The Similarities and Differences Between Roulette and Slots

Online gambling is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world today, generating billions of dollars of revenue year on year and entertaining millions of punters around the world, all hoping for that big jackpot. The COVID-19 pandemic has only served to bring in new customers, as people try to find socially distanced forms of entertainment. And mobile technology continues to develop, providing a platform for a range of cutting edge graphics and content to enhance the game-play. Likewise, dedicated apps make playing easier than ever, with helpful guides and support for beginners, and challenges for seasoned experts.

Increasingly there is a social aspect to online casinos as well, with users interacting and playing against each other. While some love to play at the card tables, taking on house dealers and other punters at baccarat, blackjack and poker, many opt for the iconic casino classics such as roulette and slot machines. The beauty of these games lies in their simplicity, and while they have a different format, there are some striking similarities between the two. 

Lady Luck

You need a bit of luck with all casino games, and both slots and roulette require it to hit the jackpot. But there are fewer variables when you play slots. Essentially, despite the advancement of the format, with themes, levels, storylines and graphics, your first spin is just as likely to win as your thousandth. But that isn’t to say you don’t need lady luck on your side at the roulette wheel, you certainly do, just there are a few more strategic moves you can make (see more below). 

Tactics and Strategies

With slots, simply check out the prizes on offer and the rules of the game you want to play, set your spending limit – its important to manage your bankroll effectively in any casino game – and pull the lever! There really isn’t much in the way of strategy involved. Roulette, however, can be played strategically to an extent. Strategies such as the Martingale (and reverse Martingale) involve doubling bets to recoup losses, whereas a safer strategy such as the D’Alembert means increasing your bets more gradually. There are many strategies out there – a bit of research will help you at the wheel. However, the only methods to consistently beat roulette are called “advantage play” – these methods are very different to typical losing strategies like the Martingale.

Ease of Use

This is where the two games are the most similar. The format and basic gameplay is stunningly simple, and can be immediately picked up by a complete novice. Slot machines owe their immense popularity to this factor, but roulette is just as easy and intuitive. And now with the prevalence of online casinos, you can carry both games with you in your pocket. Even if you are a globetrotter, there are thousands of casinos from Dubai to Paris to New Zealand, all with dedicated online resources such as Online slots NZ. Most online casinos offer dedicated apps to help you get to grips with all manner of games, as well as explaining odds, and having 24/7 support teams to answer any technical queries. 

Variations

While it may seem that slot machines are incredibly diverse, a rainbow of colours, themes and graphics, as well as offering more narrative gameplay, but in reality, the core of the game remains constant. Match the symbols to win prizes, though of course, the symbols may differ. This takes nothing away from modern online slots, many are breathtaking and beautifully designed and are wildly popular, rightly so. But roulette actually has game variations which change the essence of the action. The most popular of these variations are French, English and American – and if you want to help your chances of success, reading up on all of them will benefit you no end. 

Odds

Each roll of a slot machine is a game of chance. There is really nothing you can do to influence the outcome of each roll – especially in an online casino where the slot games are programmed to generate a unique series of symbols each time. Most players do hit a winning combo every once in a while, which keeps them coming back for more, but essentially, if you rolled a slot machine indefinitely you would lose all your money, eventually. To put it simply, if you were to put all your money on one single number, the chances of a win would be very small, but a winning payout would be huge. Whereas hedging your bets makes you more likely to win, but the payout would be less. But these factors put more power and control into the hands of the punter, despite still effectively being a game of chance. 

You will find slot machines and the roulette wheel in pretty much every casino, land-based or online, on the planet. These games are popular and for good reason. Their simplicity makes them firm favorites with both newcomers to casino gaming and seasoned gamblers.