The intrigue behind roulette’s allure and the house edge
By Frank Scoblete
Since the genius Blaise Pascal put pen to paper or ball to wheel in the late 1600s, the game of roulette has fascinated players. They love it. The casinos love it too—maybe even more.
You might remember Blaise Pascal. He was the philosopher/scientist who said it is better to believe that God exists because then God will love you and not punish you for this belief. If you believe God doesn’t exist, no harm done if God doesn’t exist, but a lot of harm to you if God does exist. You do not want to annoy God.
I was taught that as a young kid in Catholic school. It seems that God had a very picky personality at times. We were taught to best remember that. For a certain time, I did remember that. I guess you could say that God had the edge over us.
I am guessing everyone knows the game of roulette from movies, television shows, books or going to the casinos. It is the second or third most popular game in the casinos after blackjack and maybe also after craps. During some centuries, it was number one.
The casinos have the edge at the game—we all know that. But what many roulette players don’t know is how the casino gets its edge. Is it because the casino wins more decisions? No. Is it because the green zero or zeroes show up now and again and all players lose on those? No. Players can bet on those zeroes.
The game of roulette is random and the casino faces the random choices of the wheel.
The dealer spins the ball around the top of the wheel. The ball drops (maybe hitting the bumpers around the side areas of the wheel) into the main section of the wheel where it bounces around the various numbers until it lands in one number and stays there. That number is the winning number. The winners cheer; the losers frown and the game continues from there.
The casino does not place any bets. It wins by using a very simple method—it shortchanges the payoff to the winning player. All straightup bets are paid off at 35-to-1. That sounds good at first but that would not be the fair payout in a game where the odds were strictly followed. Here’s a closer look:
- The European/French wheel has 37 numbers (the 0 is a number). A true payoff on a hitting number would be 36-to-1, not 35-to-1. By shorting the player that “one” on a hit means the casino now has a 2.70 percent edge at the game.
- The American wheel has 38 numbers (remember that the 0 and 00 are numbers). A hit on one number wins, again, that 35-to-1, not 37-to- 1. That means the casino’s payoff is two short on the win. By this shorting, the house creates a 5.26 percent house edge on the American game.
- The final one, the yucky one, called the triple-zero wheel, has 39 numbers (yes, yes, remember that the 0, 00 and 000 are numbers) but the payout (take a wild guess) is still 35-to-1, not 38-to-1 as it would be on a fair game. The house edge thus rises to a ridiculous 7.69 percent.
Keep in mind that those percentages are directly related to how much you are expected to lose over time playing the game. On the single- zero wheel you are expected to lose $2.70 for every $100 you wagered; on the double-zero wheel, you are expected to lose $5.26 per every $100 you wager; and (I know, I know, I have to tell you this) on the triple-zero wheel, you are expected to lose $7.69 per every $100 you wager.
“The American wheel has 38 numbers (remember that the 0 and 00 are numbers). A hit on one number wins, again, that 35-to-1, not 37-to-1. That means the casino’s payoff is two short on the win. By this shorting, the house creates a 5.26 percent house edge on the American game.”
Not all bets are straight up on a single number. What about those others that are combinations? Are the house edges different? Sorry, no. The payouts on the proposition bets (dozens, columns, even-money bets and all the others) will come with the same house edges for each individual game you play. You just can’t escape the house edge.
I would recommend that if you are stuck playing the triple-zero wheel, just add up the total amount of money you wish to spend for that session and spread it out by not betting on every spin of the wheel. You do not have to bet each and every spin. Spare yourself the agony of facing that house edge.
I am sure that Blaise Pascal would have a clever way of looking at the casinos’ house edges but he never wrote that down as far as I know.
All the best in and out of the casinos!
Frank Scoblete’s books are available from Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Kindle, e-books, libraries and bookstores.