Roulette is one of the most popular table games in the world. It rules the floors of land-based casinos and attracts millions of players at online websites around the world. Get to know all the Roulette Variations.
Known as a gentlemen’s game, roulette incorporates a bit of strategy with a lot of luck for payouts of up to 35x your stake, if you are lucky.
The game of “the little wheel” is a versatile gambling mechanism that appeases players of all types.
The freedom to play numerous different bet types allows you to set the pace and play for various odds, depending on the bet type you opt for. This results in you being able to choose whether you would enjoy high-risk or low-risk play on any given day.
Part of the choice that determines the level of entertainment that you will experience at the online casino is the variation of the game that you play. Being such a sought-after game model, there is no surprise that roulette comes in many different forms.
In this guide, we’ll give you insight into the best variance of roulette for Aussie players like you!
Traditional Roulette Variations
Roulette had its beginnings in France, where it got its name. Roulette means ‘’little wheel’’. Since its early days, it has spread around the world, through Europe, and onto North America. As it has spread, certain rules have changed and even the appearance of the wheel has been altered.
There are three primary traditional roulette variations in the world. All sub-categories of the game usually follow closely with rules of one of these options.
- European Roulette
- French Roulette
- American Roulette
European Roulette and French Roulette
Both games use the same wheel with 37 pockets marked on the wheel, ranging from 0 to 36.
The main difference between the two game options is that the betting boards are set out in their own unique way.
Both games can be played in two sub-variants which surround the rule of what happens when the wheel lands on ‘’Zero’’.
There are other betting variations available in some European/French Roulette games, including various racetrack bets, like Call Bets or Neighbour bets. Most online games do not include these betting types, so we won’t go into tremendous detail of them here.
American Roulette
Upon landing in the USA, Americans decided to make roulette their own by adapting the rules to suit their commercial casinos. Vegas operators boast hundreds of roulette tables that play according to American rules.
While most of the betting stays the same across all roulette games, the American game has a few differences which occur thanks to the fact that the wheel not only has a green ‘0’ like the European wheel does, but has an additional ‘00’ space too. This means that there are 38 pockets on the wheel, favouring the house across all odds.
However, American Roulette offers an extra 5 number combination bet that the other two don’t offer. This incorporates a combination of 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. It pays out at 6:1.
Gaming Platform Options
When playing online there are two primary categories of roulette games you will run into. These include:
- Virtual Roulette
- Live Roulette
Both game options can be played from both your mobile or desktop device for your convenience. What could be more exciting than betting and spinning the roulette wheel while on the go?
Virtual Casino Gaming
In the Table Games section of most online casinos, you will find roulette games that have been designed to play like a video game. The outcomes of the games are determined by random number generator software to make playing fair and fun!
The quality of some of these games is tremendous and very lifelike. The tables, grids, and wheels are decked to mimic true to life versions of the same, and user-friendly interfaces allow you to place your bets, etc.
In Virtual roulette, you will usually play on your own, which means that there is no rush to get your bets in, etc.
Within the virtual casino world, several innovative roulette games have been developed for online players besides the Classic American, European, and French versions. Some of the more popular unique game variants include:
- Mini Roulette: Played with a tiny wheel and small betting grid, Mini Roulette has a lower number of positions to bet on. With the lower number of bet options, the odds of landing your straight-up bets are far better, even though the payouts are marginalised to 11:1.
This game encourages Even bets instead, where you can wager bigger amounts and have them pay out at 1:1, up to $400 in Playtech’s version of the game.
- Multi-Wheel Roulette: Played exactly like traditional European Roulette, you can place your inside and outside bets. The only difference is that there will be 8 different game outcomes to compare your guesses with, as 8 wheels will simultaneously be spun.
Live Casino Roulette
Live casino roulette is something special. Game providers like NetEnt Live, Evolution Gaming, and Playtech have harnessed the magic of brick and mortar casino gaming for play on your mobile or desktop device.
Professional roulette croupiers will host the game and talk you through the passage of play just like in a real casino. You will be able to interact with them and other players at the table by text and can place your wagers thanks to an intelligent user-interface on your device’s software.
These games are far more immersive, but time limits do weigh in here, as you will have to take into consideration the other players at the table. Four of the most popular variations of Live Roulette include:
- Auto Roulette: This game is suited to rollers looking for fast action between spins of the wheel. The absence of a live croupier here makes this game stand out from other Live Casino games. The wheel is genuine though and no RNG is used in the game to generate outcomes. Auto Roulette will allow you to get in 80 games an hour, but be sure you stick to the time limits on betting.
- Lightning Roulette: Lightning Roulette offers normal roulette players the added bonus of playing for massive extra multipliers on certain numbers. The game will generate between 1 and 5 lucky lightning numbers with massive multipliers of up to 500x bets! If you have bet on that number and the roulette wheel lands on it as well, you will earn yourself a massive payday.
- Live American Roulette: For those seeking Vegas action, you can play Live American Roulette at an assortment of Live Casinos. A helpful croupier will help you through the passage of play.
- Immersive Roulette: This is a world-first from Evolution Gaming and is designed specifically to pull you into the immersive action on the screen. It features Hollywood style camera angles that zoom in to give you close-up action at 200 frames per second. It was awarded the EGR Game of the Year Award in 2014 and is definitely worth a try!
There are tons of roulette gaming options available on the web, but you would be here all day if we listed them all. The above variations offer the best entertainment out there.
High or Low Stakes
Be aware that there will often be two versions of the same game available to punters across the selection of online roulette games, but with different betting limits attached. These are put in place to cater to the different bankrolls offered up between standard players and high rollers.
High Stakes games will usually accept much higher bet limits, while standard games or low stakes games will accept small bets and limit their maximum stakes excessively.
Its always useful to know the table limits before placing your first bet, especially when at a Live Roulette table.
Best Providers and Why
There is a massive selection of roulette games on the web, but not all are equal. While not an exhaustive list of top providers, we advise that when looking to play virtual roulette, search for games by Betsoft, Felt Games, Microgaming, NetEnt, and Playtech to name some of the best.
When it comes to live casino action, few software providers can compare with Evolution Gaming, however, NetEnt, Playtech, and Ezugi have been known to provide some first-class content too.
Roulette Game Variation FAQs
Where can I play online Roulette games?
Numerous top online casinos offer both online roulette and live roulette to its members. For the safest and fairest gaming environments, why not check out our DiceDealer selection of online partners?
Which is the best Roulette version to play?
Of the traditional game versions, European Roulette has the best odds in favor of the player. There are also many more potential betting options available in this variant if the casino game allows for racetrack betting.
How many types of Roulette games are there?
There are three classic variations of the games, namely French, European, and American roulette. However, with the increasingly popular trends in innovation in the industry, newer game options are springing out every year.
What is the main difference between French and American Roulette?
The main difference between the two games is evident in the wheels they use and thereby influence the betting options too. A French Roulette wheel has 37 pockets on it, ranging from 0-36, whereas an American Wheel has 38 pockets ranging from 0-36 plus an extra ‘00’ position.
Roulette Round-Up
With the sheer diversity of game variations, playing roulette should never end up a boring affair.
If you want to play at your own pace, be sure to look up the best Virtual roulette games at a casino near you, but if full immersion is what you want, try out Live roulette games from Evolution Gaming and others.