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Why roulette is so addictive – The thrill behind the game

All over the world, from Melbourne to Macau to Monte Carlo, gamblers flock to the roulette tables at land-based casinos every day. But what makes this game of fate and pure chance such an attractive proposition? Let us show you why the little wheel is one of the world’s best-loved table games and why it can prove to be addictive.


Roulette is easy to learn

One of roulette’s main drawcards is its overall simplicity. Compared to most other casino games, it is incredibly easy to learn how to play. You don’t need to know any essential strategies in order to win at the devil’s wheel, and there are no real intricacies in the run of play – you place your bets, the ball drops, and where it settles determines whether you win or lose. Piece of cake.

And as a traditional table game, there are no opponents to throw you off course – it’s just you and the croupier. So where in poker, for instance, a beginner would be at a serious disadvantage against a seasoned player who understands pot odds, betting patterns and bluffing, a novice roulette player has the same chance of success on any given spin as an experienced casino gambler.


No superstitious blackjack snobs

Casino games come with all sorts of superstitious conventions disguised as strategy or expertise, but roulette provides a pleasant escape from this kind of lunacy. Yes, you may see the odd lucky charm brought to the table, but you will not get hassled by other players for making a decision that doesn’t fit in with their misinformed notions about how odds and probability work.

European casino roulette

Blackjack is the best example. In 21, many players still cling to the concept of the ‘sacred flow’ – the idea that an unorthodox move can ruin the run of cards for every other player at the table. It’s alarming how often a player will get their head chewed off by fellow punters for splitting a pair where most would have stood.

In roulette, there is no such silliness. Some players may believe that a number can be overdue (which is bollocks), and others might harbour conspiracy theories about crooked wheels, but no roulette player can ever gripe about another man’s strategy affecting their own results. This makes the little wheel ideal for social gamblers; for where some casual punters might be turned off by the seriousness of the self-styled blackjack experts, they will keep coming back for the fun, relaxed atmosphere of the roulette table.


Roulette has hundreds of betting options

Few casino games offer quite the array of betting choices as those found on a roulette layout. Let’s add up all the standard inside and outside wagers on a regular European roulette table:

  • Even money bets – 6
  • Dozens and columns – 6
  • Single numbers – 37
  • Splits – 60
  • Streets – 12
  • Corners – 22
  • Double streets – 11
  • Baskets – 2
  • Top line – 1

That’s over 150 individual bets to choose from – and that doesn’t even include French roulette bets and racetrack wagers, of which there are another 50 or so. How many other betting games give you 200+ unique wagers to pick from?

Exploring all the different combinations and their respective odds is arguably one of the most enjoyable aspects of learning to play roulette. And the beauty of this game and all its betting possibilities is that it caters for all kinds of gamblers – from conservative bettors and methodical grinders who prefer the relative safety of even money bets, right up to the happy-go-lucky swashbucklers who are willing to risk it all on a single number at 35 to 1.

Simply put, roulette has something for everybody.


Fun roulette strategies

Betting strategies come in all shapes and sizes and can be used for a number of different purposes. Serious players will often employ systems like the D’Alembert, the Labouchere and Oscar’s Grind on even money wagers, with idea of making steady profits in the long term without risking lots of capital. Others will opt for more volatile methods like the Grand Martingale, where one risks losing their stack very quickly in search of a huge potential payoff.

Many Aussie punters enjoy playing their own game within a game, so to speak, especially during long sessions at the table. This allows the solo grinder to remain focused on the pattern of his/her specific roulette system, rather than getting sidetracked by individual results and the many other distractions of the casino floor. And that means, in the long run, a better chance of walking away with a profit.

But using roulette strategy doesn’t always have to be about money, per se. It can even be a social thing. For instance, if you have a few friends who are game, you could all play a cancellation system where the first one to cross off all the numbers wins a sidebet amongst yourselves – kind of like roulette meets bingo. This kind of side-game only adds to thrill – and the potential profits – to be made at the roulette table.


The Monte Carlo effect

French roulette at Casino de Monte-Carlo

There is a certain prestige about roulette – European and French roulette, in particular – that you don’t really get with other popular casino games. For some reason, it just seems classier than the rest. The roulette wheel is a very sexy object; it oozes history and old-school artisanal charm, and conjures images of the palatial grandeur of the Monte Carlo Casino.

Sometimes when you dress up and hit the roulette tables in a nice brick-and-mortar casino, it just makes you feel a little bit glamorous. The beautifully crafted wheel, the well-dressed croupiers, the drinks brought right to your table – you might as well be James Bond, right? You don’t quite get that same feeling of luxury when you play the pokies, to be sure.


The thrill of success

In short though, the one factor that makes roulette so addictive, is the chase of success. This, for many people, is the reason roulette and other casino games are so alluring — that feeling you get when you hit the big one. There is simply no substitute for the euphoria that washes over you when you win a big fat stack of cash. And then there are those extra special moments – like that gut instinct wager just before the dealer called no more bets, or that last hundred bucks that suddenly turning into $3,500. These are memories that last a lifetime, and that’s why we will flock to Australian casinos to play roulette for many years to come.