TOP PROFESSIONAL ROULETTE PLAYERS – HOW TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL ROULETTE PLAYER

Roulette is popular around the globe for its simple premise and unpredictability. Though a wide swathe of players enjoy betting at a table and watching the little white ball bounce around the wheel, some roulette players take it one spin further by engaging with the wheel as professional gamblers.

Making a living through something as precarious as a roulette wheel can seem fanciful to many, but what does it take to become a professional roulette player? Read on for a quick rundown of everything you need to know about betting as a pro!

HOW DO YOU BECOME A PROFESSIONAL ROULETTE PLAYER?

Every player is on their own journey when it comes to making the big leagues. The path towards professional roulette would follow something like this:

• Research and understand everything there is to know about the game.
• Pick which variation suits you best.
• Pick the right land-based or online casino with a valid licence.
• Practise!
• After building up confidence, sign up for a tournament.
• Continue to gain experience in the field.
• Increase your participation in tournaments.
• Transition into a full-time professional roulette player.

A GUIDE ON HOW TO PLAY ROULETTE LIKE A PRO

Taking up anything at a professional level requires expertise, and many players shy away from playing casino games professionally for this reason. When most people think of a professional gambler, the first thing that might come to mind is poker, which appears convoluted in contrast with roulette. However, what seems one-dimensional to the untrained eye belies a set of tools that make or break a spin on the wheel.

So how do the pros turn a thrilling hobby into a spinning red and black cash cow? Here are some things they may consider.

STRATEGY

Here, strategy differs from its application in blackjack or poker because a player cannot outsmart the wheel. That said, there are strategic frameworks that professional and even amateur roulette players may use to maximise their winning potential. The James Bond strategy and the Martingale strategy are two famous examples. However, different betting systems come with varying levels of risk.

VARIANTS

There are three primary variants of roulette: American, European and French. The differences between these three comprise of anything from physical features like the wheel and table layout to the rules and bets of each. European roulette is probably the most played roulette variation worldwide. Familiarity with variants is essential for assessing your chances in roulette.

BETS

The types of bets available influence a player’s gameplay decisions. Inside bets are riskier than outside bets. However, players are more likely to predict whether the ball lands on red or black numbers as opposed to a specific range of them. French roulette has particularly favourable odds for players in that regard. While it all comes down to luck, choosing the right bet at the right time often makes a difference.

ODDS

Things like the types of bets, variants and betting systems are only helpful when the player assesses the odds carefully before proceeding. For instance, American roulette is riskier than its continental cousins due to its extra zero, reducing winning odds. An in-depth knowledge of the game helps you identify the best odds in any given situation to avoid potential mishaps with your money.

WHAT IS THE SALARY OF A PROFESSIONAL ROULETTE PLAYER?

Another draw for those looking to become professional players is salary. A salary will vary from player to player. Remember that not all professional players are the picture of wealth that most people expect, owing to differing levels of commitment. 

All roulette players can be divided into part-timers, whales and professionals. Part-timers make up to 90% of the player base, and while they tend to have a positive balance over time, they are not wealthy enough for the ‘lifestyle’. Whales are players who make significant bets primarily for sport and do not make a living from roulette tables. Finally, professionals are those who earn their income from the game, building a gradual strategy to make a living off a casino roulette table.

THE MOST FAMOUS ROULETTE PLAYERS

History has seen its share of famous roulette players, and many of their stories are still relevant today. However, it would be a mistake to think immense sums of money are always won by famous professional roulette players. When it comes to this casino game, in particular, most players in the roulette hall of fame did not play professionally, or even at all; several earned their winnings at the first casino they walked into, in some cases with just one single spin!

JOSEPH JAGGER AT THE MONTE CARLO CASINO

Joseph Jagger was the first guy to ever “break the bank”. In 1881, Jagger famously visited a Monte Carlo casino and won ₣2m (about €8m  today) on a single game, bankrupting the casino! As a textile engineer, he was not one of the best roulette players and did not have any particular strategy, except for one — he noticed hand-made roulette wheels possessed imperfections that were significant enough to predict where the ball landed. He took advantage of these roulette wheels and their defects while in Monte Carlo and happened to win big. Today, roulette wheels are much more carefully made, so Jagger’s system is confined to the past.

CHARLES WELLS WITH DEFECTIVE ROULETTE WHEELS

It was only 18 years later that Charles Wells, a professional gambler, became the second man who broke the bank, and in the same casino, on the same wheel, no less! Casino staff at the Monte Carlo casino noticed the problem with their wheels after Jagger’s win, but not enough was done to remedy the system, leading Charles Wells to be the first since Jagger to take advantage. His observation allowed him to successfully predict 23 spins out of 30, winning millions of Francs in all of three days!

NORMAN LEIGH

One of the more mysterious and mythic famous gamblers, Norman Leigh won ₣800,000 at a casino in France in 1966. The number was so high that he was banned from entering casinos all around France! Leigh cultivated a sense of mystique by often claiming that he had an impeccable system which guaranteed him a win. Shortly before he died, however, he admitted he was just a lucky guy. Despite his admission, Leigh’s “missing system” continues to be searched and studied by many players, hoping to determine the secrets to his success at winning.

ASHLEY REVELL

Ashley Revell created a media storm when he monetised everything he owned and bet the full $135,000 at a Las Vegas casino. Lady Luck took a liking to Revell, leaving him a wealthier man. Ashley Revell had never played roulette until that moment, and that single bet would determine if he would lose everything he had. All that said, the massive risk in attempting to replicate that goes without saying. He never gambled again, instead choosing to start a poker tactics site.

CHRIS BOYD

Chris Boyd is one of the most proficient roulette players in modern times. Boyd took to the wheels of Las Vegas with $220,000, which he saved up from his job as a software developer. Initially, casinos wouldn’t allow him to wager everything on a single spin until, at one point, he persuaded the Horseshoe Club to let him play with a minimum bet amount of $100,000. Some practice spins later, he was allowed to stake everything on one spin. That large bet led to even larger winnings, and like Ashley Revell, he declined any future spins, never sat at a roulette table, or gambled on casino games ever again.