Dear Mark, I have played roulette
for over 30 years and know the rules of the game quite well, thank you. Yet, something
interesting happened on a recent casino visit that I have never seen before. Normally
I play the same numbers, including splits like the 0 and 00. Because I was sitting
at the far end of the table, I properly placed my wager for the 0/00 split
on the line between the 2ND and 3RD section of 12. On the first spin, 00 came
up and the dealer refused to pay me. The dealer, along with her supervisor,
stated they do not take wagers on that line, and that the bet must be placed on
the line between the 0 and 00. I have played in many casinos for many years
and have never heard of such a thing. Have you? Mary M.
The quick answer
is that the next time when distance prevents you from placing a split bet on the
0/00, just ask the dealer to kindly place it there for you. But, Mary, like
you, I have never heard of not being able to make a 0/00 split where you positioned
it. I was hoping your letter you would have included the name of the casino,
or the gaming jurisdiction where you were playing, so I could have followed up
further on your question.
A
split bet is a two number wager that allows you to cover two numbers with
one bet. If either of these two numbers appears, you are paid 17 to one. For
example, $10 split between numbers 0 and 00 gets you $180 ($170 plus your original
$10) if either 0 or 00 appears.
Since
Mary was not within reach to physically split the 0 and 00, as a courtesy most
casinos (now we know not all) will accept a split of these two numbers by placing
your wager on the line between the Second and Third Dozen Box. But even if the
wager where Mary placed it wasn’t permitted, a simple, tactful decision
by the pit boss explaining correct bet placement, and then paying her anyway would
have been how Yours Truly would have handled it.
By the way, Mary, with
30 years under your belt, I will not challenge your
knowledge regarding the rules
of the game. I will recommend that you
find a casino that offers a European roulette wheel
that does not include the 00. Because there are
only 37 numbers with the European version
compared to 38 on the standard American roulette
layout, the true odds of hitting you number are
reduced to one in 37, with the house still paying
you 35 to one. This reduces the house edge to 2.63%
versus 5.36% on a 0/00 table.
