Do Roulette Strategies Work? The Myth Busted

A 100% reliable roulette strategy is highly sought after in the world of online roulette. And there are dozens of existing strategies currently available. Yet, no Martingale variation or Fibonacci revamp can claim to offer a 100% winning chance.

In this article, we discuss the question: do roulette strategies work? We'll show you why these playing styles can be fun - but are ultimately flawed.

No roulette strategy is 100% guaranteed to win. Each roulette wheel has a built in house edge with the zero pockets. On a European wheel, this edge is 2.70%. On an American wheel - it's 5.26%. No strategy alters the house edge - that is fixed.

Technically, the Martingale has a 100% chance of success. To briefly explain the strategy, you bet on an even money number until you lose. With that loss, you double your bets. 

With each subsequent loss, you continue to double your bets. Until you win - which will pay back what you lost, plus a little extra. This strategy works with even money bets - because mathematically, you are guaranteed that your bet will eventually win.

For example, let's say you bet solely on black - and you get a string of back to back reds. Eventually, that ball will land on a black again, instantly recouping your funds.

But for that 100% success rate, there would need to be two assurances:

Let us explain. In the case of A), while you are guaranteed to win eventually - there is no way to know when the win will occur. It's mathematically possible that your bet many not appear for 20, 50 or even a 100 spins. It's not likely - but it is possible.

There is a bigger issue here. And that is with B) - all online roulette tables have a maximum betting limit. That means you will eventually hit a ceiling. The result is you will make a loss - and a pretty substantial one if you endure a succession of bad spins.

A roulette strategy that works is to bet on the outside, try to make a reasonable return and then leave the table. Inevitably, you will lose in a game of online roulette. The trick is to get out while the going is good.

You can also approach roulette strategies as an alternative way to play. By using a strategy, you can try a new style of betting. For example, the Reverse Martingale practices a much riskier style of betting.

Ultimately, no roulette strategy will guarantee success. But they are an interesting distraction for your traditional red/black bets.