Roulette Myths

Andrea Bocelli believes “nothing happens by chance. Even the idea of the ball in a roulette game: it's not chance it ends up in a certain place. It's forces that are at play." But what exactly are these forces?
Like anything that has been around for hundreds of years, roulette at Cozino is also home to many myths. So, let’s look at some of the most popular ones.

50-50 Chance

Myth: You’ve a 50-50 chance of winning a red or black bet.
Truth: While most numbers on a roulette wheel appear on the red and black pockets, one or two do not. Thus, you’ve a 48.6% chance of winning one of these wagers in European roulette as 36 out of the 37 numbers are on red and black slots (the zero occupies a green slot). But, in American roulette, your chances decrease to 47.4% because only 36 out of 38 numbers sit on red and black pockets (double zero occupies another green slot). Therefore, you’re always at a slight disadvantage.

Hot Slots

Myth: You should bet on the number, colour or sequence that has come up several times in a row as it’s hot.
Truth: Roulette is a game of luck and the ball has an equal chance of landing on any of the pockets. Plus, where the ball landed on previous spins has no bearing on where it’ll land on the next spin. So, forget about hot slots.

Betting Systems

Myth: You can increase your chances by adopting a betting system.
Truth: Betting systems cannot improve your chances of winning in roulette (in the long term). As mentioned earlier, roulette is a random game and no betting system will work for you every time. (If you happen to develop one, though, please PM me!)

Rigged Wheels

Myth: Roulette is rigged.
Truth: Wheels at authentic casinos (follow that link to access the Gambling Commission’s search engine for licensed casinos in the UK) are checked regularly by independent agencies to protect players from foul play. And since the house already has an edge (2.7% in European roulette and 5.26% in the American version), why would casinos throw it all away?

Dealers

Myth: Croupiers (dealers) affect the game.
Truth: Even though every croupier brings their own personality to the table, they have no influence over the ball’s resting final place. That comes down to the wheel and the ball and if a dealer manipulated a spin, it would be spotted very easily, and the casino would be in huge trouble.

Final Thoughts

We’ve introduced five myths about roulette and busted them one by one. Plus, we now know the forces Andrea Bocelli was referring to were not things like streaks, betting systems, rigged wheels or dealers. Nope, the two biggest forces at play in a game of roulette are participation (if you’re not in, you can’t win) and luck. (Thus, when it comes to luck, Mr Bocelli and I don’t really see eye to eye!)
May the forces be with you!