Is Online Roulette Rigged?

Written by:

Author Tom Wilson
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Is Online Roulette Rigged?

One of the biggest concerns for players, when they opt to play in an online casino, is whether or not they can trust that gaming establishment. The same goes for individual games, such as roulette. Many players worry that online roulette games are fixed, thus instantly reducing their chances of winning. After all, players do not want to lose before they have started playing at all.

With this in mind, most online roulette games do not necessarily have to be rigged, or at least not in the way you would think they are. This article will break down everything related to online roulette and how it can be fixed in favor of the casino.

How to Play Online Roulette?

To begin with, there are two ways of playing online roulette. Live dealer games are dominating the industry in top-notch online casinos these days. Players want to get the best of both worlds by staying at home and enjoying the thrill of playing games in a real casino. By merely turning on your web camera, you can play roulette in this manner from the comfort of your home, while at the same time being able to witness the ball spinning on a real roulette wheel in a studio or a land-based casino somewhere in the world.

The other, still more popular, way of playing roulette online is via virtual games powered by RNG (Random Number Generator). RNGs release results that are seemingly random by gathering information via specially designed algorithms. These video roulette games are similar to the ones you have seen in brick-and-mortar casinos if you’ve ever visited one. The idea behind both of these games is to match the behaviour of a real roulette wheel.

How Random are RNGs?

Whether you choose to play live roulette or a video roulette game, there’s a possibility of the game being rigged. However, this will happen only if you make a mistake while choosing your online casino.

Players think that, because RNGs work with algorithms, they should be easy to fix, right? Be that as it may, there are particular safeguards designed to prevent this from happening.

In order to be sure you have taken part in an online roulette game that isn’t rigged, you need to opt for one of many reputable, licensed casinos. If the online casino has a regulated license issued by one of the many well-established jurisdictions, you can be sure that their RNGs are fair and accurate.

Esteemed online casinos do not need to rig their systems so as to make money from players. Most of them already have a house edge on players, which results in profit at the end of the day. But more on that later on.

Even so, some less respected online casinos tamper with the algorithms to rig the games. Luckily, it’s challenging and complicated to hide these altered codes, so most casinos risk losing their licences if these unethical schemes are disclosed.

How Do RNGs Work with Online Roulette?

Unfortunately, video roulette manufacturers do not give up these details easily since there are many skilled people that could figure out the code and rig the games in their favour.

It is important to know that Random Number Generators are computer programs or algorithms that generate results randomly. Additionally, Pseudo RNGs only need an algorithm and a seed number which are generated every millisecond. Pseudo RNGs take the last two, three, or four numbers and use them to create a new random result. This process is repetitive since a new sequence of numbers is used every time, making it close to unique.

Ultimately, if an online licensed casino uses RNG, you can rest assured that your online game of roulette is not rigged.

Can Live Dealer Roulette Games be Rigged?

The answer to this question is not much different from the answer regarding video roulette games. If you choose to play at licensed and well-established online casinos, you shouldn’t come across any fixed live dealer roulette games.

It is more difficult to rig a live dealer roulette game since there are a couple of players present at all times. Players have their eye on the wheel and the dealer, so it would make it even more challenging for the dealer to rig the game.

Conversely, there are ways to rig a live dealer roulette game. Dealers can be taught to flick a ball from a certain angle and height to make it land on a particular number or to use a magnetic or weighted ball to secure a particular game outcome. Some less reputable casinos go as far as installing a brake under the table, which makes the wheel stop by pressing on the brake.

In the end, there are numerous ways to get cheated out of a win, but sticking with a reputable online casino that works with well-respected software providers, such as Evolution Gaming, NetEnt, Playtech, Microgaming, and so on, is your safest bet.

The Only Way Online Roulette is ‘Rigged’

As we mentioned, there is one way that online roulette is rigged, per se, and it’s not the way you think. Each online casino has a mathematical advantage when it comes to games, including roulette. That advantage is called the house edge and all esteemed casinos have it.

The house edge always depends on the game you’re playing, and in roulette, on the variant you chose. For example, in American roulette you can expect the house edge to be higher because American roulette has a double zero feature. With American roulette, the average house edge is 5.3%, while with European roulette it’s 2.7%.

In this sense, you could say that online roulette is rigged. Keep in mind that the casino also needs to ensure an advantage somewhere so as to make money in the long run.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, you have gotten the answer you’ve been looking for. The bottom line is the majority of online casinos do not offer rigged roulette games, whether they’re live dealer games or video roulette games. It is essential to stick only with regulated and well-established online casinos when deciding which one to join.

All reputable online casinos use the same RNG technology to ensure game fairness. So, don’t pay attention to rumours, have confidence in regulated online casinos, and you’ll be able to enjoy a hassle-free roulette game.

Remember to always gamble responsibly!

Happy playing!

Author Tom Wilson

Author:

Chief editor and creator, Tom drives the direction of CanadianCasinos.ca with the goal to provide the best and most honest resource for online gambling enthusiasts in Canada