Betting systems are popular in pretty much any form of gaming. After all, people like to believe that they can control the outcome of casino games by varying wager sizes. But for some reason, it seems as if betting systems are especially popular in the game of roulette.

Not only do players use established systems such as the Martingale, d'Alembert and Fibonacci, but they also enjoy making up their own betting strategies. So why is it that people formulate so many different systems when it comes to roulette? Let's attempt to answer this question by talking about the game itself.

No Difference

As many roulette players know, almost every bet carries the exact same house edge. For example, if you played European roulette, every wager has a 2.70% casino advantage. So it doesn't matter if you place a six-line or single number bet because casinos still have the same 2.70% long-term edge.

About the only time that you see a difference in the roulette house edge is with American or French roulette. In American roulette, there's a 5-number bet that carries a 7.69% casino edge, rather than the typical 5.26% edge. As for the French game, you can lower the house edge from 2.70% to 1.35% by placing even money bets.

Taking Control

Other than the instances we just discussed, the roulette house edge remains the same. Due to this lack of maneuvering that players use to lower the casino advantage, many people like to take control by changing their betting patterns instead.

The average system user strongly believes that varying their bets will change the game's outcome. Some players even go as far as to create their own systems that rely on complicated mathematics. But do these betting strategies ultimately affect the house edge?

The unfortunate truth is that no roulette system has ever truly been proven to beat the house edge. Sure you can capitalize on hot streaks while using a system, but when focusing on the long-term, you're not going to sway the edge in your favor.

Even with this being said, you might want to try a roulette betting strategy if you're bored with making the same bets every time. Sure it's not going to change the long-term chances of making money, but it could add a new wrinkle to your roulette experience and spice up the game.