Introduction to Online Roulette Rules Canada
If you’ve ever stepped inside a casino hall, you’ll have seen the roulette tables. Whether you prefer the convenience of online roulette or the entertainment of land-based casinos, it is one of the top games Canadians play, offering straightforward roulette rules and tons of excitement.
To help you become a roulette pro, we will provide details on how to play roulette, some strategies, and a few handy tips. Keep reading our comprehensive roulette guide to help you make wise betting decisions that can help increase your winning chances.
The Basics of Roulette
The primary goal of roulette is to predict where you believe the ball will land on the spinning wheel. It consists of either 37 or 38 pockets, with alternate pockets of red and black. With classic roulette, the wheel has 37 pockets with numbers 1 – 36 and a single zero. The American version has 38 pockets, as it has an additional space for double zero.
You can place your stakes on various outcomes of single numbers or combinations of numbers. Bet on red or black, odd or even, columns, lines and many more. There are also now innovative game variations when you play online roulette in Canada. Some offer more significant payouts of up to 500x your bet, like in Lightning Roulette from Evolution Gaming.
Types of Roulette Games
We’ve briefly touched on the different games you’ll find, each with varying roulette rules and odds. Let’s look at the main ones you will come across.
European Roulette
American Roulette
French Roulette
Live Dealer Roulette
The Rules of Roulette
With its easy rules, we want to highlight how to play roulette when you take your seat.
The Betting Process
The first step is to place your bets on the outcomes you think will come in. If playing roulette online in Canada, you must place your bets using chips or virtual ones. You don’t have long to put your bets on before the dealer calls, “No more bets.” Online, you have around 20 seconds and with land-based casinos, it can take up to a minute or more, depending on the number of players at the table.
How the Wheel is Spun
Once the croupier accepts all the bets, it’s time for them to spin the wheel. They spin in one direction and then drop the ball, which spins in the opposite direction.
Winning and Payouts
Once the ball lands in one of the pockets, it’s time to receive any winnings. With online roulette in Canada, the payout is automatic. At land-based casinos, the dealer must manually pay out each player, which takes longer. The payout for a straight-up bet, i.e. a single number, is 35:1, while for even money bets like red/black or odd/evens, it is a 1:1 payout.
Inside Bets in Roulette
The inside bets offer higher payouts as the odds of them coming in are lower than on some outside ones. You can place bets on these outcomes:
- Straight-Up Bet: You can bet on any single number, including the zero, with a payout of 35:1.
- Split Bet: This bet lets you bet on any two numbers adjacent to each other on the table. Put the chip in the centre of the two numbers you wish to bet on, and with this wager, you can receive payouts of 17:1.
- Street Bet: This bet lets you bet on any three numbers in a row. Place your bet at the start of the number at the bottom, and it will cover all three numbers with an 11:1 payout.
- Corner (Square) Bet: This bet lets you place your wagers on four numbers, creating a square on the table. Put your chip in the middle of the four numbers, and if one lands, you will receive an 8:1 payout.
- Line Bet: This bet allows you to bet on six numbers (two rows). You can place your bet at the top of the table between the two lines you want to select and receive a 5:1 payout.
- Basket Bet (American Roulette Only): With this bet, you place your bets on 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3, betting your chips in the middle line of these numbers. It pays 6:1.
Outside Bets in Roulette
The outside bets have much lower odds as you have a higher chance of these landing with the following options available:
- Red/Black: It is as simple as choosing which colour you think will land by placing your wager on red or black. They payout 1:1.
- Odds/Even: This bet is similar to red or black, but instead, you choose whether you believe the number will be odd or even. It has the same payout of 1:1.
- High/Low: This bet allows you to bet on whether you think the numbers will be in the lower range of 1 to 18 or the higher range of numbers from 19 to 36. It also offers a 1:1 payout.
- Dozens Bet: This bet lets you bet on one of three number sets: 1 to 12, 13 to 24, or 25 to 36. It offers a 2:1 payout.
- Column Bet: Here, you can bet on any of the three vertical columns of numbers, and the payout is 2:1.
Special Roulette Rules (French Roulette)
French Roulette has some exciting rules which increase your odds and make it an excellent option.
La Partage Rule
These unique roulette rules change the game dynamics, particularly your even money wagers. If the ball lands on the zero, you will only lose half your bet, with the other half returned to you.
Adding this feature makes the game fair, giving you a partial reprieve when unfavourable outcomes occur.
En Prison Rule
This rule in roulette is another excellent and advantageous feature. If you place an even money bet and the balls land in a zero pocket, you can choose to “imprison” your wager. It means your bet will remain on the table for the subsequent spin. If you win on the next spin, you’ll receive your stake back without any winnings. But if it lands at zero again, you will lose your bet.
Roulette Strategy Basics
We want to share some roulette strategies that many players swear by and use whenever they play the game. However, remember that there is no surefire way to guarantee long-term profits with these strategies. So, approach them cautiously and try to test them with low stakes to see which suits you best.
This low-risk strategy involves placing your wagers on even-money bets, such as the red/black, high/low, or odd or even options. While they may not offer the highest payouts, they provide frequent smaller wins. If you say you decided to bet on red and have five blacks come up in a row, stick to your strategy and don’t be tempted to switch, as the odds over time won’t alter.
Players use this famous strategy for roulette, slots, blackjack, and other casino games. The premise is simple. You start with your budget, say $100, and you have to decide on a wager. We recommend using the 1% rule, so your first bet would be $1. If you have a losing bet, you double your stake to $2, and so on to $4, $8, etc, until you have a winning bet and return to your original stake size of $1.
This system, also known as the Paroli strategy, works opposite to the Martingale because instead of increasing your bets on losing bets, you increase them after each win. You can use the same example above to double your bets, and when you have a losing bet, you will return to the original stake size.
This roulette betting system works on number sequences. It is less aggressive than Martingale and works in units. So, you would place your first bet of 1 unit. If it loses, you then bet the sum of the two previous wagers. Your next bet would still be 1 unit. If that bet also loses, your next bet would be 2 units, as you would take your last two wagers of 1+1. Another loss would mean 3 units, i.e. 1+2, and so on. On any wins, you go back 2 steps.
Many players prefer to stick to the higher-risk bets, which come with more favourable rewards. These include all the higher-paying inside bets, like the straight-up single bets or the split bets.
House Edge in Roulette
The house edge varies significantly in roulette, depending on which table and variant you choose to play. This can impact your game and your ultimate winning potential. Therefore, always aim for a low house edge and higher return to player (RTP) rates.
European Roulette vs. American Roulette
Choosing the European version when deciding which table to choose between European and American roulette is always a no-brainer. The house edge on it is 2.7%, which is much more advantageous than the much higher house edge of 5.26% of the American tables.
French Roulette’s Low House Edge
The best roulette odds will always be on the French Roulette tables due to their unique roulette rules, such as the La Partage and En Prison. The house edge is only 1.35%, which makes it the best version, but not all casinos offer this version.
How the House Edge Affects Long-Term Play
The house edge is the opposite of the RTP. So, as an example, with the French Roulette, the RTP is 98.65%, and the other 1.35% is the casino’s house edge and profits. However, let’s say you took $100 to the table and wagered $100 on the table. It doesn’t mean you will end up with $98.65, as these percentages have been worked out over millions of results, and one session won’t give you accurate results.
But if you play the game regularly, going for the higher RTP and lower house edges means that over time, you will generate more winnings than with lower RTP and higher house edges. Therefore, our top tip is always to find and play the lowest house edge roulette games.
Where to Play Roulette Online in Canada
Many excellent casinos with the appropriate gambling licences for secure gaming cater to Canadian players and offer various games. The roulette games come from top software providers like Pragmatic Play and Evolution Gaming, the king of live dealer titles. Playing online means playing whenever and from wherever for a fully immersive and social casino experience.
Each of our recommended casinos offers safe and secure roulette gambling and a good range of options:
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Welcome Bonuses and Promotions
When you join a new online Canada casino, claim the welcome bonuses to boost your bankroll and extend your time playing on the roulette tables. Check the terms and conditions before you claim, as not all bonuses let you use them on roulette. Also, watch the promotions pages for ongoing offers to help you maximize your roulette gaming.
Mobile Roulette: Play on the Go
Many players prefer to play on their mobile devices, whether from a tablet or smartphone or on iOS and Android. This means that anywhere you are, on the train or in the park, you can enjoy convenience and flexibility anytime. Canadian Mobile Casinos offer roulette games optimized for smaller screens.
Some have dedicated apps, but you can also use the instant play casino versions directly from your mobile-based HTML5 web-based browsers.
Many casinos offer mobile-specific bonuses for downloading the app or playing on their mobile sites. Use these extra perks and rewards to your advantage when playing roulette on mobile.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Roulette
Many new players do not use reason when playing and may chase losses. It’s a game of luck, but some skill and knowledge of how to play roulette are essential before you get going.
- Chasing Losses with Martingale: Do not use aggressive betting strategies like Martingale until you’ve mastered the game and understand the risks of this system. This is especially true if the casinos have imposed table limits. Many players will try to recoup their losses by doubling down, which can lead to losses and a stressful rather than fun experience. Maintaining discipline is essential.
- Overbetting on High-Risk Bets: Players often think they should bet on higher-payout bets like straights, splits, or corner bets. However, these bets have lower odds and lower winning chances. Overcommitting your bankroll to these risky bets can result in rapid losses.
- Ignoring the House Edge: Failing to consider the house edge is a critical oversight that can significantly impact your long-term success. The house edge represents the casino’s mathematical advantage. Playing European over American roulette can substantially improve your odds and reduce the casino’s advantage.
Responsible Gambling in Roulette
Playing responsibly when gambling should be your top priority. Our recommended top online roulette Canada casinos offer responsible limit tools to set on the time and money you spend at the roulette tables to ensure you maintain safe gambling practices.
Suppose you feel like spending too much time and money interferes with other aspects of your life and is no longer enjoyable. In that case, it’s time to take action and seek out one of the responsible gambling organizations. Use any of these to help you get back on track:
Conclusion
Understanding how to play roulette is vital to ensure an enjoyable experience. Familiarise yourself with the various bets, such as inside and outside options.
Learn to recognize the differences between game variations with player-friendly rules, such as European, American, or French roulette. Use effective strategies and always consider the odds and house edge to increase your chances of winning.
Ready to play? Sign up at one of the recommended Canadian online casinos to take advantage of the lucrative bonuses and promotions and start your roulette journey with confidence.