to remember is that the jackpot side bet is mandatory.
| Roulette Royale Summary | |
|---|---|
| Software Provider | Microgaming |
| RTP | 0%–37% |
| Min Bet | $1 |
| Max Bet | Varies |
| Number of Wheels | 1 |
| Number of Balls | 1 |
| Multiplayer | No |
| Jackpot | Progressive |
| Surrender | No |
| Jackpot | 100x bet |
Popular Bets and Payouts of Roulette Royale
As we mentioned above, this game is based on the standard single-zero roulette variation, so all bets and payouts here are the same as in the other European-style versions of roulette by Microgaming. Of course, winning bets of red/black, odd/even, and high/low pay evenly (1:1), while column and dozen bets pay 2:1. The payouts for inside bets are also standard: line bets pay 5:1, square bets pay 8:1, and street bets pay 11:1. Winning splits pay 17:1, and the highest-paying bet is the straight bet on any single number, which pays 35:1.
Players can switch to “Expert Mode,” which allows them to make the so-called neighbor bets. Of course, what makes Roulette Royale so popular among online casino players is its jackpot, which can be won after placing chips on the jackpot side bet section of the betting layout. In reality, you cannot miss placing the side bet because it is mandatory, and a chip equal to at least the table minimum is placed automatically at the beginning of every round.
Specific Features of Roulette Royale
The side bet allows you to play for four different jackpots. The largest is progressive and typically seeds at $60,000, quickly rising to more than $200,000. The jackpots are not hit randomly, however, as is often the case with progressive jackpots in slot games. To win any of the jackpots in Roulette Royale, the same number needs to come up at least 2 times in a row.
Interestingly, the jackpots credited when the same number hits 2, 3, and 4 times in a row are fixed, paying 15x, 200x, and 3,000x the side bet size, respectively. Things get really interesting when the ball lands on the same number for the fifth time in a row and the player has placed a bet on this number. Then, the player wins the progressive jackpot.
It is important to remember that the progressive jackpot side bet is completely independent of any other bets made in the current round. It wins only when the same number comes up 5 times in a row, and it loses in every other case. Because of this, the house edge varies significantly depending on the size of the progressive jackpot. When it is at its initial size, the house edge has been calculated to rise to a massive 37%. When the jackpot exceeds $760,000, however, the house edge reaches 0%, giving a positive expected value.
Verdict
Microgaming’s Roulette Royale is, as you can see, a simple game of roulette that follows the European rules. Because hitting the same number 5 times in a row is a true feat and highly unlikely, the side bet will lose most of the time. The chance to win the progressive jackpot is 1 in 1,874,161. This suggests only one thing: the game has a very high house edge, and players can lose a lot of money while playing it. But it is exactly the huge risk that makes progressive jackpots so high and appealing in the first place.