If you are an avid player or simply looking at getting into the game, there are a number of different strategies that you can employ to help you get ahead at the table. One of the first things you must realize and accept is that in the game of roulette, there are absolutely no guarantees of actually winning money, given the fact that your chances of winning or losing each round are essentially even at best, if you play it right. There are no special tricks, such as counting cards in blackjack or learning how to read other players in poker. Each round is up to the decision of the wheel in front of you and your ability to place your own bets accordingly.
This does not mean, however, that there are not better ways to place bets each round than others. For example, when looking at the biggest payouts on the table of 35:1 for a straight up bet on a single number, you should be able to tell that this may not necessarily be the best bet at all times for you. There is a reason why this bet is valued at 35:1 for payout and that is because the chances of you winning this if you place a bet on it regularly are about one in every 38 spins on an American table or one in every 37 spins on a French/European table. This is not surprising, given the fact that you are betting on one particular number out of that many possible.
Instead, consider the other options that might be available to you, because even though they may have slightly lower payouts, other bets may actually yield greater gains in the long run, such as odds and evens, red and black, one of the three dozens or even column and high/low bets. While these may have much lower payout ratios than the straight up bet, they have a significantly higher chance of winning each round as well.
If you are looking at keeping yourself in the black, consider distributing your bets over a number of different options to see what you can bring in. For example, placing a wager on the middle dozen, along with an odd, even, red or black bet, and perhaps even a column bet as well, could allow you to offset any losses that a bad bet may bring. This will help ensure you achieve some slow and steady gains throughout the course of your play. While it is true that all Roulette games are based upon chance, by placing your wagers in this form, you can give yourself a greater than 50% chance of taking back the money that you place on the table, offsetting any losses that you may incur.
When you are starting off, always be sure to follow the general rule to bet small and only increase your bets after you have won and you feel more confident in making the wagers. In addition, never place large amounts on one particular area, even if you feel that it has a fairly good chance of winning. Even a bet on an odd, even, red or black, for example, has a less than 50% chance of winning, given the fact that there are still two green numbers available on an American table, (one green on a French table,) that could easily cause you to lose all your money if you are not careful. Bear this in mind, as this difference is what causes the house to almost always have an advantage over you. Therefore, you need to diversify your bets and play them accordingly in order to help ensure you remain in the black, rather than dropping into the red on a regular basis.