How to Choose the Best Online Roulette

With its relative simplicity and straightforward rules, roulette is among the world’s most popular casino games. There is no shortage of land-based and online casinos that offer this classic but more importantly, there are currently hundreds of roulette variations that can be played on the Internet.

While many people believe that a certain table or croupier brings them luck, the choice of a roulette table is important for a very different reason – some roulette variations are simply more favorable to the player. In this article, we are paying attention to the best online roulette games and, more precisely, on how to choose the right variation.

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Some casino players are simply focusing on the house edge percentages of different games when they are looking for an online variation of roulette, whether that would be a virtual or a live game. Many other factors should be considered, though, and the first step is to pick the right online casino for playing roulette.

Fans of this game should remember that the vast majority of casino websites revolve around video slots, which are practically the most played casino games nowadays. Certain operators, however, try to cater to as many players as possible and have added a wide range of roulette games to their offering. Below, we have rounded up the most important things to look for in an online casino.

Security and fairness

Licensing

Payments

Gaming Selection

Live Tables and Mobile Compatibility

Roulette Bonuses

Security and fairness

The online security and the fairness of games should be players’ first and foremost priority when reviewing a real-money gambling site. They should never sign up with a casino operator who does not provide its patrons with sufficient protection of funds and personal data. The first thing to look for on a website is whether it uses digital encryption – it should have an SSL/TLS certificate, which is used to facilitate the encryption of data in transit.

Hosting the site over “https” rather than “http” creates a secure, encrypted connection between the casino and its users. This means that any data transfer is kept private – this applies to players’ personal information, card data, and the security of financial transactions. The casino site should also have a clear Privacy Policy and a detailed T&Cs section.

Moreover, to guarantee fair play, online gambling operators should provide games based on straightforward rules and Random Number Generators (RNG). The majority of virtual roulette games use independently tested RNG, which is a special piece of software added so that it can bring as much randomness to the games as possible. All leading online casinos now are regularly audited for their use of RNG so players can rest assured the game they play is not rigged and the results cannot be fixed.

Licensing

Before registering a real-money account at an online casino, roulette fans should try to learn as much as possible about the operator – who owns the casino, whether it holds the proper licenses, and its overall reputation. Reputable casinos always display their contact and licensing information on the bottom of the home page so it can be easily checked by patrons.

To receive a license, operators need to comply with various rules and laws and to meet requirements regarding their reliability, financial stability, etc. Depending on the player’s country of residence and the local gambling legislation, the casino may need an international permit to offer online games of chance or a license from the national regulatory body, responsible for overseeing the remote gambling sector. Various regulatory institutions issue licenses after a thorough inspection of the casino operator:

The Gambling Commission (UKGC) – the UK
Netherlands Gambling Authority (KSA) – the Netherlands
Swiss Federal Gaming Board – Switzerland
State Gambling Commissions – the USA
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) – for international licenses
Alderney Gambling Control Commission – Alderney
Gibraltar Regulatory Authority – one of the main offshore gambling regulators

Payments

Players should also look at the Banking section in casino websites and decide whether this aspect of online gaming is convenient for them or not. First of all, they should search for a casino that processes payments in their local currency – most operators accept US dollars (USD) and Euros (EUR), but some casinos also support payments in GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, SEK, DKK, NOK, RUB, CNY, etc.

Furthermore, Bitcoin casinos are also gaining popularity as more and more players start using cryptocurrencies when paying online. Another important thing to check before signing up at a casino site is the deposit and withdrawal limits – most casinos would offer free deposits starting from $10 or $20 and up to $4,000 or $5,000 a day, while withdrawals are usually available from $20 or $50 and up to $10,000 per week or month. Players should look for operators who do not charge deposits and withdrawals any fees and process payments quickly.

Last, but not least, the range of supported payment methods is essential and roulette fans are advised to opt for a casino that accepts at least several different cards, e-wallets, or other payment services. Usually, the largest online casinos work with Visa and Mastercard-branded credit and debit cards, issued by a local bank, various e-wallets and mobile wallets, instant banking services, prepaid cards, and vouchers, etc.

Gaming Selection

Players interested in online roulette should know that there are many different versions of the game, released by multiple software developers in the past two decades. From classic variations that resemble the physical roulette table to modern, innovative interpretations with multiple wheels, side bets, and progressive jackpots, the abundance can be overwhelming. Of course, the more live and virtual tables available on the website, the better.

However, the overall gaming selection offered by casinos is just as important since you would eventually want to explore something new and fresh. This is why the best casinos on the web host hundreds and even thousands of games across different categories of games – classic 3-reel slots, video slots, poker, blackjack, video poker, and even scratchcards and bingo games.

Live Tables and Mobile Compatibility

Even though virtual roulette can be as fun and exciting as the real-life game offered in land-based casinos, many players would sooner or later wish to try live dealer roulette. Live tables with live human croupiers create a more authentic casino atmosphere – you can play along with fellow casino players, you can interact with the croupiers and even the rules and gameplay are almost identical to those in a brick-and-mortar establishment.

Unfortunately, not all online casinos have live roulette tables and even those that do rarely offer games that are available 24/7. Players should also consider the betting limits, which are typically higher than the minimum and maximum stakes in a virtual game. Overall, live roulette is a more exclusive option intended for high-rollers at some online casinos

The other thing players should pay attention to is whether the casino they have chosen is mobile-friendly – whether it has a native app for iOS or Android or it can be accessed directly from the browser installed on the phone. As you can imagine, mobile compatibility is a must nowadays when we are doing everything from our smartphones and tablets. That’s why a good, fast-performing app with an adequate number of slots and table games is a great addition to every casino’s standard offering.

Roulette Bonuses

When choosing an online casino, players often focus on the number and variety of bonuses they could receive. Fans of roulette and other table games, however, should know that most casino bonuses are, in fact, intended for slots players. As we have mentioned above, slots are currently the most popular type of casino games – both online and in land-based casinos. It is hardly a surprise, then, that the majority of bonuses and promotions cater to slots fans.

Let’s take a standard sign-up bonus as an example – typically, casinos offer a match bonus on the first deposit, which can be played on various games, including roulette. However, the bonus funds are subject to a certain wagering requirement and players need to play through the amount of the bonus 20 or 30 times on slot games. For instance, we receive a $30 bonus with a 35x rollover requirement – before we can make a withdrawal, we will have to wager $1,050 ($30×35) on slot games.

Most casinos restrict play with bonus funds to slots only, while table games, including roulette, contribute lower percentages to the rollover. If we played $100 on European roulette, for instance, we would have contributed probably $30 or $50 to the total wagering amount, which is $1,050. If the money was wagered on slots, on the other hand, all of it would have been counted towards the rollover.

A good tip for roulette players is to simply avoid casino bonuses – you can always refuse a bonus even if it is automatically credited to your account. All you need to do is contact the customer support before using any of the bonus funds. Another course of action is to look for a casino that offers roulette-friendly bonuses. This could be tricky, though, since few online casinos would do that.

Once players pick a good, reliable online casino to play roulette, they should consider the type of games on offer. The variety of virtual roulette games online is impressive but most of them fall into one of two main categories - either single or double-zero roulette.

French/European Roulette

American Roulette

Originally, the game of roulette was quite different from the modern version we love to play today. Still, in its most popular form, it used a wheel that featured 37 numbered pockets - from 0 to 36. Nowadays, this is the most widely spread version of the game and it can be found in practically all online casinos with classic table games. It is usually referred to as either French or European roulette, while the other type is called American roulette and its wheel features a 0 and 00 pockets.

Due to the additional pocket on the wheel - for the 00, the American type of roulette has a house edge of 5.26%. The green pockets for 0 and 00 favor the casino because none of the outside bets wins when 0 or 00 are hit. We can easily see why the expected value of this game is negative with the following formula for the house edge on a straight bet -:

(bet loss) x (ways to lose) + (payout) x (ways to win)

The single-zero roulette is always preferred by roulette players since it has a mathematical advantage of 2.70% - nearly half of the house edge found in double-zero games. The European and French-style roulette variations are almost identical, except for the French-language layout and a couple of rules that trigger when the ball falls on the zero, namely the La Partage and En prison rules. They reduce the house edge even further to 1.35% for all even-money outside bets.

Or −1×37⁄38 + 35×1⁄38 = −0.0526 or a house edge of 5.26%. To calculate the house edge for the same bet in French/European roulette, we will have -1x36/37 + 35x1/37 = −0.0270 or 2.70%. Clearly, single-zero roulette games are more favorable to the player than double-zero versions.

As we have mentioned above, there are several rules that can reduce the house edge for the outside bets from 2.70% to 1.35%. Although typically found in certain casinos in France and the UK, they are also offered in some American and European versions of online roulette. They trigger automatically when players bet on the so-called even bets in roulette - red or black, low or high, and even or odd, and the ball lands on the zero (or the 00 pocket).

When this happens, players do not lose their entire bet as per standard roulette rules. Instead, one of the two rules may be applied:

La Partage/ Surrender

En Prison

This rule is quite similar to the La Partage/Surrender but players are given the opportunity to choose from two options:

They can recover half of their stake.
They can “imprison” their bet – the chips remain on the same betting square for the duration of the next spin.

Minimum and Maximum Stake

Stake Size for Each Bet

Money Management

One of the most important things when choosing an online roulette table is to find a game with the right betting limits. This guarantees that you will be able to maintain your bankroll for longer. In fact, most experts recommend sticking to games with low minimum and maximum stakes.

For example, most players with modest or average bankrolls will feel more comfortable placing bets of up to $50 on the table every time. Low-limit tables where you play from as little as $0.10 per spin are a great option for those who have set a gambling budget of, let’s say $100 to $500. There are also high-limit and VIP tables – in most cases, these should be avoided unless your bankroll is in the six-figure range.

Along with the French, American, and European versions of roulette, many other types of the game can be played online. But are they worth playing at all? Can they be more profitable to the player or have, in fact, a higher house edge?

Mini Roulette

Triple-Zero Roulette

Roulette Games with Letters and Symbols

Multi-Wheel Roulette

Progressive Jackpot Roulette

Mini Roulette

There are several variants of Mini Roulette but the most popular one is the game with only 13 numbers – from 0 to 13. Players can bet on a single number, a split, on groups of four or six numbers, and of course – on red/black, low/high, even/odd, dozens, and columns. The payout for a winning straight bet is 11:1 and using the formula from above, we can easily conclude that the house edge is 7.69%. Of course, this version of the game should be avoided.

Triple-Zero Roulette

This is quite a rare version of roulette and it is played with all standard numbers from 1 to 36 plus three green pockets for zero. Since the green pockets are for the house numbers, this game also comes with a higher casino advantage – 7.69% to be precise.

Roulette Games with Letters and Symbols

Some online casinos also offer quite interesting versions of the classic roulette but instead of numbers, the wheel features letters or different symbols. These games come with appealing looks, innovative designs and are, overall, attractive to players. What matters, however, is their set of rules and, most importantly, their pay tables. If the house edge is up to 3%, they should be worth playing. All other games, however, must be avoided, especially if they feature a high house edge in combination with complex rules, side bets, or other eccentricities.

Multi-Wheel Roulette

This game can be found in a large number of online casinos and it allows players to spin up to 8 wheels simultaneously. In other words, players bet on up to 8 tables at once. Once they place their bet on the table and click the Spin button, all wheels start spinning and their bet multiplies by 8 – or by the number of active wheels. The game follows the standard European rules and features standard payouts, so its house edge is 2.70%, which makes it a great option for fans of the classic game.

Progressive Jackpot Roulette

There are various types of online roulette that feature a progressive jackpot. Their rules and payouts may differ but even if they are favorable, players should know that to play for the progressive jackpot, they need to make a side bet. In all casino games, side bets increase the risk and change the mathematical formulas for expected value and house edge. Of course, each side bet increases the house edge and such games should be played only occasionally.

How to Choose the Best Online Roulette

Picking the Right Online Casino for Roulette

Security and fairness

Licensing

Payments

Gaming Selection

Live Tables and Mobile Compatibility

Roulette Bonuses

Single vs Double-Zero Roulette

Rules That Reduce the House Edge

La Partage/ Surrender

En Prison

Table Limits

Minimum and Maximum Stake

Stake Size for Each Bet

Money Management

Innovative and Exotic Types of Roulette

Mini Roulette

Triple-Zero Roulette

Roulette Games with Letters and Symbols

Multi-Wheel Roulette

Progressive Jackpot Roulette