Author: Rodney Epstein

This guide is intended for casual gamblers – not professional players. Because slots vs roulette is no comparison when it comes to professional play.

Slots and roulette are casino classics and every venue or website will offer you these gamblers’ favorites. In fact, they are what most people immediately evoke in their memory when mentioning casinos. And we can divide players into two main categories accordingly – those who spend most of their time on slot games, and those who swear by classic table games like roulette.

It seems that these two types of casino games bear very little resemblance to each other. You ask yourself, how then to even compare them and choose the right one? Don’t worry, it is possible. Let’s dive in.

Slots Are Very Simple To Learn

Slots have fewer variables you need to think about while playing. Most of the time you can rely only on your luck and the most important thing is to wisely choose the size of the bet. 

One of the most popular types of slots is jackpot slots. They offer you an opportunity to win enormous amounts of money. In theory, you can win millions of dollars in just a few minutes. But to win a jackpot you will also need luck. A lot of it. Yes, there are some basic rules to learn and some principles you can follow while playing, but with slots, in the end, it all comes down to pure luck.

Roulette Is A Bit More Complicated

Even though roulette is considered to be one of the easier table games that you can play in a casino, it is still significantly more complicated than slots. To play it, you have to learn about different types of bets, as well as different roulette strategies that you can apply. 

All of this means that to play roulette successfully over a longer period of time, you will need to acquire some skill. This also means investing more time and energy in the game.

Roulette Odds

The game is basically a wheel with 38 numbers on it. It consists of numbers 1 – 36 that are either red or black and the number 0 that is in green. In the US, sometimes there is another green tile, 00. The croupier spins the wheel and the ball falls on one of the numbers. 

The simplest way to place a roulette bet is to bet on whether the ball will fall on a red or black piece. This means that the odds of winning are almost 50/50 (it’s just slightly less than that because of the one or two green tiles at 0 and 00). Alternatively, you can increase the potential payout, but also lower your odds of winning, by betting on specific numbers. There is also an option to bet on ranges of numbers, like 1 to 12, or 1 to 18.

So, when it comes to Roulette, its winning odds are around 50% giving it a slight house advantage over the player. Even though it requires more skill than slots, these odds still make it a good option for a quick win.

Slot Odds

We all know how slots are played. You put some money into a machine and pull a lever or push a button to spin a wheel, and depending on where it lands, you win or lose money. 

But what many players don’t know is that different slot machines have different odds of winning. They are stated on the machines, so players should always read them before they start playing. In the case of online slots, you should carefully check the winning odds at the provider’s website.

But, there are no legal ways to improve your chances when playing slots. Slot machines are based on random number generators that ensure that the results are as unpredictable as possible. They are a genuine game of pure luck that gives every player an equal chance of winning.

However, don’t mourn. The thing you CAN do to enhance your chances of winning is to decide on how many pay lines to bet on. If you activate maximum pay lines you will get the highest “return to player”. 

Finally, What to Go for – Slots or Roulette?

The answer to this question depends on who you are and what are your goals in the game.

If you are a beginner, or you are not currently interested in putting much thought into playing and strategizing, slots sound like a good option for you. You can just sit at the right slot machine and imagine what you will do with the winnings.

On the other hand, you might be just a person who enjoys a slow burn of a long session at the roulette table. But even if that’s not the case, roulette still might be a good option for you. There is a reason why this is one of the most popular casino games for over two centuries. Yes, it requires some skill, but it’s still quite a simple game to play, with good chances of winning.

Lots of us enjoy a bit of a flutter at an online casino, and there’s nothing like the adrenaline pump when you win – even if it’s only a small amount. At the moment, with physical casinos difficult to access, more people than ever are making the most of the online options that are available to them. You can see various online games at the PowerPlay website.

If you’re a gambler and haven’t tried it yet, you might not know it can be just as exciting as the real thing. If you’re thinking about giving it a go, take a look at the below list, as we’ve put together some information about the five top online casino games to try.

Poker

Online poker gives you a bit of an advantage – as it doesn’t matter if you haven’t perfected that all-important ‘poker face’. When playing online, you’ll often get the choice of Texas Hold-em poker or Three Card poker. The former is a bit simpler with slightly better odds, and you’ll be able to play against other people in real time. Poker can be great if you’re looking for more of a tactical game rather than simply pure odds.

Slots

If you enjoy sitting back and relaxing at the slot machines in your favourite casino, the great news is that you can do this online, too. Even better is the fact that there are so many choices of slots games, as the machines don’t need to take up any physical space. There are slots with different themes, prize levels and bonus games, so no matter what your tastes with slots, you’re sure to find something that will suit you.

Roulette

When you think about going to a casino, one of the things you will always expect to see is of course the Roulette wheel. In many ways, this is one of the simplest games you can try, as you simply place your chips on the bet you want to make – so it’s perfect for beginners. It can be as simple as you want it to be, from making bets on single numbers, to odd/even or red/black – or if you’re looking to mix things up a bit, you can choose ranges of numbers. It really is up to you.

Roulette is overall the most profitable casino game, but only with valid systems that work. The valid methods are called “advantage play” and are used by serious players who earn a living from roulette. But if you’re just looking to play for fun, then there are plenty of systems to try. But in the end, they’re all much the same as each other. So just choose one that suits your style of play, and keep in mind you’re likely to lose in the long run no matter what system you use.

Blackjack

In a game of Blackjack, you can compete against both the dealer and sometimes even other players to make up a hand that equals 21. You can make this a little more exciting along the way by choosing to double your stake or split your pairs, meaning you’ll then have two hands to play. This is a game of tactics and daring – and one that can be just as exciting online as it can in person.

Craps

What’s an online casino without a couple of dice games to choose from? The basics of this particular game is that players bet on the outcome of each dice roll – but it does take a little bit of practice to learn how to play, as you’ll need to know the various different bets that you’re able to place. That being said, Craps is one of the games with the best odds if you’re really hoping to win at an online casino, so if you are hoping to have a bit of fun, it’s certainly well worth learning the rules of this game.

But don’t mistake computer animations for real die. Rolls that are just computer animations are basically slot machines. It doesn’t make the game less fair, provided the casino is honest. But computer animations aren’t possible to beat with advantage play techniques.

When you walk into a casino, there is always one game that creates more of a buzz than the others. That is the roulette table. The observation around the black and red wheel isn’t just one we’ve made though. Hollywood producers have picked up on it since the dawn of cinema too and here we look at five of the best titles to feature the greatest casino game of all time.

Number 5. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

In this classic Hollywood hit from 1988, Michael Caine and Steve Martin play two con men. The pair meet by chance on route to the cash rich French Riviera. Caine is the more experienced hustler of the pair and looks down on his newly found competition but when both have their desires set on an attractive stranger, Martin – whose character is Freddy Benson – goes to whole new lows to manipulate the woman in question.

How? He approaches the roulette table in a wheelchair, which he doesn’t need, and comically plays for sympathy. The game doesn’t favour him but does he win her heart?

Number 4. Indecent Proposal

Let’s get one thing straight, we would never recommend doing what Diana and David – superbly portrayed by Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson – do. They take their seats at the side of the roulette table and blow through every penny they own in an attempt to finance their dream, which happens to be establishing themselves in the property game.

Their attempts fail miserably and not without drama, but John Gage – played by Robert Redford – has something else on offer that could answer their prayers. The question isn’t ‘red or black’ so what is it? And more importantly, what is the answer? Either way, the movie was well received as it grossed north of $260m and became a cult classic.

Number 3. Run Lola Run

Franka Potente plays Lola in this 1998 award winning thriller. The story goes that her boyfriend misplaces a bag of dirty money that is owed to his ‘boss’. The boyfriend has a choice to make; turn up empty handed or go to extreme lengths to make the money back. The trouble is, he has only 20 minutes to decide and is staring death in the face.  The amount in question is €100,000, so he has to run faster than a horse in the Kentucky Derby race.

A cash strapped but deeply in love Lola becomes his only hope. She takes her last remaining cash – a measly 100 – to the local casino. Roulette is the game; she places her bet. The ball and wheel join forces to tease suspense before settling on the magic number. Lola has won and experiences the high of winning a single – the largest pay out possible.

It’s a start but not nearly enough to save the day. Ordinally, we’d encourage punters to walk away on a win, but Lola doesn’t have that option. Instead she is forced to go for broke. Does she do enough to save the man or is the only red we see the blood on her hands? We’re not here for spoilers.

Number 2. Diamonds are forever

James Bond. He’s arguably the smoothest character to appear on any screen with the film franchise featuring plenty of casino scenes over the years. Hell, they’ve even done Casino Royale! Twice (1967 and 2006)! However, when it comes to roulette though there is one movie in particular that springs to mind. Diamonds are forever.

In the film, Bond – played by Sean Connery – picks black 17. The ball doesn’t roll his way to begin with but he’s not deterred by a couple of losses. Instead, he sticks to his guns and continually repeats his bet.

Of course, Bond eventually wins on the ‘trusty’ 17. In movie form, 007 is a man who plays the system and it makes for great watching with his British charm complimenting the cinematic suspense. In the real world, you could back the same number 100 times over – it’s still only a 35/1 shot – it’s not a strategy we’d suggest you adopt.

Number 1. Casablanca

When it keeps James Bond off top spot then you know it’s got to be good. Casablanca, which is regarded as one of the all-time greats, doesn’t disappoint. Victor and Isla (played by Paul Henreid and Ingrid Bergman) have just tied the knot. They need to put Casablanca in their rear view mirror and whilst money is the usual prize on offer, in this 1942 classic the stakes are much higher – free travel papers and ultimately survival.

The papers in question find their way into Rick Blaine’s hands. The same Rick (Humphrey Bogart) happens to run a local café that moonlights as a ‘casino’. When the two protagonists set down to play a game of roulette you fear they could be cheated out of the papers given that Rick and Isla are former lovers and you quickly learn that Rick is not about to play a clean game. He doesn’t rob them of the opportunity though.

No, instead he tampers with the wheel to ensure they win on black 22. Gaining ownership of the letters is just the start of the battle though and much more dangerous gambles would need to be won for the couple to get their perfect ending.

There you have it, five movies featuring roulette. Why not channel your inner film star next time you come across the wheel? Who knows, maybe you will win big enough to give you the taste of the A-list life, even if just for a little while.

Roulette is one of the most played casino games around the world yet there are still countless punters who don’t truly understand how the game works. Since you might be stuck at home and you may be interested in learning something new, here is a simple guide on how roulette works.

We will give you an overview of the basics from the wheel to the table and onto the range of bets you can place. Just always remember to wage responsibly, whether you play on physical casinos or in online roulettes.

Who invented the roulette machine?

The roulette wheel was initially developed in France by Blaise Pascal way back in 1642. The mathematician and inventor created a perpetual motion machine and the roulette was a by-product from these experiments. Later, in 1720, an hybrid gaming wheel was created using Pascal’s invention, fused with a French game called Biribi.

Still, the first testimony of it being played on his present form was only in 1796, in Paris. The description of a roulette wheel can be found on the book La Roulette, from Jacques Lablee. The author mentions the mechanism being used in the Palais Royal, a royal palace located in the French capital.

It was later in 1843, when François Blanc, a casino entrepreneur in Montecarlo, introduced the single 0, in an attempt to fight the competition. That’s why nowadays, the American version still uses double zero, while the European uses a single zero.

Roulette became popular in Europe during the 19^th century, as most countries prohibited gambling. The betting enthusiasts moved then to Montecarlo, which became the first big gambling capital of the world, where the most recurring game was the roulette. Only after 1970s did it become mainstream around the world, as more and more casinos opened everywhere, including in Asia and Africa.

The roulette wheel

The wheel itself is a simple combination of two things; a wheel that sits horizontally and spins and a ball. In the most common form of roulette, which is the European roulette, you’ll find the wheel is made up of three colours, which are alternating red, black cells with a solitary green cell.

Nonetheless, there are a couple of other types of roulette out there that are similar but operate slightly differently. The American, has two green cells – known as zero and double zero and the French one, which uses a single green cell but a different strategy on the outside is required.

An operator, or dealer, is responsible for the wheel and ball distribution. They’ll set the wheel in motion and drop the ball into action. The ball chases the spin until settling in its place – that place is the winning number.

The table of available bets

This guide will not provide you with the answer on what is the best bet in roulette. Still, we will show you through all the different kind of bets you can place.

We’ll stick with European roulette as we walk through the table layout and the range of bets you can wage. There is a total of 10 different wagers you can place. These are defined as inside and outside bets and both contain five variables.

Inside bets relate to wagers that are placed on a number or set of numbers whilst outside bets focus on wider outcomes.

Inside bet options

The bet with the largest odds on a roulette table is known as a single. This is where you choose one specific number. You can increase your chances of winning in a few ways on inside bets by increasing your coverage.

You can ‘split’ by placing your chip between two numbers, play a ‘street’ to bet on three numbers that fall in the same row or even quadruple your likelihood of winning by laying on a ‘corner’ spot, this sees your chip cover four adjoining numbers.

The final type of bet you can place on the inner table is referred to as a ‘six line’ wager. This takes the ‘split’ and ‘street’ methods together and covers the two respective rows. Of course, any winnings will be reflective of how you’ve covered the board. The odds range between 35/1 for a single number and 5/1 for a ‘six line’ with the other types falling somewhere in between.

Outside bet options

Your outside options are a lot more straight forward to place with the chance of winning greatly increased. The downside though is that your maximum odds on an outside bet is 2/1. The most common outside wager is to plump for one of the two colours – red or black but opting for an even or odd number works in exactly the same way and a successful bet will see you double your stake.

Also, in the category of an even money bet is deciding whether the ball will land on a lower or higher number – in roulette this is defined as between numbers 1-18 (lower) or 19-36 (higher). The remaining pair of bets on the table both pay out at 2/1. There is betting on an entire column and the final available option is on one of three sections – the numbers 1-12, 13-24 or 25-36.

There you have it, an overview of the roulette table. Hopefully, next time you come to wager some money you’ll find a combination of the above to make yourself a tidy return. Always gamble within your limits and enjoy the game.