|
 The
skill in roulette is in deciding to make bets that suck less than other bets. Forget any notion of
winning (except by cheating or by short-term luck).
At the same time, like craps, roulette is a game of dozens of choices. Unfortunately, all these choices
are bad. But since there are so many choices, systems hucksters blow a lot of smoke to try to convince
you that there is some magical way to overcome the math. There isn't. If you make an even money bet when you
only have 18 ways to win and 20 ways to lose, you will lose. God invented math so we could understand this.
Still, books and Internet websites spout nonsense about various systems that tend to be a variation on the
well-known Martingale system. This is the hare-brained idea that if you lose one bet you simply double up the
bet until you win. This would be fine if you enjoy wagering over a thousand dollars to chase a $1 win anytime
you lose ten times in a row. Systems like this require you to risk your entire worldly fortune to chase a $1 win.
Casinos will gladly make these bets with you till doomsday. Why not just bet on a coin flip where you pay $20
when you lose, but get $18 when you win? Casinos will be glad to do this as many times as possible, and also be
glad to let you bet very large amounts.
Roulette allows some of the smallest bets in casinos, and you can win just under half the time, so it is
a fairly painless time killer, but it is all a losing gamble.
How much gamble is there in roulette?
|
