Online roulette safe?

[ard]

Hi everyone,

For a few weeks I have been playing roulette at William Hill, only betting on the easy bets, such as red etc. I've been using a system that works very well offline. After starting, I made some nice winnings, but as I went further it started to go downhill. Long losing streaks started to get the best of my reserves, and these streaks started to occur more and more often. It really gave me the idea that maybe the computer (or operator) was onto me, and manipulated the results so that I would lose.

Since I played the same way for a couple of weeks at the same casino, I could imagine that people who monitor it recognize it. But an honest casino wouldn't use that information to make me lose, would it? Since I took care to select a casino with a virtual unblemished reputation (William Hill) I guess it would really be all random. But now I'm starting to think otherwise.

Can anyone ease my paranoid mind, or could even the supposedly reputable casinos bend the rules a little, in order to sabotage a system that a player is using?

[jpm]

I believe that Roulette is one of the easiest of the computerized games to manipulate, along with Keno & Slots. I don't usually play Roulette because of this very reason. I've experienced similar results at other online casinos, and wonder myself if it is being manipulated. Do you notice different results when you bet more or less per spin? I've seen that happen before. Been on a hot streak when I'm betting $1-2/hand, then I up the stakes and go cold, reduce them again and its hot again. Maybe coincidence, maybe not.

I've never heard anyone suggest this is the case at William Hill, but its certainly a possibility anywhere online. Unless you actually are watching the ball physically spinning in the wheel at a land based casino, then it could be quite easily rigged (of course it could be in the land based casino too, but less likely I think).

[ard]

JPM, what do you think -
would online multiplayer roulette be safer than playing solo?

[jpm]

Hard to say really. It would be just as easy to manipulate if the casino wanted to, but would be more obvious to a group of people that this was happening perhaps. It would need to be a more intelligent type of manipulation though to make it not look like its cheating, but then the casino could just throw a shill into the mix to make it look like someone is winning. Still a bit of a crap shoot really (pardon the pun, I couldn't resist!).

[gambler]

This is the very nature of randomness.
Some you win some you lose.
I have had games on BJ where my bank is virtually a straight line down, then others is a straight line up.
Others fluctuate up and down.
It is random, it is totally unpredictable, you will have good days you will have bad days.

[hip_hop]

Why would they? William Hill is a well established bricks and mortar organization with a reputation to protect. You play roulette. Even with a single zero wheel they have a very healthy advantage. Double zero? Fahgetaboutit! Whatever hair brained money management system you are playing it will not overcome the house advantage long term. Period. This has been mathematically proven. I will not go into it further here. If you are playing roulette at William Hill you are safe. Feel free to lose your money at about 5% all day long. Enjoy yourself if you can, just don't expect to make any money doing it.