Roulette - Heavy's Sit-Down Game of Choice

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"What?!?" you say. Roulette? But roulette carries a ridiculous house edge - in excess of 5% on the American wheel. Mathematically it cannot be beaten over the long run. "True," I reply. And though I 'll get grief from some folks for proposing this - at the end of the day mathematics and gambling have very little to do with each other. Math is a very exact science. Casino gambling is not. Oh, I know. Over the long run the casinos win will come very close to the statisticallyl expected result. But it won't be exact - even for the long run. And over the short run just about anything can happen. You'll see streaks of red or black or odd or even or even a single number roll time after time after time. And those streaks are where you make your money. Of course, the real reasons for playing roulette from my point of view - (1) it takes a load off my feet and (2) there are so many good looking women playing the game.

Now, if no "system" can give us a positive expectation at the game (and they can't) then what sort of strategy should we play? Well, you have a couple of different ways to go. There are negative progressions and positive progressions - either of which can work quite nicely in the short run. Then there are hedge systems - also losing strategies but they smooth out some of the bumps in the roulette road by decreasing volatility. Then there's the biggie - finding a dealer with a signature OR a biased wheel. Either are extremely rare.

For several years I played a table with a wheel in Louisiana I believed to be biased toward a certain sector. Was it? I don't know for sure, but I did make a lot of money off it. I've also seen dealers who had identifiable signatures and dealers who could steer the ball to a sector. One such dealer was so good at it the casino terminated him for fear he would collaborate with a player to cheat the casino. If the casino believes he can steer the ball - I believe it.

In any case, I've outlined several things to discuss regarding the game of roulette. I'll continue down this path in my next post.

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Copyright 2002 by Stephen Haltom - All Rights Reserved

This material came from my original roulette seminar I did in Atlantic City many years ago. Let's take a look at the bets available in roulette on the American Wheel - the one most of you will be playing.


(A) STRAIGHT UP - Chip A is an example of a straight up wager, and a damn good one at that!. This wager can be put on any of the 38 numbers, and it must be placed completely inside the number's square. It pays 35-1 or 35 times the amount you wagered (the biggest payoff at the roulette table). Notice that since there are 38 numbers, the true odds of this type of wager are 37-1, so the discrepancy can be chalked up to the casino "edge" or advantage. You'll find this edge on all of the wagers.

(B) SPLIT - Chip B is what is called a split bet, meaning you are splitting your bet evenly between two neighboring numbers. In this case, the bet is between the number 17 and number 20. If either of the two numbers hit, you would be paid 17-1 odds. To make this bet, simply place your chip on the line between any two numbers.

(C) STREET - Chip C is known as a street bet, or a row of three numbers. This example covers the numbers 13, 14, & 15. It pays 11-1 odds. There are three other street bets that are not rows; they are the combinations 0-1-2, 0-00-2, and 00-2-3.

(D) CORNER - Chip D is what we would call a corner bet because it covers 4 numbers at the point where they join corners. In the case of chip D, the numbers 23,24,26, & 27 are covered, and this bet will yield 8-1 odds.
(E) 5 NUMBER STREET - Chip E is placed where the only 5-number street exists, namely the 0-00-1-2-3 combination. This wager pays 6-1.

(F) LINE BET - Chip F is an example of a line bet, which is kind of like covering 2 street bets. It will cover 6 numbers (in this case, 31,32,33,34,35 & 36) and pays 5-1 odds.

(G) COLUMNS - Chip G is on a column bet, the first of the "outside" type wagers. There are three columns, namely 1st, 2nd, & 3rd. There are 12 numbers covered by this type of wager and it pays 2-1 odds.

(H) THIRDS - Chip H is on one of the three thirds bets. The first third consists of the numbers 1-12, second third is 13-24, and the last third is 25-36. This wager also pays 2-1.

(I) HIGH/LOW - Chip I is an example of a high/low bet. These bets divide the numbers into two groups with the low group consisting of 1-18 and the high being 19-36. (Notice that the zeros are not included in either group). This bet pays 1-1.

(J) ODD/EVEN - Chip J is an odd/even bet. Betting on ODD covers the 18 odd numbers and EVEN covers the 18 even numbers. The zeros are not considered even or odd. This bet also pays 1-1.

(K) RED/BLACK - Chip K shows a red/black bet. A bet on RED covers the 18 red numbers and a bet on BLACK covers the 18 black numbers (note that the zeros are green). This bet also pays 1-1.

(L) SPECIAL SPLIT - Its not a well known thing, but placing a bet where chip L is simply covers the 0-00 split combination. It is provided to help those down at the far end of the table. It is important to note that this special "short cut" bet can only be there (between the 2nd and 3rd thirds) because the space between the 1st & 2nd thirds is not a legal betting area. I have seen a few layouts that actually have a little circle there for this bet. As this is the same as a normal 0-00 split, this bet pays 17-1.

Next up - Betting Strategies!

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Copyright © 2002 by Stephen Haltom - All Rights Reserved

HEAVY’S PREFERRED ROULETTE STRATEGIES

The 3-2 Slow Grind. This strategy is designed to give you a lot of playing time for a relatively low investment. You play only the outside, which means you can take advantage of any favorable rules such as Surrender or En Prison. Here’s the play.

Chart a wheel for a “Black” trend, then play 3 Units on Black and 2 Units on the Third (3-26) Column. The Black bet pays 1-1 and the Third Column pays 2-1. We choose the third column because there is an imbalance in red-to-black numbers in that column. There are 8 red numbers in that column. This wager give you action on 26 of 36 numbers for a total of five units. Let’s look at the payout and you’ll see the beauty of it.

Black wins – Columns lose – Win 3 Lose 2 – Net 1 Unit win
Black loses – Columns win – Win 4 Lose 3 – Net 1 Unit win
Black AND Columns win – Win 7 – Net 7 Unit win
Black and Columns Lose – Lose 5 Units

There are other options off this play using the Dozens Bet as opposed to the Columns Bet. I prefer the Columns Bet due to the imbalance of red-to-black numbers, which give you more opportunities to grind out a single unit win. This strategy will generate a win roughly 68% of the time it’s played.

ACTION NUMBER SERIES

A tip of the hat to gambling legend John Patrick for this play. Instead of betting sectors or clumps of numbers, some players prefer to spread their action around the wheel. One way to do this is through what we call Action Numbers. Play these numbers and the ball will always be flirting with a win for you. Here are the numbers:

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6
10 – 11 – 12 – 13 – 14 – 15
17 – 18 – 20 – 21
28 – 29 – 30 – 31 – 32 – 33

If you look at the wheel you’ll see there are no more than 4 empty spaces between any two of these numbers. By covering twenty two numbers you are going to win roughly 58% of the time. Wins will often come in at ten units. Here’s how you bet the Action Numbers:

The first six numbers represent a Double Street bet. This is an insurance bet for the other Action Numbers. You place it for just 1 Unit on the line between the 1 and 4.

The next six numbers represent a Double Street bet. Make this bet by placing 3 Units on the outside line between the 10 and 13.

The 17 – 21 numbers represent a Quad bet. Make this bet by placing 1 Unit on the corner line of these numbers.

The last six numbers also represent a Double Street bet. Make this bet by placing 3 Units on the outside line between the 28 and 31.

Your total wager is just 8 Units. Here’s what the Action Numbers payoff look like:

10-15 Rolls Pays off 15 Units Lose 5 Units Net 10 Units
28-33 Rolls Pays off 15 Units Lose 5 Units Net 10 Units
17-21 Rolls Pays off 8 Units Lose 7 Units Net 1 Unit


CLASSIC PROGRESSION BETTING

The 1-3-2-6 Progression. The 1-3-2-6 progression can work very well for the short term. What makes the 1 - 3 - 2 - 6 progression so attractive to players is that only two betting units are at risk for a chance to win ten units. You can make a nice profit with a minimal investment. Maintain discipline and catch a streak and you can do very well.

The first bet in this progression is one unit. If you win that wager you add another unit to the original bet and payoff, making the second bet a total of three units. This is not unlike a "power press" move in craps.

If you win the second bet, there are 6 units on the table. Remove four units, making your third bet two units.

If the third bet wins add two more units to the original bet and payoff, making it a total of six units for your fourth bet.

If the fourth bet wins you'll collect a total of 12 units, of which ten units are profit!

Obviously, if you lose the first bet, the loss is one unit. Assuming you win the first, but lose the second bet, your net loss is two units. If you win the second, but lose the third bet, you have a profit of two units. If you win the first three bets but lose the fourth bet, you'll break even. If you lose the second bet five out of six times and win four consecutive bets once, you'll be right back to even.

Hey, it's not that complicated. Print it onto a 3x5 index card and take it to the tables with you. If might be the best move you made all day.

The Paroli Method: The Paroli System is really sort of an anti-Martingale strategy and is my favorite among the classic progressions. You begin with a one unit bet and you increase your bet by one unit whenever you win rather than when you lose. On any loss you regress back to a one unit bet.

This is not a bad way to play. However, you should have some firm rules as to how large you will let your bets build up on a winning streak before regressing them back down to one unit. This obviously depends on the type of game played and the odds of the bet.

My personal play when betting the Paroli system is to begin with one $5 unit and increase on each win until I reach a $25 level. I take one hit at $25, regress back town to a $10 unit bet, then repeat the process - this time taking it up to $50 before incorporating a second regression.

The advantage of this system is that it can be played with a relatively small bankroll. When you incorporate some self-imposed rules such as I outlined above the strategy forces you to manage your money. You only need to maintain discipline and catch the right streak.

The Fibonacci Progression: Believe it or not, the Fibonacci Progression is based on a naturally "growth" cycle that can be found over and over in the world we live in. Consider the nautilus shell. As the nautilus outgrows one chamber of it's shell it builds another - larger chamber. Each successive chamber is progressively larger than the last. In fact - it's size is the sum of the sizes of the last two chambers. Let's look at some numbers and you'll see how it applies at the tables.

The standard Fibonacci progression is as follows:

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, etc. Each number in the series is the sum of the previous two numbers. The basic idea behind the progression is to get two wins in a row. For each loss, step up one in the progression. For each win, make the same bet again. If you win again (the second win) you start progression over. If lose, advance one step.

By the way, You don't HAVE to have two wins in a row to begin the series again. Like all progression betting strategies, there is the chance of losing a substantial amount of money if you catch a losing streak. However, it is generally a well-respected strategy that also has applications in blackjack and craps

The Labouchere Strategy: The Labouchere roulette system, also known as the "Split Martingale" or "Cross-Out" or "Cancellation" strategy - has been around for many years. Named for it's creator, in its simplest form, you simply write down some numbers... let's say 1 2 3. Each bet is the sum of the first and last of these numbers. In this example, it is 1 and 3, which equals 4. If you win you cross the two numbers off and bet the next two that are on the outside. In this instance there would be only the single two-unit bet. If that wins you complete the series and win a total of all of the numbers (six here). If the bet loses, then you add that one number to the end of the series. So, the first bet would be 4 and it loses, so you add 4. That makes the next bet 1 plus 4, which is 5. And so on....

This means that you need to win only 1/3 of the bets PLUS two more and you will complete the series and win the amount that is in the series. Since you normally will win ALMOST half of your bets, that means that you MUST win -- right??

There are a lot of variations to the Labouchere. One is to use a series of different numbers, perhaps with a lot of ones in the beginning to keep the series from growing so fast. The series would look something like 1 1 1 2 2 3. When you complete the series you will win 10 units. The first bet is still four. You must win 1/3 plus 3.

There is also a "Reverse Labouchere roulette system" that calls for you to add the amount of the win to the end, and cancel the 2 outside numbers each time that you lose. The bet is the sum of these two outside numbers. This gives you many very small losses in return for an occasional very large win. Not for the faint-hearted.

The “31” Strategy: The “31” strategy is another play that has many variations. Instead of relying on one win to get you back in the black it relies on two. The “31” Strategy takes its name from the total number of units required to play the series. The progression pre-supposes that you will not have a streak of six consecutive losses.

The betting series is as follows:

1 – 1 – 1 – 4 – 8 – 16

Begin by betting one unit. If it wins you parlay your winnings and bet again. If it loses your next bet is one unit. If you have three consecutive losses your fourth bet is four units. If that bet wins you begin the progression again. If it loses your fifth bet is eight units. If it wins you begin the progression again. If it loses your sixth bet is sixteen units.

While many players have good success with this strategy, remember that any progression that calls for increasing your bets on a loss carries a high risk to your bankroll.

WHEEL TRACKING – BIAS – AND SIGNATURES

Of all the systems and strategies out there, there are only two that will produce long-term winner and they are difficult to exploit.

The first strategy is simply to find a biased wheel. A roulette wheel is, after all, a piece of machinery that sees a tremendous amount of use. As such, it can become worn over time and develop a personality of its own. Eventually such a wheel can develop a bias toward specific wheel sectors. Players who specialize in wheel tracking look for such bias the attempt to exploit it through sector betting.

The downside is simple. In order to detect a true bias one must track hundreds of thousands of rolls. It is difficult to accomplish this without the casino becoming aware of what you are doing. Coincidentally, about the time a bias is discovered the casino will usually correct it through its periodic wheel maintenance.

One casino I know of has four identical roulette wheels in service. Once a week the technician dutifully disassembles all four, cleans and lubricates the moving parts, then randomly switches the rotors between wheels so that no wheel has the same rotor two weeks in a row. Under these circumstances it would be virtually impossible to discover a bias and capitalize on it.

The other situation that will produce long-term winners is through something wheel trackers refer to as a Signature Trend. While tracking for wheel bias it is much more likely that one will come across a dealer who, consciously or not, is able to direct the ball to a specific sector on the wheel.

Most gaming authors refute this concept, citing the many randomizers on the wheel. The wheel is spinning one direction and the ball another. There are diamond shaped metal studs the ball can strike as it drops toward the numbered slots. Then there are the frets between the numbers; on some newer wheels fins have been incorporated into the frets to introduce an even greater randomizer. Nevertheless, I estimate that as many as one-third of all active roulette dealers are skilled enough to consciously direct the ball to a nine-number sector, and one-in-five can narrow that sector down to five or six numbers.

Do the casinos believe dealers can direct the ball to a wheel sector? A table games supervisor friend of mine tells the story of two dealers at his casino who put on a demo of their skill for management one day. The casino’s reaction – both dealers were fired. The casino did not want the dealers deliberately trying to beat the players. But more importantly, it didn’t want them colluding with players to win.

When playing signature trend roulette the player must track rolls on a wheel layout to see where the ball is falling. You are looking for a 38-spin sampling that shows definite repeating numbers in a specific sector. Ideally this would include multiple hits on a single number, with individual hits on two or three numbers on either side of the repeating number.

Let’s assume you had a five number sector beginning with the 30 and ending with the 32. The numbers in this sector are 30 – 11 – 7 – 20 – and 32. Now let’s assume the dealer has rolled 7 three times, the 11 has rolled once, the 20 twice, the 30 and 32 once each. It is the busiest sector on the wheel. How do you bet it?

Essentially you are going to bet 6 units for 5 spins of the wheel. On a $1 game your total bankroll for this play is $30. On any win you color up and leave. In a $1 game you would place $1 each on the 30, 11, 7, 20, and 32. Then you would take your remaining $1 for that spin and piggyback it on the 7 “for the boys.”

That $1 toke for the boys is the cheese for the dealer. A hit on the 7 will generate a $36 tip for the dealer – and you can bet he is going to try to roll it.

I'll wrap this post up with a few HEAVISMS. Being a son of the South, I have a tendency to color my language with colloquialisms. Here are some of my favorite sayings that revolve around casino gambling:

1. Don’t show up for a gunfight with a cap pistol. You’re in a battle with the casino and your bankroll is your ammunition. If you don’t have enough to play without fear – don’t play.

2. Never test the depth of the water with both feet. When gambling, follow the personal trainer rules – start low and go slow.

3. Get in, get it done, and get gone. Hanging around the casino is a lot like hanging around with members of the opposite sex. Sure, it’s fun – but the more time you spend with them the more it’s going to cost you.

4. If it ain’t fun – it’s time to run. Fact is, winning is fun and losing is not. Whether YOU know it or not, your subconscious knows if you’re losing.

[$5Bill]

bogies

I play the roulette table once in a while. I got all my plays from John Patrick's Book on roulette. I like betting the first dozen and the second dozen at the same time. I put more money at risk but I have more ways to win. Also I want to point out that I don't play long. It's a hit and run for me at the roulette.

Another of John Patrick's plays I like are the the Action Numbers: 3 units on the 1-4 double street and 3 units on the 10-13 double street and 2 units on the quad 17,18,20 and 21 and 3 units on the 28-31 double street. Now if you look at the distribution of
the numbers, you'll see that the number are evenly distributed all around the wheel.


Action Sequence Number #1


Action Sequence Number #2

My biggest win came not from the Craps table but from the Roulette wheel. I was just playing the red and black when I felt it was the right time , I bet $3,400 on the black. The dealer wasn't paying attention so when my black showed up she was really surprised and a little scared that she might be in trouble for not watching the table. The pit boss came over and they had to call up to review the video to make sure that it was a clean bet. After holding up the table for about 10 minutes, the pit boss came back and smiled at me and said to the dealer, "PAY THE MAN"



$5Bill

[acpa]

One of the casinos in tunica had two wheels.

One with a single zero and the other with both the single and double zero. I was amazed to see times when there were several people at the double zero wheel and the other table was empty.

NoaH

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Usually (but not always) the single zero wheels are tucked away in the high limit parlors. Unless you know they are there and are willing to play the higher limits - you'd probably never even know they existed.

[Dylanfreake]

The single zero wheel at the old Grand ,on weekends, had a $10 minimum. It was $5 minimum during the week , if it was open.

[acpa]

DF,

That's the one I remembered, wasnt it the same minimum as the double zero.

Is it still there?

Noah

[Dylanfreake]

acpa, yes , when both were open at the same time, the minimums were the same. I never played roulette but when I walked by those wheels , usually the OO wheel had more or just as many players as the O wheel.

The O wheel at Grand, now Harrahs, was taken out years ago.

[shooter57]

ROULETTE and BACCARAT are my sit down games .Strictly single bets black or red or player banker .Played some slots in the last few years and am noticing a pattern of re occurences that allows for a "grind" game.Feeds the craps stake.

shooter.

[Dylanfreake]

Hey, shooter

How have you been?

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I have "recharged" my craps bankroll many times with a slot machine hit and run move. That's the beautiful thing about variance and volatility. At a slot machine you can invest $1 and win $1000. Not going to happen at a craps table.

[shooter57]

@ dylanfreak not bad considering I lost a kidney somewhere along the way .How about you ?

[Dylanfreake]

Damn shooter, glad you are still kicking. I`m just getting older.

We have a lot of your Canadian Geese down here this winter that are becoming a nuisance.

[shooter57]

Walking two legged shit factories.Gives you a whole new understanding of the saying"like shit thru a goose"

They are good eating once in a while like a big duck.Some golfers up here have taken to bringing their dogs with them to chase them off the freeway.

[Golfer]

Just checked in before hitting the sack and found a handle from another lifetime..........Shooter57.

Is that you?

The world is back in balance. Got DF back onboard and now Shooter 57. All we need now is for Prof H and Vowels to sign on and the old gang will be in the house.

Nice to see ya Shooter.


Golfer

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I thought Vowels was already in the house but apparently he is not. He is one of my Facebook friends, though. Has me wondering if he's given up the game or something. Lord knows he wouldn't be the first (or the last). I'll PM him on Facebook and see what he's up to.

Okay, unless your handle is Golfer - ignore this next part.

Golfer, here's your homework. If you want to catch up with Professor H a good place to start would be on the "Rate My Professor" website. Here's a link: http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRat ... tid=247593 I think you'll recognize our old friend from his student's descriptions.

Now that you know which college he teaches at it will be a simple process to go to the college's website, search for faculty e-mail addresses and come up with his contact info. Send him an e-mail and tell him how much you miss the good old days at All Craps - and invite him to come on over and sign on as a forum member. I'd love to hear some of his dark side stories again.

The rest of you guys - leave old Professor H alone. This is Golfer's job.

Okay, Dylanfreak. You can help if you want. But NOBODY else. I don't want the poor guy to think we're stalking him or something.

h

[Dylanfreake]

I think that is Professor H. I knew he was a philosophy professor but thought his college was City College of Los Angeles.

Didn`t the world begin with the ALLCraps site?

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You are correct DF. He is in their directory as a lecturer - not as faculty. Does not have an e-mail address listed.

[SHOOTITALL]

Heavy said: I have "recharged" my craps bankroll many times with a slot machine hit and run move. That's the beautiful thing about variance and volatility. At a slot machine you can invest $1 and win $1000. Not going to happen at a craps table.

Funny story: Wife and I were in line to cash some tickets, Heavy came by and ask wife to cash a ticket for him, he took off and was back in about 3 minute with another either $400 or $600 ticket. Wife was absolutely speechless, which was a miracle in itself. sia