Secrets of the Roulette Wheel
Roulette revolves around a spinning wheel with tri-coloured, numbered pockets and the release of a small ball, which finally lands in one of these pockets.
A roulette wheel has 18 black, 18 red, and one or two green pockets. These are sequentially numbered. American roulette features two green pockets with a zero and a double zero. European and French roulette have just one single-zero green pocket.
Our guide explores several roulette wheel secrets and how these affect betting choices and outcomes. We also examine some of the popular myths associated with the wheel.
Secret 1: All numbers have an equal chance of landing
One of the secrets of roulette is that the ball has an equal, random chance of landing on any given number. Some superstitions fuel beliefs that roulette wheels are cyclical or spin according to set patterns – that the wheel has ups and downs. Others devise game strategies according to so-called hot and cold numbers. These myths are not true. The ball has just as much chance of landing on the same number twice in a row as it has of never landing on that number.
Secret 2: Not every roulette wheel is the same
Roulette wheels differ depending on the variation used. This is one of the most obvious but often overlooked secrets of the roulette wheel. The wheel layout depends on the type of roulette being played.
European roulette has 37 pockets, numbered from 1 to 36 and a single zero in the 37th pocket. A French roulette wheel follows this same format. An American roulette wheel, however, has 38 pockets because it features an additional green pocket for a double zero. Players must know how to identify the version of roulette they’re playing as it impacts the game’s odds.
Secret 3: The roulette wheel is not fixed
Speculations about fixing or rigging roulette wheels are common. When land-based casinos dominated the game, some believed that they used magnets to manipulate the outcomes of roulette spins.
The truth is that roulette wheels are not programmed or ‘synced’. They deliver random outcomes and are designed specifically to remove any bias.
The deflectors – also known as diamonds, pins or stops – are small metal pieces around the wheel that interrupt the ball’s steady course to ensure fair and random outcomes. Similarly, the bowl or wooden basin and wheel are precisely balanced for an even spin and to prevent slants and predictable outcomes.
Secret 4: The roulette wheel is numbered sequentially
A roulette wheel is numbered sequentially to ensure fair and random play. So, any sector of the wheel has a balance of high/low and odd/even numbers.
A single-zero wheel’s numbers are; 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25, 17, 34, 6, 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33, 1, 20, 14, 31, 9, 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26.
A double-zero wheel’s numbering is; 0, 28, 9, 26, 30, 11, 7, 20, 32, 17, 5, 22, 34, 15, 3, 24, 36, 13, 1, 00, 27, 10, 25, 29, 12, 8, 19, 31, 18, 6, 21, 33, 16, 4, 23, 35, 14, 2.
Secret 5: The ball travels in the opposite direction of the wheel
In roulette, the ball is released in the opposite direction that the wheel is spinning. So, if a wheel spins counterclockwise, the ball is flicked around the track in a clockwise direction and vice versa. This means that the croupier has no control over where the ball lands.
Secret 6: Different balls do exist
A roulette secret that not many people are aware of is that roulette balls are made from different materials. Among others, you get Teflon, metal and ivorine. These materials have different qualities, which often influence how the ball bounces. Experts found that ivorine balls are bouncier than Teflon ones but that the movement of the latter is more unpredictable. These differences are nothing to be concerned about and do not impact the fairness or randomness of the game.
Secret 7: Using sensors and cameras
Technology extends a helping hand in casinos to ensure that roulette is fair. Sensors and cameras monitor any malfunctions or imbalances that can influence the turn of the wheel or the fall of the ball. For example, a sensor can detect when the ball consistently lands on the same numbers or sections.
Different types of LEDs also improve the lighting in and around the wheel to boost visibility and image quality. This is especially helpful in the case of live online casino.