Although the roulette games state that they are random, the nature of the randomness can be far from what you would recognise, or indeed expect of a random game. And although the workings are highly guarded, many long term players believe that the odds that you see are not the odds that are paid. As an example, visual odds on many slot machines are not what the true odds are.

Rainbow Riches for example, occasionally displays certain reel combinations that are not possible on a winning spin, such as a pot of gold with a Leprechaun on the same reel, as it is not possible to achieve two features at the same time.

The roulette’s are also likely to have behavioural patterns in much the same way, where-by the random number generated from the server may generate a losing spin, which is then shown on the animation as any number without any bet placed upon it. Or in the case of a chip covering every number, the lowest value been paid.

The player is also likely been mislead in assuming that a random number between 0 and 36 is been selected. Always check the help files per game for some very brief details as to how they work, it is worth checking these at least once for every FOBT game that you play.

Both Coral and Ladbrokes roulette are made by the same company, Global Draw, which also operates as SG Gaming. Other betting shops operate different terminals, with many independent bookies using the same terminals as those that are operated by William Hill and Betfred, although the games often vary. These do however all feature the same roulette game, and it is likely to assume that the random number is been generated by the same source.

The traditional roulette games on all of these terminals appears the same, with the same layout and betting patters as you would expect to find in a regular, real world casino. These also have the same maximum betting options across all bookies, as the prize per spin is limited by law to £500.

The chips are mostly 20p, although lately there have been times of day, or certain variations offering 5p chips. These make for a friendlier, less intense playing experience.

William Hill and Betfred use the same animation per spin, and as you may know, the ball stops the opposite position as to where it started. Some people like this, some do not, but it does help reinforce the fact that the number has been pre-selected the moment you press bet, and anything that follows is just an animated sequence.

The same is true for the traditional roulette game in Ladbrokes and Coral, which shows various positions of the roulette wheel prior to the ball spinning. Again there is no player influence as to where the ball will land, as it is determined the moment the bet button is pressed.

The moment you press bet, the outcome is decided. Therefore, the timing of the bet will result in a different outcome i.e. pressing bet and 11:02 will result in a different outcome had you pressed bet at 11:03, or just a few seconds later. This is because the random number generator generates thousands of potential outcomes every second, with the selection only been displayed the moment the bet is confirmed.

Although there is no player influence over this (unless the servers get hacked), you shouldn’t feel disheartened if you see your numbers come up during someone else’s game, as it is unlikely you would have the same winning outcomes.

In summary, traditional bookies roulette is not the same as a real world casino’s version of the same game. Not only is the speed significantly increased, but the odds may not be what you expect.

Various types of bonus roulette are available to play online at Sky Casino.