Today we have another reader question about winning roulette with red and black bets. If you read on Gamblerspro.com regularly, you’ll know that we like to answer reader questions on different gambling subjects.
Here’s the email we received:
Hi,
My name is Jake, and I’m from Los Angeles. I’m writing today to ask about how to win roulette playing red and black.
I’ve been playing for a while, and I know this is an even-money bet. Are there any strategies for winning consistently by making red and black bets?
Any insight you could share is appreciated.
Cheers,
Jake Scopito
What is Red and Black in Roulette?
In case you don’t already know, red/black is one of the bets you can make while playing roulette.
This is what’s called an even-money bet. It’s called that because you can double your money if you win. For example, let’s say you gamble £10 on red/black and win. Your balance will not be £20. That’s how even-money bets work.
Other even-money bets include odds/evens and highs/lows.
In European roulette, the odds of winning an even-money bet are 48.6%. When you play American roulette, your odds of winning become 47.4%.
Why don’t you have a 50:50 chance of winning a red or black roulette bet? Because of the green zero pocket. Your odds of winning are slightly better in European roulette because you have the second green zero pocket to account for in American variants.
To make red/black bets, place your chips on either the red or black diamonds on the roulette table before the dealer closes the betting window and spins the wheel. When the spin finishes, any payouts you are due will be made automatically.
How to Win at Roulette (Red or Black Bets)
There are a few roulette betting strategies which you can use with red or black bets.
The Martingale
This roulette system works by doubling down on losing red or black bets.
For example, if you lose a £10 bet on red, you can make a £20 bet on red or black next. If you lose that bet, make a £40 bet, then an £80 bet, and so on until you win. Eventually, you win back all your losses plus the value of your original stake.
There are a couple of issues with this system. First, you can only use it on red or black and other even-money bets. Second, the losses can grow so fast that it scares many players off before a win comes. Lastly, you can hit a table limit which means you can’t double down again.
The Martingale system can work temporarily, but it won’t help you win roulette by placing red or black bets every time. You’ll have to be prepared to take a large loss every once in a while to use this system.
The Reverse Martingale
With this system, you again place red or black bets, but you do the opposite of what you did when using the Martingale system.
After a win, you need to double your bet again. Using the same example as above, you would bet £10 and win £20. On the second bet, wager the £20, and if you’re lucky, you’ll win £40. Wager £40 this time, and if lady luck gives you a lucky streak of three, you’re up to £80.
Most experienced roulette players will advise you to stop at this point. Asking for more than three wins in a row is pushing your luck. If you want bigger wins, it’s advised to start with a bigger first bet such as £50 or £100.
The advantage of this system is that you can only lose your original wager plus the house money you have won. If you don’t view it as your money until you have cashed it out, these losses can be a lot easier to take psychologically. The major disadvantage of this system is that it only takes one loss to wipe out all of your wins plus to original wager.
Roulette Red and Black Bets – Conclusion
In the final analysis, the odds of roulette reign supreme. You can try all of the different betting systems and strategies you want, but your odds of winning a red or black bet on European roulette are 48.6%, and that is a mathematical fact. It doesn’t matter whether you’re playing in Vegas, in a live dealer casino online, or are playing video roulette – the odds are the same.
Have fun and try the different red and black betting systems, but don’t be fooled – the house always wins roulette in the end. If you get lucky, have the sense to walk away while you’re ahead.
Thanks for writing to us, Jake! We hope this post has answered your question.
Greg has been an avid gambler for over 15 years. He loves slot machines and betting on football. He’s been writing on the subject for close to a decade now and knows everything there is to know about video slots, jackpots, and slot sites in general! He has been writing for GamblersPro.com for over five years now.
