Inside, Outside, Spinning All Around

Strategies abound when it comes to the roulette table, as nearly every lover of the money wheel has derived a system that meets his or her liking.

Many folks remain loyal to a handful of numbers that prove sentimental or signify good fortune. Others go the way of the outside wagers, opting for the evens, odds, highs or lows.

And yet many others prefer keeping it simple, staking on whether that little white marble will land on the red or perhaps one of the greens (0, 00). Some will take council from Wesley Snipes in the 1992 actioner, Passenger 57, and “always bet on black.”

Nonetheless, some roulette strategists believe in wagering both the inside and outside features, perhaps as a means of multiplying earnings or hedging against losses.

"Always bet on black."

For instance, one anonymous chipster lays down a nickel on the same five numbers (5, 6, 7, 8, 19) on each and every spin. These numbers, the birthdays of his two canine companions, would deliver a significant payout ($180) in the event one hits.

However, the likelihood of finding paydirt on one of these five numerals is a meager 13 percent on a 38-slot wheel.

Therefore, dropping a quarter chip on an outside bet with significant better odds (47.4%) can serve as a hedge in the event one of the inside numbers comes up empty.

Let’s say our nameless chipster tosses a green chip on red, and the spin lands on a lucky 7, a red number. While relinquishing wagers on the 5, 6, 8 and 19, the outside bet more than covers these losses, all the while collecting your grand score on the 7.

Under other scenarios, wagering on the red (or any outside bet) provides a level of damage control, potentially salvaging a push in case one of your numbers fails to materialize.

Of course, a sizeable risk also exists, as a 47.4% likelihood looms that the ball lands on a green or black number that isn’t the 6 or 8. In these cases, you’d take a two-punch combination on the chin and lose both bets.

Perhaps a more sensible hedge is to select a series of numbers with a specific commonality. For instance, let’s suggest your inside bets include the 3, 9, 21, 27, and 33. Sliding a heavier chip on the Even square would cover a wider field of numbers and thereby minimize the likelihood of a loss to only 39.5 percent.

Assess the patterns of the wheel and adjust your wagers accordingly. If the electronic history board displays a hot run of high numbers, select five that are 19 and above and drop some clay on the 1 TO 18 box.

Or if there’s a heavy streak of black numbers popping up, select five (or more) red numbers and supplement it with a higher stake on the black box.

Finding the right mix and match of inside and outside wagers could be your key for surviving and thriving at the wonder wheel.