On the surface, roulette and slots seem to have very little in common. One involves placing bets on a spinning wheel while the other involves betting on three or more spinning reels. However, online casinos are filled with automated casino games making both more convenient than ever to play. Some automated games even cross roulette and slot machines together to make a hybrid variation of the two classics.
Which game is your best bet? Find out how each compares in terms of potential winnings, odds and special features offered by different variations. Both games are a very popular worldwide and are a staple in both physical and online casinos.
American roulette – This type of roulette has 38 sections on the roulette wheel (0, 00 and number s from 1 to 36). The number of possible outcomes is different, but the multiples of your bet you get when you win are the same. That means American roulette has a worse RTP (94.74%) than European roulette (97.3%). You should therefore play. Roulette and online slots are both equally fun games. Neither requires exceptional skills or expertise and can be played at the player's pace. Choosing between the games can be decided on factors like jackpot money, house advantage, risk appetite, budget and your personal preference. Book of Dead Slot Created by Play'n GO. With such a huge range of slot games available to play with numerous features these days, the variety is much greater when compared to roulette. When playing a slot game, you can't use strategies to influence your odds.
The Best Slot Apps & Casinos for Free and Real Money - Find and play top slots on your Android, iPhone or tablet. The top casinos to play on your mobile! Slot Machines Vs Roulette. Players can choose to use the balls they acquire to keep taking part in, or trade them for tokens or prizes such as pens or cigarette lighters. In Japan, dollars gambling is illegal.
Online Slots Explained
Invented as early as the 19th century, slot machines typically have 3-5 reels covered in symbols. Early versions were coin-operated and required gamblers to pull an 'arm' to spin the reels. Certain combinations of matching symbols awarded payouts according to a pay table.
Most traditional slots require matches of at least 3 of a kind, left to right across the reels, to win. Modern day casinos devote the majority of available floor space to video slots, and online casinos have hundreds of automated slots to choose from. Both are preprogrammed with random number generator technology ensuring that each spin has the same chance to win as the one that came before and the one that will come after.
Many online or video slots also include special bonus payouts or mini games with bonuses. In addition, there are progressive jackpot slots which have made millionaires.
An Odds Comparison
Depending on where you play, slots can either have a higher or lower house edge than Roulette. RNG technology gives each slot a fixed house edge which is usually communicated in terms of RTP or return to player. At physical casinos, the house edge for slots is significantly higher with only 65% RTP in some Las Vegas casinos. Online casinos tend to offer a much better RTP on slots-as high as 98%.
Roulette's house edge can be as low as 1.35% on even-money bets when playing French roulette, or as high as 5.26% on all bets when playing the American variation. This gives roulette an RTP range of 94.74%-98.65%.
While betting strategies don't really change the theoretical odds to win in roulette, the many different bet options allow players to maximize the payout potential of winning streaks or offset losses brought on by losing streaks with a bit of luck and strategic planning.
Slots are about as random as the lottery with limited bet options that only allow players to increase or decrease the cost of each bet. Some do allow players to choose the RTP with game settings that activate some or all of the possible lines that could potentially produce a payout. Usually, this directly impacts the total cost of bets with cheaper bets giving a lower RTP and more expensive bets raising the RTP. However, this doesn't really involve any strategy making roulette a better fit for players that like to think through each move.
Variations of Slots and Roulette
Roulette has 3 main variations including American, European and French which offer different house edges due to differences in zero pockets on the wheels or rules applying to certain bets. Online, several sub-variations exist including multi-wheel, Spingo, Premier Diamond Roulette, live dealer roulette and even no-zero roulette which claims to have no house edge but skims a percentage of your total winnings instead. Most of these stick with the original rules but offer different bet options, layouts or even odds to win.
'Roulette can be picked up fast, but it's complex. There are many betting options and mastery is something that takes time and persistent practice to come by.'
Slots are divided into several variations as well mostly differing in terms of volatility and payout potential. Slots have 3 to 5+ reels and can potentially include a bonus jackpot, progressive jackpot or bonus game. Players that like a different take on traditional slots can always find a 'pay all ways' or 'pay any way' slot which allows numbers to match from multiple directions. However, keep in mind that no matter which variation you play, the RTP and volatility are both the most important features to consider when choosing a slot that best suits your preferred gaming experience.
Potential Winnings for Each Game
Progressive jackpot slots can award millions giving slots a much higher payout potential than roulette. Many also provide players with the opportunity to win big off of very small wagers. Of course, keep in mind that the odds of hitting a progressive jackpot are similar to the odds of winning the lottery. In other words, it is very unlikely!
The potential winnings to be had from a session of roulette or slots depends on different factors for each game. For roulette, luck and the type of bets chosen have a lot to do with how much is won or lost in an hour. Online, there may be a minute or less between each bet making it possible to place around 60 wagers in an hour. If wagering primarily on outside bets, you're much more likely to walk away with a profit than when using mostly inside bets.
Depending on whether or not you play with the animations switched on, slots allow players to make, win or lose wagers just as quickly if not more quickly than roulette. Low volatility slots produce frequent, small wins. High volatility slots produce big wins infrequently. Choosing a low volatility slot will likely allow you to lose less in an hour than a high volatility slot, provided you don't hit a big win on the latter.
Have a look at how each game of chance compares below.
| RTP | Betting fans enjoy slots because they're easy to play, require very little effort and have the allure of very large jackpots always on the horizon. Roulette is a little different in that most players stick with outside bets which have comparatively modest rewards. It is possible to place lots of inside bets in the hope of reaping a large real cash prize, but you won't get the intermittent wins that most slot machines reward players with. The big advantage roulette has over many casino games, slots included, is a relatively low house edge. That house edge increases when you're making inside bets, but outside bets have odds of close to 50/50. You could search far and wide and still probably never find slots with odds of 50/50 on every spin. Fortunately, there's no need to choose between the two as the games actually complement each other quite well. After an intense session of roulette, spinning a few reels at the slots can be a nice way to unwind, spend some extra chips and, if you're really lucky, win yourself a great prize. Freeplay Options at Online CasinosMost slots and roulette games have free demo versions available at online casinos. We recommend taking each game for a spin with play money before using real cash. Many casinos give away free spins on new slots or giveaway bonus cash that can be used on either roulette or slots. It's all about choosing the right casino with the best bonuses. Fortunately, we can recommend several credible, online casinos that offer free demos, bonus cash and free spins.
You'll have more fun and lose less money in the long run if you stick with online table games like blackjack, craps, and even roulette. This post looks at the math behind the games and why table games are so much better for the player. I also offer some recommendations about which online table games to try and why. How Average Losses Work in Casino GamesAll casino games have a built-in edge for the casino. This 'house edge' can be expressed as an average amount of each bet you can expect to lose in the long run, and that number is always expressed as a percentage. If you're playing a game with a 5% house edge and betting $10 per round, your expected loss per bet in the long run is 50 cents. Obviously, the more bets you place, the higher your expected loss is. One way to look at casino games is to look at how much money you can expect to lose per hour when you're playing them. That formula is simple: Average bet size X number of bets per hour X house edge = expected hourly loss If you're playing an online slot machine with a house edge of 5%, and you're spinning the reels at 600 spins per hour, and you're betting $1 per spin, your expected loss is easy to calculate: $1 X 600 bets per hour X 5% = $30/hour This is, of course, an estimate, but if you gamble long enough, your actual results should start to resemble the mathematically predicted results. If you lower any of those 3 factors, you can reduce the expected loss per hour. For example, if you decide to play slot machines half as fast as the average person, your expected loss per hour drops to $15 instead of $30—even though you're playing the same game at the same stakes. This leads right into my discussion of why table games are better even though they seem like they'd be more expensive. Why It Only Seems Like Table Games Are More ExpensiveThe minimum bet at most table games in most online gambling sites is $5 or $10. For a slot machine player who only bets $1 per spin, that might sound like a lot of money. But online table games play so much more slowly than online slot machines that it's actually cheaper in the long run to play the table games. Also, the house edge for most table games is lower than the house edge for most gambling machines. Finding a slot machine with a house edge of only 5% is a trick in itself. At most online casinos, the house edge for an average slot machine is probably closer to 10%. Even roulette, with its house edge of 5.26%, is better than that. But look at it from the perspective of your average loss per hour: Let's say you're playing online roulette for $5 per spin. You're probably looking at 50 bets per hour, maximum. And you already know that the house edge is 5.26%. Your average loss per hour on this roulette game is: $5 X 50 bets per hour X 5.26% = $13.15 That's less than half of your expected loss on the slot machine you're playing for $1 per spin, even though you're wagering 5 times as much per spin. Look at a game like blackjack, where if you learn basic strategy, you can get the house edge down to 1%. If you're at a table where the dealer is getting in 70 hands per hour, you're looking at the following average loss: $5 X 70 bets per hour X 1% = $3.50 I don't know of many forms of entertainment as fun as blackjack for $3.50 per hour. It's Okay to Ask the Dealer QuestionsYou might have other objections to playing online table games instead of online slot machines. Maybe you're afraid that you won't know how to play. Here's the thing about that: You can learn to play most table games in practically no time at all. The casinos, in fact, have a vested interest in making the games easy for you to learn so that you'll be more likely to play. Most casinos even offer free classes in various table games. These classes are usually held during the day when the tables are slow anyway. Think mid-morning, like 10am. You can also find online casino game tutorials all over the internet. Free versions of these games are also available. Between the tutorials and the free games, it should be easy to learn to play any casino table game you can imagine. Don't be shy about asking a dealer questions while you're playing. My partner and I visited a casino recently, and he sat down to play Mississippi Stud without ever having played before. We were the only 2 players at the table for most of the night, and the dealer had no problem explaining how to play the game. We had a blast, and we didn't lose much money that night, either. We wound up with some good hands early, so we ratholed enough winnings that we were playing with house money for the rest of the night. Which Table Games Should You Play?
But some online table games are better than others. Your temperament makes a difference, too. The game with the best odds in almost any casino is blackjack, but to achieve that low house edge of between 0.5% and 1%, you must learn basic strategy. If you're not willing to learn it, you can also bring a basic strategy chart to the table with you and consult it on every hand. I see that advice a lot, but I've never actually seen a player with a basic strategy chart at the table. I think most people memorize it or just use their best guess. I think most gamblers are afraid they won't look 'cool' if they use a basic strategy chart. Craps is another table game you should consider. It's fun and exciting, and the house edge is relatively low if you stick with the basic bets (pass, come, and odds). The drawback with craps is that it can seem overwhelming if you're not familiar with the game. Luckily, it's easier to play than most people think. And once you get it, you've got it. |
Roulette gets looked down on by a lot of 'serious' gamblers because the house edge is so high compared to other games.
Those snobs who ignore roulette aren't taking into account the relatively sedate nature of the game. Most roulette tables, especially the full ones, are moving so slowly that you're only placing 30 to 50 bets per hour.
This means that your losses are correspondingly lower, too, because you're just not putting that much money into action per hour.
The even-money bets on the roulette table are ideal for betting systems like the Martingale, of which I'm a fan. That puts me in the minority, but I love the Martingale system.
The trick with the Martingale is to accept that it won't work in the long run.
You just have to accept that you're going to walk away a big loser some of the time, too.
Slots Vs Blackjack
And when you average those big losing sessions with the smaller winning sessions, you'll still be a net loser.
The new breed of poker-based table games are all fun in their way, too, and many of them include a strategic element. My partner loves Mississippi Stud, for example, but I'm a bigger fan of Let It Ride. I think most players probably prefer Mississippi Stud.
The bottom line is that you should be willing to learn and try any table game in the casino until you find one that you love.
Conclusion
Now that you've explored the differences between table games and gambling machines, are you willing to switch from one to the other?
Roulette gets looked down on by a lot of 'serious' gamblers because the house edge is so high compared to other games.
Those snobs who ignore roulette aren't taking into account the relatively sedate nature of the game. Most roulette tables, especially the full ones, are moving so slowly that you're only placing 30 to 50 bets per hour.
This means that your losses are correspondingly lower, too, because you're just not putting that much money into action per hour.
The even-money bets on the roulette table are ideal for betting systems like the Martingale, of which I'm a fan. That puts me in the minority, but I love the Martingale system.
The trick with the Martingale is to accept that it won't work in the long run.
You just have to accept that you're going to walk away a big loser some of the time, too.
Slots Vs Blackjack
And when you average those big losing sessions with the smaller winning sessions, you'll still be a net loser.
The new breed of poker-based table games are all fun in their way, too, and many of them include a strategic element. My partner loves Mississippi Stud, for example, but I'm a bigger fan of Let It Ride. I think most players probably prefer Mississippi Stud.
The bottom line is that you should be willing to learn and try any table game in the casino until you find one that you love.
Conclusion
Now that you've explored the differences between table games and gambling machines, are you willing to switch from one to the other?
Slots Vs Roulette Casino
Or were you already playing table games some (or all) the time already?
Slots Vs Roulette Odds
Let me know if your gambling habits will change based on this information in the comments.
