How to Win at Roulette with Red and Black

What does betting on red and black mean? And why should you play on the outside of a roulette wheel? Learn the answers here.
The red and black spaces are often hailed as the sweet spot on any roulette betting table.

After all, it's almost like a coin flip. These two spaces have a near 50/50 chance of success. Many players will claim the key on how to win at roulette is by sticking with the red and black spaces. But is this true?
In some ways it is - and in some ways it isn't. Betting on these spaces, you are far more likely to win than with a straight up number. But the pays are also much, much lower. It's also important to remember that the house edge (or RTP) of this game will also remain unchanged - regardless of where you play.

But is there any other way to improve your red and black game? And can you actually boost your winning chances? Below we show you some proven strategies to help you last longer on the table. 

Best Red Black Strategy


european roulette wheel

The best red black strategy isn't even really a strategy; it's a new type of roulette wheel you can play to achieve better results. You may be accustomed to the American wheel - which is often branded as the worst wheel with the most house edge. And you may be familiar with the European wheel, which is considered to be one of the best. Well, let us introduce you to the French Roulette wheel.

Visually, this looks like a European wheel. There's one zero pocket, with no other discernible differences. But the difference isn't in the presentation - it's in the gameplay. A French wheel will usually feature the La Partage rule. This is regarded as the best roulette rule by a long distance.

If you make a red black bet and the ball falls into the zero pocket, half of your original bet is returned. This immediately decreases the risk that the zero pocket poses to your even money betting. This rule also means that this game has the lowest house edge of all roulette games.

Red and Black Roulette System


french roulette

Over the years, many roulette betting systems have been developed. And most of them leverage the near 50/50 nature of the red and black spots. But by far the most popular red and black roulette system has to be the Martingale. This technique originated in France - originally designed for games with an almost 50/50 outcome. And this is perfect for roulette.

How does it work? Basically, you double up your lost bets until you win. And once you do win, you return to your original betting level. The logic is simple: in a game with near 50/50 probability, you are almost guaranteed to win in the long term. After a long series of red results - surely a black will turn up eventually, right?

But there are several problems with this system. For one, it works under the assumption that you have an unlimited budget. And this might not be the case for everyone. It also works under the assumption that the table has no betting limits. But casinos have put table limits in place to purposely stop this kind of system.

Ultimately, a roulette betting system won't change the house edge percentage. And strategies like the Martingale should only be used to make your roulette gameplay more interesting. If you would like to try it out for yourself, then check out our own French Roulette page, where we discuss even more ways to play.