There are many aspects that go into a VIP lifestyle and not all of them are ones you can enjoy unless you already have the big bucks to splash. Shopping for a luxury super-yacht or purchasing prime real estate in some of the world’s most sought-after locations might be out of reach for all but the very wealthiest, but aspiring VIPs can still get into the lifestyle with certain pursuits and one of the most established is roulette, a game that is almost synonymous with the often glamorous world of the rich and famous.
After all, few people can think of roulette as a simple game of chance without associating it with the famous casinos of Monte Carlo or Las Vegas. Roulette’s glamour has made many a scene in casino-based movies come alive with tension and drama. Of course, there are other casino games you could think about, but virtually none of them have the staying power or the allure of roulette. To many, it is not just a game but a lifestyle choice, something that marks the player out as an individual of discerning taste, someone who likes the finer things in life.
So, if you are an aspiring VIP who enjoys the lifestyle and is on your way to achieving success, knowing about the fundamentals of roulette is not a bad idea at all. This article offers insights into why roulette is still a game enjoyed by high rollers all over the world, what you need to know to play confidently alongside them, why there is more than one version of the game and the up-and-coming importance of online roulette. Read on to get to grips with roulette and the VIP lifestyle with which it is almost interchangeably linked.
An introduction to roulette’s strange staying power
Roulette isn’t just an enduring casino game. It is one of the oldest that survives to this day. With origins in 18th-century France, it developed in the gaming houses of Paris and the game soon caught on with high society. Almost as soon as it was invented, therefore, roulette was seen as a game for VIPs. This is something that hasn’t changed despite the widespread appeal of roulette today.
Perhaps the main reason for this almost unique position as such a long-lived casino game is that it has barely been adapted or altered over the years. The fundamentals of roulette are the same today as they were when the game first started to be played. What’s more, these fundamentals are simple. There’s a wheel, of course, a ball and instant drama that follows when the ball is fed into the spinning wheel. Despite what newcomers might think about roulette, the game is straightforward to play with no complex rules, something that cannot be said of some card games and craps, for example.
After bets are placed on the table, the routine is simple. The croupier will spin the wheel and then feed the ball into it, typically in the opposite direction to the wheel’s rotation. This is done so that the outcome is clearly randomised and a question of chance. As the speed of the ball drops, eventually it falls towards the wheel’s pockets and settles in one, usually bouncing around. Unlike betting on sports or stock values, this simple game design means the skill is in the way you bet, not what you think the outcome might be. Elegant and easily repeated, whenever the wheel is spun, an excited hush tends to fall over the table as each player focuses on the outcome.
In casinos, every game of roulette becomes like a dramatic theatrical act in its own right. Just watching and not playing can be thrilling. If you compare this to a game of cards, for instance, where you won’t know who is holding what simply by observing, it soon becomes clear why roulette has been such a big hit among VIPs for so long. It’s a recipe for success that can be repeated and repeated with the same enduring appeal with each turn.
Of course, roulette has been updated for the digital age and to accommodate the expectations of different types of players over the years. Nevertheless, its central allure comes from its unchanging elements, the wheel, the ball, the atmospheric tension that builds as the ball slows and, not least, the sheer theatre of it all.
Versions of the game – the subtle differences that change everything
The first thing aspiring VIPs need to know about the development of roulette is that there are two wheel types in common usage today, not one. In European roulette, there are 37 pockets the ball could end up in. Arranged in a set pattern, some are red, some are black, some odd, some even and so on. Players can bet on the number of the pocket they think the ball will land in or whether they think, the ball will land in a red pocket, an even one or, indeed, any combination by laying multiple bets. In this regard, both European and American roulette wheels are the same, but with one exception. American wheels have 38 pockets.
The different number of pockets comes down to something called house advantage. In European roulette, there’s a green pocket numbered zero. If the ball lands in there, then all bets are lost and the house wins. Given that betting on a black pocket or an odd pocket, for example, would typically pay at evens, it is the addition of the zero pocket that gives the house its advantage, something that comes into play over the course of many, many bets being placed on multiple games. In American roulette, this house advantage is all but doubled because there are two green pockets, zero and double zero.
European casinos and American ones play roulette with the same basic rules and bet offerings. Nonetheless, the addition of a green pocket means the house advantage rises to 5.26% in the American version of the game compared to 2.7% with standard, European wheels. Most frequent players will know this and favour one type of wheel over the other. Aspiring VIPs can still enjoy both. However, you need to know how your chances are affected by the two wheel types if you’re to take the game seriously and, to some extent, be taken seriously by other players.
Note that French roulette uses a standard European wheel with just one green pocket. However, some French roulette tables have special rules which can lower the house advantage still further. You don’t need to know about these rules to enjoy the game. Known as la partage or en prison, they apply to the same types of even money bets – high/low, red/black, odd/even – you can play on all types of roulette. When you see a table where they apply, though, the main thing to know is that the house advantage is at its weakest. Given that roulette has one of the lowest built-in house advantages of any casino table game anyway, this might not be that crucial to your enjoyment of it.
That said, knowledge of the different versions of the game will empower you. Trying different types of roulette is not a bad idea, so you figure out which you like best. All versions of roulette can be found on Stake.com, a good place to find your feet with both European and American wheels, as well as different bet types.
Tactics and why players obsess over systems in a game of chance
One of the aspects that drives the rich and famous’s admiration for roulette so much is its random nature. Nevertheless, many players are singularly focused on their tactics and approaches to betting. You can’t control where the ball will land, but you can control how and where you bet. This is one of the central characteristics of roulette and a key part of its appeal.
As mentioned, there are many even-money bets on a roulette table. You can place multiple bets and receive more than one payout. For example, if you bet high and even with two separate wagers and the ball ends up in the pocket numbered 30, then you’d win both bets. Alternatively, you can place a single number bet. If you successfully predict the pocket the ball will end up in, you’ll win 35 times your stake. Place your bet on the line between two numbers and the ‘double number’ bet will pay out at 17 to 1. A corner bet means placing your stake on the intersection of four numbers on the table. This pays out at 8 to 1.
There are other types of bets, including 2 to 1 twelve-number bets which all add to the various ways you can make wagers, or combinations of wagers, for every spin of the wheel. Deciding how and where to bet is what makes roulette such entertaining fun for many. Of course, you could place your bets at random or on a gut feeling, but many high rollers use strategies and systems which, if anything, can make the game even more appealing.
One of the most famous strategies is known as the Martingale system and many VIPs will be familiar with it. Regardless of the bet that’s made, the player doubles their stake following a loss, the idea being they will eventually recover any losses they’ve previously incurred in full. Of course, this approach means you have to keep going or know when to quit. Some players, therefore, play the reverse Martingale strategy in which you only double your bet after a win. This system focuses on winning streaks rather than the recovery of losses, so it suits some people’s psychological approach to the game better.
Understanding the mathematical strategies some players use can be a lifetime pursuit, underpinning why roulette remains such an enduring game. For many, the strategic approach they take reflects their wider approach to life and their lifestyle. In this sense, roulette isn’t merely a game, a form of entertainment, but a performance in which the player is part of the show. That may not be the case for every player, of course, but among high rollers, it can be. Yes, roulette is a game of chance at the end of the day, but it is one in which there is so much in which to immerse yourself.
Why does roulette work so well online among VIPs?
Driving to a casino might suit some, but there’s still the journey to take into consideration. With digital casinos operating online, however, VIPs can enjoy roulette wherever they are. In numerous locations around the world, online roulette has taken off. The most important thing to say about online roulette is that the fundamentals are the same. What this means is the same thrill of the spinning wheel, the same focus as the ball lands, the same house advantage(s), the same bet types and, yes, the same glamour.
When you play roulette online at a reputable site, such as Stake.com, for example, you can switch tables with ease, something that’s not possible in bricks-and-mortar casinos. For instance, you won’t typically find a European wheel in any Las Vegas gaming house. Even better, for aspiring VIPs at least, is the fact that you can rub shoulders with other players online that you might not meet in person. At a roulette table, players aren’t pitched against one another: everyone is playing against the house. This means you get to enjoy the virtual company of high rollers and, of course, sometimes more cautious players.
When it comes to strategic play, online roulette offers all of the same opportunities to deploy your favoured tactics as would be the case in a real casino. Some VIPs like online versions of the game for this reason: they can place their bets the way they like without attracting unwanted attention from other casino-goers. Without onlookers, it’s possible for the rich and famous to be themselves at the table.
Summary – roulette as a cultural icon
To sum up, roulette’s enduring fascination is based on a simplicity that has remained largely unchanged for centuries. Unlike other table games, it’s one that VIPs can get into without being concerned about the tactics or lack of skill of other players. For many, roulette isn’t merely a casino game – it is the very epitome of one.
