How to Play Neighbor Bets at Roulette Tables
Playing at a casino without roulette would be inconceivable. The game of the spinning wheel has a long history and a track record just as long of fascinating gamblers around the world. There are several versions of roulette available at online and land-based casinos, with the most popular being the European, the French and the American variant. Each of them has specific qualities, attractions and special features, so it would be best to get familiar with them before placing real money bets by the wheel.
The basic rules of roulette state that you need to place your bets beforehand and then leave it to the croupier to spin the wheel, toss the little white ball into the whirlpool and wait for the spin to end capturing the ball at a specific position. The stopping point of the ball will determine the outcome of your wager. Now, as simple as that sounds, roulette is a game with a lot of betting possibilities. So, to master the advanced premises of the gameplay, you need to put some effort into understanding all available bets at the roulette table. In the rest of our text, we’ll deal with neighbor bets primarily and try to make them less intimidating for both roulette novices and experienced bettors.
Roulette Betting System
The roulette betting system can appear complex, which is why one has to assume the right approach. Let’s try and simplify the ordeal by stating that there are two basic types of bets in the game, which is, of course, true. You can place inside bets or outside bets in a game of roulette. It is important to remember that inside bets offer higher payouts but come with lower chances of scoring a win. It is the opposite with outside bets. Split, Straight Up, Corner, Six or Trio are considered as inside bets, while Odd/Even, Red/Black, Column or Dozen are considered to be outside bets. Aside from the standard inside/outside division of bets, certain establishments will allow neighbor bets at certain roulette tables.
Neighbor Bets in Roulette
Since neighbor bets are related to the European version of roulette exclusively, let’s get to know the European (French) wheel first. The layout of the numbers is different from the American layout, which allows such additional wagers as the neighbor bets, or call bets (section bets). The European wheel has 37 pockets. These pockets, or sections, are either black or red while the pocket labeled with 0 is colored green.
Since the wheel can be divided into three sections, you’re allowed to place bets on them. The sections are appropriately called Voisins du zero, Orphelins and Tier du cylinder. The most famous neighbor bet is the Voisins du zero bet. This bet consists of a 9-chip wager across 8 numbers on the each side of the 0 pocket. Other than the celebrated Voisins du zero bet, the common neighbor bets can be flexible, but normally include 5 numbers. As a player, you have to choose one number on the wheel and when you place a neighbor bet on it, the wager will include that number and two others on each side of it. For example, if you choose the number 12 and you wish to place a neighbor bet of $5 on it, the wager will actually include numbers 28, 7, 12, 35 and 3 and a total bet for one spin will have to be $25.
The neighbor bet can be seen as a ‘five in one’ wager. Basically, it gets broken down into fifths, each corresponding to one number of the five included. In other words, you’ll be placing five straight up bets at the same time on five adjacent numbers. At this point, players should be mindful of the table limits, specifically the minimums. The minimum in the case of a neighbor bet is applied on individual number, so if you wish to place a minimum bet multiply it with five and you’ve got your wager amount.
Useful Things to Know About the Neighbor Bets
First of all, the neighbor bets can only be played at European and French roulette tables which means the house edge will be much more favorable than what is offered in American roulette versions. The European wheel carries a house advantage of 2.6% -2.7%, and the odds on the neighbor bet are 35:1. Still, your return will depend on the number that comes in and the number of ‘neighbors’ you’ve included in the wager.
People who are always paying attention to ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ zones of the wheel tend to be quite fond of the neighbor bet, as it allows them to achieve a decent coverage under a reasonable risk. If you really want to make the best out of the neighbor bets, try out Premier Roulette or Premier Roulette Diamond versions. By opting for these particular variants, you’ll be able to enjoy greater flexibility around placing call bets with ‘neighbor’ numbers in the sense that you can choose how many neighbors you want to stick to your selected number.
Now that you have better understanding of these interesting bets in roulette, you should pay a visit to your favorite casino and try them out. Out of all the betting possibilities available in the many variants of roulette, the neighbor bet adds a unique dimension to the roulette experience. Give it a go, try out different combinations of numbers and have fun achieving its fullest potential.
