If you enjoy casino online, you’ll more than likely be familiar with Roulette. There’s something strangely alluring about the ‘devil’s wheel’ but ultimately, it’s a game of chance. Being centuries old, its rich history is fascinating but it also means that there are many different myths and superstitions surrounding the game. Here we’ll take a look at some of them in further detail.
Lucky numbers
In both eastern and western cultures there are numbers that are deemed lucky and unlucky. Similarly, individuals may have a number they find lucky for whatever reason. It could be a birthday, anniversary or just one that brings good fortune. When it comes to Roulette, these lucky numbers may be favoured over the rest of the wheel. Or if a player has had several successes with one particular number, they’ll stick with it, believing they’ll have a guaranteed win.
Actor Sean Connery, famous for playing James Bond, had a lucky number experience at the Roulette table in 1963. After two failed predictions of landing number 17, unperturbed, he tried again and his luck was in. He went on to hit the number three times successfully before giving up and walking away with over £10,000 (£160,000+ in today’s money). Not bad, but remember, Roulette’s a game of luck.
Sleeping numbers
Sleeping numbers are exactly that – dormant. They are numbers that haven’t been landed on for a while and some players believe that betting on them will increase their chances of winning. It’s not as though these numbers just magically wake up and start allowing the ball to land in their pocket. As we’ve said, it’s a game of chance with no skill involved and the chances of a sleeping number landing are the same as any other on the wheel.
Random number generators (RNGs) are employed in online Roulette to generate the winning number. An RNG uses a complex algorithm to generate a random sequence of numbers so that when you press ‘spin’, it simply selects the next number from the list – but bear in mind the winning number is effectively decided the moment you take your turn.
All Roulette is the same
If you’re new to Roulette, you may not realise that it isn’t just one game. There are massive differences between American Roulette and European Roulette, not least with the layout of the table and wheel.
European Roulette has a 0 and numbers 1-36, while American Roulette has a 0, 00 and numbers 1-36. This means that not only is the house edge different for both games (2.7% in European Roulette and 5.26% in American Roulette) but the pay-outs for each bet differ too.
French Roulette is played on a European wheel, but when a player lands on zero they receive half of their bet back. There are also other rules to adhere to and bets to make. If you’re playing Roulette online, it may not specify the type of game, so be sure to read any instructions first.
The Devil’s wheel
There are two interesting stories about this statement. The first is that when Roulette initially became popular, the fast-paced action was so addictive that it made players behave as if they were possessed by the devil. The second is a more logical explanation. The number 666 is widely recognised as the mark of the beast, and when all the numbers on the Roulette wheel are added together, they conveniently equal 666. It doesn’t matter if it’s the European or American variation of the game, the outcome is the same.
