Roulette Strategy: 15 Betting Systems by Difficulty and Risk

Roulette may look like a game of pure luck, but among casino games it is actually one of the easiest in which to apply betting systems flexibly.

You may wonder whether betting systems really make any difference. By planning where you place your chips and how you divide your bankroll, you can play within a level of risk you have set in advance, instead of betting at random.

What You Will Learn

• Use roulette betting systems on European roulette, which has a return to player (RTP) of 97.30%.
• No betting system or strategy can guarantee a win 100% of the time.
• Using a betting system does not change the RTP.

This article takes about 31 minutes to read.

15 Roulette Betting Systems: Difficulty and Risk at a Glance

This section covers a wide range of systems, from high-risk systems that aim for large returns to steady systems built around a high hit rate. Choose the one that fits your playing style and bankroll.

The steps for each system generally assume a starting bet of $1. If you want to play with larger amounts, scale all of the figures by the same factor.

None of the systems below changes the RTP of roulette itself. The only things they change are the combination of win probability and payout and the pace at which your bankroll grows or shrinks, in other words, the variance of your results.

Each system simply shifts the balance between small, frequent wins and large, infrequent ones. Systems that raise the stake steeply after losses, such as the Martingale and Manchurian systems, carry the highest risk, so decide your stop-loss limit before you start. Keep this in mind as you read.

The table above lists the roulette betting systems in order of difficulty, from the easiest at the top to the hardest at the bottom. In the Popularity column, “Very high” means especially widely used, “High” means widely used and “Limited” means used by relatively few players.

The systems are also rated by how quickly losses grow during a losing streak. Systems that can lose most of your bankroll in a short streak are rated High, systems whose losses grow slowly even during a streak are rated Low, and those in between are rated Medium.

Difficulty (ease of use) is graded on three levels, based on the number of steps involved and on whether working out your bets requires mental arithmetic or keeping track of a number sequence.

If you are new to roulette or unsure where to start, we recommend starting with the systems rated Easy with Low loss risk.

D’Alembert System

The D’Alembert system, also called the pyramid system, is a well-known betting system and is widely used in baccarat and other table games.

You choose a starting bet and place it on an even-money bet such as red or black, which pays 1 to 1. You then lower the bet by a fixed amount after a win and raise it after a loss. The system succeeds once the bet has come down to a set level.

If wins and losses occur at roughly the same rate, the profit from winning runs tends to exceed the losses from losing runs. On European roulette, however, the single 0 means that red or black actually wins 48.65% of the time. Because this falls short of 50%, results will in theory trend toward a loss the longer you play.

Advantages of the D’Alembert System

• After a loss, the bet rises far more gently than with the Martingale system
• Each loss is small, so your bankroll lasts longer

Disadvantages of the D’Alembert System

• After a long losing streak, you need a fair run of consecutive wins to get back into profit
• You have to decide for yourself when to stop, and a poor decision can leave you with no profit

How to Play the D’Alembert System

1. Bet $10 on either red or black. (The system starts at $10 rather than $1 because the bet is lowered as you go.)
2. After a win, lower your bet by $1. After a loss, raise it by $1.
3. Continue until your bet comes down to $1, at which point the D’Alembert system has succeeded. You can also set your own profit-taking condition, such as “when the bet falls to $5 or less” or “when my balance is positive after 50 or more spins.”

Two Column, Two Dozen System

In the Two Column, Two Dozen system, you place bets on two columns and on two dozens of your choice. You receive a payout if the winning number falls in either a chosen column or a chosen dozen. (The bets cover 32 numbers, so the probability that at least one of them wins is 86.49%.)

If the number falls in a chosen column or a chosen dozen but not both, however, the net result is a $1 loss. You make a profit only when both a column and a dozen win.

The system does not produce large wins at once, so it suits players who prefer small, steady gains.

Advantages of the Two Column, Two Dozen System

• Covering 32 numbers gives a high probability that at least one bet wins
• You can play for a long time on a small bankroll, and the bet size is easy to adjust, so it also suits high rollers

Disadvantages of the Two Column, Two Dozen System

• You only make a profit when both your column and your dozen win, so the probability of a profit is under half (43.24%)
• The system focuses on the probability of winning, so a win never brings a large profit

How to Play the Two Column, Two Dozen System

1. Choose two columns and two dozens and bet $1 on each
2. If the winning number is in both a chosen column and a chosen dozen, you make a profit of $2. If it is in only one of them, you lose $1, and if it is in neither, you lose $4

Bear Big System

The Bear Big system (a 35-number cover bet) places a straight-up bet on 35 of the 37 pockets on the wheel, leaving out only two. It has a very high probability of winning, about 95% per spin, and is a defensive system that can only be used in roulette.

A single miss, however, costs $35. The high chance of winning and the size of the loss are two sides of the same coin.

Placing 35 separate bets takes time, but once they are on the layout, the Rebet button repeats them all at once. This makes the system particularly easy to use at online casinos.

Advantages of the Bear Big System

• A win probability of about 95% greatly reduces how often you lose a spin
• At an online casino, the Rebet button places all 35 bets at once

Disadvantages of the Bear Big System

• The $35 loss on a miss is very large compared with the $1 profit on a win
• Some casinos prohibit it as a low-risk bet, so you must check the terms beforehand. (Using it to clear bonus wagering requirements or earn cashback/rebates violates the terms, so avoid this. See “Are Roulette Betting Systems Banned at Casinos?” below for details.)

How to Play the Bear Big System

1. Choose two numbers and bet $1 on each of the other 35 pockets
2. If the ball lands in a pocket you have covered, you make a profit of $1. If it lands in either of the two uncovered pockets, you lose $35

Double Street 5-Bet System

The Double Street 5-Bet system places five line bets (also called double street bets), each covering six pockets. Together they cover 30 pockets, so this is another system with a very high hit rate.

The Bear Big system requires $35 per spin, whereas with the Double Street 5-Bet system you can start with just $5, so it works with a smaller bankroll. Note, however, that its probability of winning is lower than that of the Bear Big system.

Advantages of the Double Street 5-Bet System

• A win probability of about 81% makes profits fairly easy to secure
• You can play from $5, which keeps the risk relatively low
• A loss costs only $5, so the risk on a losing spin is lower than with the Bear Big system

Disadvantages of the Double Street 5-Bet System

• You need five wins to make up for each loss and break even
• Three or four losses in a row can realistically happen, so recovering from losing streaks matters a great deal

How to Play the Double Street 5-Bet System

1. Place five line bets covering 1–6, 7–12, 13–18, 19–24 and 25–30. If any of the line bets overlap, you cover fewer numbers, so make sure each bet is on a different area
2. If the ball lands on any number from 1–30, you make a profit of $1. If it lands on any other pocket, you lose $5

Martingale System

The Martingale system is the best-known betting system in casinos. It is widely used in baccarat and other games, and it works in roulette as well.

You place an even-money bet, such as red or black, which pays 1 to 1, and simply double your bet after each loss. After any win, you return to your original bet.

The system is simple, easy for beginners to use and widely used, but a long losing streak can leave you with heavy losses.

Advantages of the Martingale System

• The steps are very simple, so even beginners can use it
• However long the losing streak, one win recovers the losses for that set (as long as your bankroll and the table limit allow)

Disadvantages of the Martingale System

• The bet rises steeply with each loss. Even starting at $1, 10 losses in a row cost $1,023 in total, and the next bet would be $1,024
• At a table with a $1,000 maximum bet, you cannot place the next bet after 10 straight losses, and the $1,023 loss is locked in at that point
• You must set a stop-loss limit in advance

How to Play the Martingale System

1. Bet $1 on an even-money bet that pays 1 to 1, such as red or black or odd or even
2. Double your bet after each loss: $2, then $4, then $8 and so on. After a win, return to a $1 bet

Flower Bet System

The flower bet is a way of betting in which you choose one number as the center and use a straight-up bet, split bets and corner bets to arrange your chips around it like the petals of a flower.

With $1 chips, a hit on the center number returns $144 in total, a very large return, but the hit rate is correspondingly low. The system suits players who like straight-up bets.

Advantages of the Flower Bet System

• If the ball lands on the straight-up number at the center of the flower, the bet returns 16 times your total stake
• Hits on the other covered numbers also pay, so the risk is lower than with a single straight-up bet

Disadvantages of the Flower Bet System

• With only one flower bet on the layout, the chance of winning is about 24%
• A corner-number hit only breaks even and a hit next to the center returns 4 times the total bet, far less than the 16 times returned by a center hit

How to Play the Flower Bet System

1. Choose one number (5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29 or 32) as the center of the flower
2. Place one chip on the center number and eight chips around it, with no gaps
3. This makes a total bet of 9 chips ($9). Hits on the covered numbers around the center also pay, and the bet loses only when a number away from the center comes up

Neighbors Bet System

The neighbors bet is similar to the shift bet covered next, and many sites describe the two in the same way. Strictly speaking, however, a neighbors bet means choosing one center pocket and betting on the numbers next to it on the wheel.

For example, a bet on 0 and two neighbors on each side covers 0 plus its wheel neighbors 3, 26, 32 and 15, five numbers in total. “Neighbors” refers to the numbers next to the chosen one on the wheel, so be careful not to confuse this with the shift bet.

With $1 on each of the five numbers, the hit rate is about 13.5% (5 in 37). A win gives a profit of $31, and a miss costs $5.

Advantages of the Neighbors Bet System

• Because you bet on pockets that sit next to each other on the wheel, you can watch the ball as it slows and see straight away whether it lands in your section of the wheel
• The racetrack feature makes neighbors bets easy to place
• A win brings a large profit of $31, while a loss is limited to $5

Disadvantages of the Neighbors Bet System

• The chance of winning is low, at about 13.5%, so runs of misses are common
• Roulette spins are independent events, so there is no meaningful indicator of where you should bet

How to Play the Neighbors Bet System

1. Open the racetrack on the roulette screen and choose a center number.
2. Bet on the center number and the two numbers on each side of it on the wheel, five numbers in total. For example, with 0 as the center, you bet on 0 as well as 3, 26, 32 and 15. With $1 on each number, a win gives a profit of $31 and a miss costs $5.

Shift Bet System

The shift bet, a type of wheel-section bet, divides the roulette wheel into four sections and bets on every number in one of them.

On European roulette, the 36 numbers other than 0 are split into four groups of nine, and you bet the same amount on each number in a group. A straight-up bet pays 35 to 1, so with $1 on each number, a win gives a profit of $27.

Each group consists of nine numbers, so the hit rate is about 24.3% (9 in 37) per spin. The rules are simple, and beginners can handle this bet easily.

Advantages of the Shift Bet System

• A win brings a sizable profit of $27
• A loss costs only $9
• The rules are simple, so even beginners can use it easily

Disadvantages of the Shift Bet System

• You need to learn the order of the pockets on the wheel to place the bets
• Roulette spins are independent events, so every group has the same chance of winning. There is no way to predict which group will come up next

How to Play the Shift Bet System

1. Divide the 36 pockets on the European roulette wheel, excluding 0, into four groups. Group A runs clockwise from 32 through 15, 19, … to 34. In the same way, Group B runs from 6, 27, … to 10, Group C from 5, 24, … to 9, and Group D from 22, 18, … to 26.
2. Choose one of Groups A to D and bet $1 on every pocket in that group.

Cocomo System

In the Cocomo system, a Fibonacci-style progression, each new bet is the sum of the previous bet and the one before it. The system requires bets that pay 2 to 1, so it is well suited to roulette, which offers dozen and column bets.

It is designed specifically to recover losses: it starts after two losses in a row, and one win recovers everything lost up to that point. The bet grows with each further loss, but so does the profit when the system succeeds.

Advantages of the Cocomo System

• It uses dozen and column bets, which pay 2 to 1, so it is well suited to roulette
• One win recovers the losses for the set, and the longer the losing streak, the larger the profit when you win

Disadvantages of the Cocomo System

• The probability of winning per spin is 32.43%, so losing streaks tend to last longer than you might expect
• The bet keeps rising during a losing streak, and after 10 losses in a row you need to bet 89 times your first bet

How to Play the Cocomo System

1. Bet on one dozen or column of your choice. After two losses in a row, the Cocomo system begins
2. Bet the sum of your first and second bets. After every further loss, always bet the sum of the previous bet and the bet before it
3. One win means the Cocomo system has succeeded, and you move on to the next set

666 System

The 666 system aims to win 6 units from a 66-unit bet. It combines a red/black bet, split bets and straight-up bets for a total of 66 units, and a win brings a profit of 6 units.

At $1 per unit, that means betting $66 at once, and the bet layout is complicated, so beginners may find the system a little hard to use. Because it effectively covers 33 pockets, it wins about 89% of the time per spin, which keeps misses infrequent.

Advantages of the 666 System

• A win probability of about 89% secures a $6 profit frequently
• With the Rebet button, you do not have to place your chips again each time

Disadvantages of the 666 System

• The bet layout is complex, so the system is hard to use at live roulette unless you are experienced
• Each set requires $66, so it is not a system for casual play
• About 11% of the time, the bet misses and you lose the full $66. The loss is 11 times the $6 profit, so a single miss wipes out the profit from 11 wins, and misses come about once every 9 spins
• Because it covers 33 numbers, it may violate the terms at casinos that prohibit low-risk betting

How to Play the 666 System

1. Bet $36 on red.
2. Place $4 split bets on each of 0/2, 8/11, 10/13, 17/20, 26/29 and 28/31.
3. Of the remaining numbers 4, 6, 15, 22, 24, 33 and 35, choose any three and bet $2 on each.
4. Check that your total bet is $66 and confirm it. If the ball lands on any number except the four you left uncovered in step (3), the bet returns $72, a profit of $6.

Winning Roulette System

The Winning Roulette system uses line bets and aims for a profit over a set of 14 spins. It is designed so that a single win within the 14 spins always ends the set in profit, and the bet rises more gently than with the Martingale system.

However, line bets win only about 16% of the time, and the probability of losing 14 in a row is 8.4% (about once every 12 sets), which is far from negligible.

Advantages of the Winning Roulette System

• A single win in the 14 spins always produces a profit
• The bet rises gently, which makes the system easier to manage

Disadvantages of the Winning Roulette System

• If you do not raise the bet exactly as specified, a win may not put you in profit
• The total bet over the set is $39, which is somewhat high

How to Play the Winning Roulette System

1. Place a line bet on one area of your choice, such as 1–6 or 7–12. The first bet is $1.
2. If you lose, bet $1 again on the second spin. Keep betting $1 through the fifth spin.
3. As the losses continue, bet $2 on spins 6–8, $3 on spins 9 and 10, $4 on spin 11, $5 on spin 12, $6 on spin 13 and $7 on spin 14.
4. If you win at any point, return to step (1) and start the next set. If you lose all 14 spins, the set has failed.

WYBWYP System

The WYBWYP (What You Bet is What You Profit) system treats four spins as one set and produces a profit if you win any one of them. You bet on a dozen or a column, raise the bet as the set progresses and aim for a profit over the set as a whole.

The success rate for a full set is about 79% (the probability of four losses in a row is about 21%), so the system secures a profit often. Once you lose four in a row, however, it takes a large number of sets to recover that loss.

Advantages of the WYBWYP System

• A single win produces a profit, so the success rate per set is high
• The steps are simple, so even beginners can use it
• It is easy to scale up, so high rollers can use it without difficulty

Disadvantages of the WYBWYP System

• Profits are only $1–4, while four losses in a row cost $8, so losing streaks are expensive
• No win brings a large profit, so you have to build your balance gradually

How to Play the WYBWYP System

1. Choose one column or one dozen and bet $1
2. If you lose, bet $1 again, then raise the bet to $2 and then $4 with each further loss
3. One win in the four spins means the WYBWYP system has succeeded, and you return to step (1). Four losses in a row mean the set has failed

Monte Carlo System

In the Monte Carlo system, you add numbers to a sequence and cross them off according to fixed rules, and the system succeeds once every number in the sequence has been crossed off. It can feel a little difficult until you get used to it, but you can keep track with pen and paper, which makes it a good fit for online casinos.

With dozen or column bets, the sequence is easier to clear if you win more than 1 in 5 spins (20%). The actual probability of winning with dozen and column bets is about 32.43%, so the chance of completing a set is relatively high.

Advantages of the Monte Carlo System

• The required hit rate is low, at around 20%, which dozen and column bets (about 32.43%) can comfortably reach
• Individual spins often lose, but sets are usually completed; the profit per set is small (a few units), while a failed set can cost dozens of units
• You can keep track with pen and paper or a notes app on your phone, which makes it a good fit for online casinos

Disadvantages of the Monte Carlo System

• The steps are complicated and take time to learn
• During a long losing streak, the sequence keeps growing, and once you reach the table limit or the end of your bankroll, the loss is locked in

How to Play the Monte Carlo System

1. Write down the sequence 1, 2, 3. Bet the sum of the leftmost and rightmost numbers, $4, on a dozen or column of your choice.
2. If you lose, add the amount you bet to the right end of the sequence. If you win, cross off two numbers from the left end and two from the right end.
3. Repeat this until only one number or no numbers remain in the sequence. The cycle then ends (if one number is left, you may not be ahead), and you start again with the sequence 1, 2, 3.

Manchurian System

The Manchurian system is a strategy built on corner bets. The probability of at least one win within a set is high, at about 95%, but a win on the final spin, after five losses, still leaves a loss. If you win early in the set, you can earn a good return for relatively little risk.

Each set consists of six spins, and you add one more corner bet after each loss. A win by the fifth spin ends the set with a profit, but losing all six spins leaves a large deficit, so this is a high-risk, high-reward system.

Advantages of the Manchurian System

• A win by the fifth spin brings a profit of $6–11, so your balance can grow even in a short session
• Coverage widens with each spin, so about 95% of sets produce at least one win (about 88% end in profit, with a win by the fifth spin)
• At most 24 pockets are covered, so it is unlikely to breach the rules at casinos that prohibit covering 25 or more numbers (always check the terms beforehand)

Disadvantages of the Manchurian System

• After five losses in a row, a loss is locked in even if you win the sixth spin
• The total bet over the six spins is $161, so the risk is considerable

How to Play the Manchurian System

1. Place a $1 corner bet on 1/2/4/5. In every step below, move to the next step if you lose and return to step (1) if you win
2. Place $1 corner bets on 1/2/4/5 and 8/9/11/12
3. Place $2 corner bets on 1/2/4/5, 8/9/11/12 and 13/14/16/17
4. Place $4 corner bets on 1/2/4/5, 8/9/11/12, 13/14/16/17 and 20/21/23/24
5. Place $8 corner bets on 1/2/4/5, 8/9/11/12, 13/14/16/17, 20/21/23/24 and 25/26/28/29
6. Place $16 corner bets on 1/2/4/5, 8/9/11/12, 13/14/16/17, 20/21/23/24, 25/26/28/29 and 32/33/35/36. If you lose this sixth spin as well, the Manchurian system has failed

Straw Millionaire System

The Straw Millionaire system uses bets with a high hit rate and aims to win six spins in a row, turning an initial 20 units into 144 units. On each spin, you add your winnings from the previous spin to the next bet.

In this system, 1 unit equals $1.

The name comes from a folk tale in which a man starts with a single straw and ends up with a mansion. In the same way, this system carries the money won on each spin into the next bet, aiming to turn a small bankroll into a large payout. However, the probability of winning six spins in a row is about 11%, and a single miss along the way loses everything won up to that point.

If you are not set on reaching exactly 144 units, you can change how the bets are structured, but departing from the steps takes you away from the expected hit rate and loss. Read “Play Each System Exactly as Designed” below before deciding to make any changes.

Advantages of the Straw Millionaire System

• It aims for a large payout from a small bankroll
• You get to use a different type of bet on each spin

Disadvantages of the Straw Millionaire System

• Each spin has a high chance of winning (59–81%), but the probability of winning six spins in a row is about 11%
• A single loss wipes out everything won up to that point
• The bets are complicated and take time to place

How to Play the Straw Millionaire System

1. Place five line bets of 4 units each.
2. Place two dozen bets of 12 units each.
3. Place six corner bets of 6 units each.
4. Place nine street bets of 6 units each.
5. Place 14 split bets of 5 units each. Keep the remaining 2 units aside without betting them.
6. Place 22 straight-up bets of 4 units each. Keep the remaining 2 units aside without betting them.
7. If one of your bets wins in every step from (1) to (6), the last step pays 144 units (148 units including the 4 units set aside). If any of them loses, return to step (1) and start again.

Four Tips for Getting the Most Out of Roulette Betting Systems

We have now covered 15 betting systems. Used incorrectly, any of them can drain your bankroll faster than expected or put you in breach of a casino’s terms. Keep the following four points in mind before you use them.

RTP Is What Matters: Choose European Roulette

The most important rule for any roulette betting system is to play European roulette.

There are three main types of roulette: European roulette (single-zero), American roulette (double-zero) and French roulette. We start by comparing the first two, which are the most widely available.

European roulette has the numbers 1–36 and a single 0, while American roulette has the numbers 1–36 plus two zeros, 0 and 00.

American roulette has an RTP of 94.74%, whereas European roulette has an RTP of 97.30%. The difference is only about 2.6 percentage points, but roulette is played over a large number of spins, so it adds up considerably in the long run. If you use a betting system, always choose European roulette.

Players who mainly use even-money bets (red or black, odd or even, and high or low) can reduce their losses further by choosing French roulette.

At French roulette tables that use the la partage rule, half of an even-money bet is returned when the ball lands on 0. This halves the house edge on even-money bets only, from 2.70% to 1.35%.

Not every French roulette table uses this rule, however, so check the rules shown at the table.

Set a Profit Target and a Stop-Loss Limit

First, decide on the profit you are aiming for and the balance at which you will stop to cut your losses.

Roulette has a relatively high RTP, but the game still has a house edge. If you play without any limits, you may find your money is gone before you realize it.

Decide in advance on amounts such as “I will aim to win $X in this set, but stop if I lose $Y,” and stop playing as soon as you reach either limit.

Setting a stop-loss limit does not change the expected value. It is a bankroll management rule that caps how much you can lose in a single session.

Check the Table Limits in Advance

With systems in which the bet keeps rising, such as the Martingale and Cocomo systems, you can no longer continue once you reach the table’s maximum bet, even if you still have money left.

When you hit the limit, the losses from the streak are locked in with no chance to win them back. Work out the largest bet your system can require before you start, and choose a table that accepts that amount.

Play Each System Exactly as Designed

Experienced players may choose to design their own steps, but we do not recommend that most players modify a betting system.

Each system has a fixed amount that you gain when it succeeds and a fixed amount that you lose when it fails. As long as you follow the steps, you stay within the range of outcomes the system was designed for.

If you modify a system with rules of your own, it may not produce the expected profit, or your losses may grow larger. Continuing to play while carrying those losses can leave you in a position you cannot recover from.

Some systems require large bets per spin, and others bring only small profits when they succeed. Even so, if a system has set rules, play it step by step as written.

What Is a Roulette Betting System, and Can It Guarantee a Profit?

We have now looked at 15 betting systems and how to use them, but all of them rest on the same premise: no system can win 100% of the time indefinitely.

Roulette has a house edge, the share of every bet that goes to the casino, and no betting pattern, however well designed, can reduce that edge to zero.

Even a system that seems never to lose does not guarantee a profit. At its core, it is a way to choose the balance of hit rate and payout that suits your goals.

Take the well-known Martingale system, in which you double your bet after each loss. In theory, a single win recovers all of your losses.

On red or black, however, the probability of losing 10 times in a row is about 1 in 784. At a live roulette table that spins more than 1,000 times a day, that rare event happens routinely. The risk of losing everything in a single losing streak is always there.

Why Betting Systems Are Still Worth Learning

You may wonder what the point is if a system cannot guarantee a win. The point is that choosing the right system for the situation allows consistent play that is not driven by emotion.

• “I want to play steadily, prioritizing the chance of winning, in a way that makes losses less likely.”
• “I want to aim for a large profit in a short session, even if it means taking on more risk.”

Choosing a betting system that matches your goal and your exit strategy in this way makes it more likely that your wins and losses will follow the pattern you planned for, instead of the random results of betting without a plan.

Can You Win at Roulette? How Betting Systems Fit In

Because the rules are so simple, with choices as basic as red or black, roulette is often seen as nothing more than a game of luck.

It is true that the result of each spin is pure chance. That is not a weakness, though. Roulette is the game in which betting systems can be applied most flexibly because each spin is independent of the last.

Bets with different combinations of hit rate and payout can be combined on a single layout, so you can design your bets around the win probability you want.

The Same Expected Value Wherever You Bet

In games such as baccarat, betting on the tie in search of a higher payout sharply lowers the RTP. Roulette has no such trap.

The figures below are for European roulette, which has a single 0.

• Red or black (pays 1 to 1): RTP 97.30%
• Single number (pays 35 to 1): RTP 97.30%

On European roulette, the RTP stays at 97.30% whether you make a cautious bet or a long-shot bet, and this is the biggest advantage of the game. As a result, you can combine several systems or change your bets as the situation changes and still play at the same expected value throughout.

A Stable RTP That Holds Up Against Other Popular Games

The idea that roulette pays poorly because its bets win often is only half right. How often a bet wins and how much it pays balance each other out, and in terms of RTP (the share of money wagered that is returned to players), roulette compares well with other games.

In baccarat, the RTP ranges from 85.6% (a tie bet paying 8 to 1) to 98.9% depending on the bet, and in blackjack it ranges from around 95% to 99.5% depending on how accurately you play. In European roulette, the RTP is 97.30% whichever bet you choose.

You never risk lowering the RTP sharply by making the wrong choice. This stability is the foundation on which betting systems are built.

Roulette accommodates every playing style, from a simple choice between red and black to advanced bankroll management based on number sequences. This combination of flexibility in strategy and a stable expected value is the main reason to use betting systems in roulette.

Roulette Lets You Choose Your Own Risk and Return

Unlike baccarat or blackjack, roulette lets players decide their own balance of risk and return.

You can place even-money bets such as red or black, which pay 1 to 1, or choose column or dozen bets, which pay 2 to 1. The approach used most often in roulette, however, is to bet on several numbers at once.

You can also bet on a single number, but it wins so rarely that it is not well suited to long sessions. The more numbers you cover, the higher your hit rate per spin and the smaller each payout becomes.

Some combinations of bets have a win probability of over 90%. This makes roulette a good fit for players who want to keep the swings in their results small.

Are Roulette Betting Systems Banned at Casinos?

Some online casinos prohibit low-risk betting in their terms and conditions. Low-risk betting means using bets that almost never lose to build up wagering volume (turnover) safely, purely to meet the wagering requirements of a bonus.

Because this goes against the purpose of the bonus and can also be exploited for money laundering, it is prohibited at many casinos.

Most casinos prohibit only specific betting patterns, such as betting on both banker and player in baccarat, but some impose stricter restrictions, such as a ban on betting on 25 or more numbers in roulette.

Of the systems in this article, the Bear Big system (35 numbers), the 666 system (33), the Two Column, Two Dozen system (32) and the Double Street 5-Bet system (30) all cover 25 or more numbers, so using them at a casino with this restriction violates its terms.

The Straw Millionaire system is subject to the same restriction, because step (1) (five line bets, 30 numbers), step (4) (nine street bets, 27 numbers) and step (5) (14 split bets, 28 numbers) each cover more than 25 numbers.

Always check the terms and conditions for any restrictions on roulette bets before you use these systems. If the terms are unclear, ask customer support before you play.

Things to Keep in Mind When Using Roulette Betting Systems

These points apply to beginners who have never used a betting system, and even more to players who are used to betting systems in baccarat, blackjack and similar games.

The section on sitting out spins in particular describes a fundamental difference from baccarat and blackjack, so be sure to read it.

Keep a Comfortable Bankroll and Do Not Raise Your Bets Too High

The larger your bankroll, the easier it is to complete a full set of a betting system without stopping partway. With a small bankroll, on the other hand, you have no choice but to set the stop-loss limit described earlier very tightly.

In that situation, a short losing streak early on can exhaust your funds before you have played the system through to the end.

We recommend keeping a comfortable bankroll and playing roulette from a position where a few losses in a row will not force you to stop. Raising your bets too high relative to your bankroll also makes it easy to get into trouble after only a small run of losses, so keep your bets at a steady level.

Although this varies by system, the initial bet on each position should ideally be no more than 1% of your total bankroll, and the total you could lose in one full set should fit within the loss limit you set in advance.

Sitting Out Spins Has No Effect on Roulette Results

In baccarat and blackjack, some players deliberately watch the game without betting, either to read the scoreboard or to keep track of the cards remaining. Roulette has a similar practice, known as sitting out spins: watching live roulette without betting, or letting spins go by without placing anything.

In roulette, however, this serves no purpose at all. Watching makes sense in blackjack because each card dealt changes the makeup of the remaining cards; in other words, the outcomes are dependent events. Baccarat outcomes are also dependent events, but reading the roads does not help you predict the next result.

In roulette, by contrast, the result of one spin has no effect on the next. These are called independent events. Sitting out spins only means watching a series of independent draws, and it does not change the odds of the next spin at all.

Frequently Asked Questions About Roulette Betting Systems

Can I use roulette betting systems at online casinos?

Yes. In fact, they are easier to use at online casinos.

Roulette betting systems include progressions that raise and lower the bet amount, as well as systems built around where the chips are placed on the layout. Both types have to be followed step by step, which suits online casinos: you can play at your own pace and use the Rebet button. No betting system changes the house edge, however.

Should I use different betting systems for different types of roulette?

Instead of changing systems by type of roulette, we recommend always choosing European roulette, whichever system you use. American roulette has a lower RTP of 94.74%, so the same steps drain your bankroll faster.

For systems that use even-money bets (red or black, odd or even, and high or low), such as the Martingale system, choosing French roulette with the la partage rule reduces your losses further.

Summary: Betting Systems Only Change How You Win and Lose

Roulette supports a wider range of strategies than most casino games, from general betting systems that also work in baccarat and other games to bets that rely on the arrangement of numbers on the wheel and are used only in roulette.

• You can choose your own combination of hit rate and payout to suit your bankroll on the day, from defensive approaches with a win probability of about 95% to aggressive ones that aim for a single 35 to 1 payout.
• In European roulette, the RTP stays at 97.30% whichever bet you choose. Roulette’s greatest strength is that you never risk picking a bet with a worse return.
• You can target the numbers around 0 (the neighbors), follow a set number sequence or spread your bets across 35 numbers, so every player can find a style that suits them.
• No betting system changes the underlying RTP of 97.30%, however. There is no method that guarantees a win; the only thing a system changes is how you win and how you lose.

Compare the difficulty and loss risk in the quick-reference table, and choose the system among the 15 in this article that fits your bankroll. Set your stop-loss limit before you start.