It’s something I wonder about, but it is a good thing that my friends consult me on gambling questions. Last weekend’s discussion was about the best casino game. The consensus was that online roulette was the winner. Sorry, but I must disagree. Anyone who knows me well will know that I love roulette more than any other form of gambling. However, I fear that the experience of being in a fancy casino with cute waitresses and chandeliers, and feeling like James Bond for a brief moment, is not comparable to coming home and playing online roulette in your underwear.
First, I had to set some rules for my friends looking for online gambling games. Roulette is not an American game. The house edge is roughly doubled by this roulette wheel, which has two zeros. It’s hard enough to be stuck in a casino with American roulette wheels. But online, you have the option to vote with your mouse and click away.
The second rule of online roulette is not to play if you’ve had too much alcohol. It’s easy to get distracted by the ease of credit and money available. While you can make a fool out of yourself in a bar, gambling can cause more serious financial problems. It’s true. Don’t drink if you gamble online.
Third, money. Gambling should be fun. You will win sometimes and lose sometimes. But it should be moderated. Set a goal for your winnings and losses. When you reach that target, you will either have a little extra to spend on other things or you will have reduced your losses. You can’t gamble in online casinos for hours without losing. The house edge will always win you the end.
However, I found the online games tedious. They all feel like computer simulations, including poker, blackjack and roulette, and I couldn’t help but feel that my opponent had an edge. Online roulette is my favorite casino game, but it’s a very special form of roulette.