What happens when you spin a roulette wheel every day for an entire year?
Otto Bergstrom (author of https://rouletteuk.co.uk/online-roulette/) and his team at RouletteUK decided to find out. Here’s his story:
Over the course of 365 days, we logged 100 spins per day on a European single-zero wheel, totalling 36,500 spins. Alongside the raw outcomes, we tested popular betting strategies—including the infamous Martingale—to see how they would fare in realistic conditions.
The results? Fascinating, occasionally brutal, and a masterclass in how the house edge always finds a way.
The big picture: 36,500 spins later
After a full year of simulated play, here’s what emerged:
- Most frequent numbers:
- 14 → 1,053 hits (2.885%)
- 0 → 1,046 hits (2.866%)
- 35 → 1,038 hits (2.844%)
- 12, 26, 24, 34, 18, 20, and 1 rounded out the top 10.
- Expected hits per number: ~986.5
- “Hot” numbers: Yes, but nothing outside statistical noise. The hottest pocket (14) was only ~2.15 standard deviations above expectation. Interesting, not meaningful.
- Colour distribution:
- Red: 17,710
- Black: 17,744
- Green (0): 1,046
- Streaks:
- Longest red run: 13 spins
- Longest black run: 16 spins
- Longest same-number streak: 4 spins
Verdict: Roulette delivers streaks and outliers that feel significant, but over the long run, it reverts to expectation.
Strategies under the microscope
We tested four approaches across the 36,500 spins, each with £5 base units.
1. Flat Red (no La Partage)
- Stake: £5 on Red, every spin.
- Daily average: £-14.79
- Year total: £-5,400
- Worst day: £-130
- Best day: £+120
This strategy mirrors the maths: with a 2.70% house edge, expect to lose about £13.50 per 100 spins.
2. Flat Red (with La Partage)
- Same as above, but with the La Partage rule: half the stake returned when 0 hits.
- Daily average: £-7.63
- Year total: £-2,785
- Worst day: £-122.50
- Best day: £+122.50
La Partage halves the house edge on even-money bets (to 1.35%). If you must play, this is the least damaging way to do it.
3. Martingale (Red)
- Stake: £5 base, double after each loss, cap at £320, bankroll £1,000 per day.
- Daily average: £-31.14
- Year total: £-11,365
- Median day: £+225
- Worst day: £-1,000
At first glance, Martingale looks like a winner: 232 days ended in profit. But when a run of 8+ non-reds appears (and it did 134 times), the system crashes into table limits or bankroll collapse. Frequent small wins, occasional catastrophic losses—that’s the Martingale story.
4. Straight-Up 17
- Stake: £5 on number 17, every spin.
- Daily average: £-17.70
- Year total: £-6,460
- Worst day: £-500
- Best day: £+1,120
Fun when it hits, painful when it doesn’t. Variance is massive; expectation is unchanged.
Why Martingale always implodes
Starting at £5, the Martingale ladder climbs fast:
5 → 10 → 20 → 40 → 80 → 160 → 320
That’s just seven losses to reach table max. An eighth loss would demand £640, which most casinos block and most bankrolls can’t stomach.
Over 36,500 spins we saw:
- 134 runs of 8+ non-reds
- 58 runs of 9+
- 29 runs of 10+
In other words, catastrophic runs aren’t rare—they’re inevitable.
The “best” way to play (if you must)
There is no winning system for fair roulette. The house edge is built in. But if your aim is to maximise longevity and minimise losses:
- Play European (single-zero) wheels only.
- Favour La Partage or En Prison rules on even-money bets.
- Stick to flat stakes; avoid progressions like Martingale.
- Keep stakes small—ideally 1–2% of your session bankroll.
- Set a hard stop-loss and a modest stop-win.
- Never chase losses.
If we had to crown a “winner” from our year-long test, it’s flat even-money betting with La Partage. It doesn’t win—it just loses the slowest.
Hot numbers: Fun, not profitable
Yes, 14 and 0 ran hot. But chasing them won’t make you money in the long run. Roulette is designed so that every number has negative expectation, no matter how they cluster in short-term play.
Responsible play
Roulette is entertainment, not income. The maths guarantees the house wins over time. If you play:
- Treat it as a cost, like buying a cinema ticket.
- Set strict limits.
- Step away when the fun stops.
Need support? In the UK, contact BeGambleAware.org or call 0808 8020 133.
Final word
After 36,500 spins, the lesson is clear: Roulette can thrill, frustrate, and occasionally deliver fireworks. But whether you flat-bet, chase Martingale dreams, or ride a “lucky” number, the house edge grinds everything down.
If you value your bankroll, play for entertainment—and pick a La Partage table.
Please play responsibly. For more information and advice visit https://www.begambleaware.org
Content is not intended for an audience under 18 years of age
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