Roulette

We frequent Las Vegas often. In 2006 we made it there 4 times. When we go, I like to gamble. I always set a budget before I go, and usually it is not to spend more than $50 per day that we are there. This seems to work well, because I never exceed it. Sometimes, I’m ahead when I leave, sometimes I have spent just what I budgeted. It is really awful to watch the poor souls who sit down at the table next to me, get up when they loose their money, leave the table, but then they’re back 5 minutes later (after hitting the ATM?) I always play roulette.

Now, in Roulette, the house always has a slight advantage. There are 38 numbers you can gamble on, but if you win on one number, you get back 36 times what you placed on the number. So, in theory, if you sit long enough, you’ll eventually loose all the money you are placing on the table. I like the game, because each round takes about 2-3 minutes. (I’m counting from the time you start placing your chips on the table and until the dealer has paid out any winnings.) Sometimes, it takes longer depending on how many people are seated at the table. I like the table crowded. A crowded table means long rounds, and more time you can enjoy the game and the free drinks. (By the way, there is no such thing as a free drink in Las Vegas. The casino/hotel will get your money somehow. Please folks, also remember to tip the waitress! Not to mention, the dealer, when you win.)

There is a little trick I want to tell you about. I read it in a book somewhere. Keep in mind, that Roulette more or less is supposed to be an even chance game with a slight advantage to the house. The big casinos will make sure that their roulette wheels are well-calibrated so that the ball does not have a tendency to fall to one side. I have noticed (and I read this in a book) that sometimes the dealers have a tendency to pick up the ball at a certain point on the wheel so that the ball often falls on numbers that are close to each other. If you read the little numbers board that lists all the most recent numbers that the ball has fallen on, you may sometimes see that the same numbers keep popping up. When I see this, I sit down at that table, preferably in the seat that is the closest to the wheel, and I start betting on the same number it fell on last and on the surrounding numbers (on the roulette wheel, not on the mat.) Sometimes, when I do this, I keep winning and winning. If the dealer discovers what I’m doing, he may start spinning the wheel a little differently. Also, in Las Vegas, the dealers rotate every 20 minutes or so, so if I’m lucky with one dealer, it doesn’t mean I’ll be lucky with the next. I never bet more than the minimum bet, no matter how much I’m winning. This way, I maximize how long I can sit at the table. Also, if I’m lucky, I keep doing what brought me the luck. If I’m not lucky, then I change what I’m doing. Good luck, folks!

U.R.Rong