Roulette, a glamorous and – dare we say it? – sexy game. Named after the French word for ‘little wheel’, countless gamers have been thrilled or devastated according to its whims. The click of the wheel, the whirl of the ball; playing roulette has a naughty Las Vegas type edge to it.

Roulette is, in essence, a game of chance. Pick a number, colour or sequence, place your bets, and see where it takes you. However, those in the know argue that this isn’t always the case. A roulette wheel can be played in the way a card game can, with skill, logic and thought. Read on for advice about how to increase your winnings, polish your reputation and earn respect around the wheel.

The first and most obvious tip is to pick the wheel you play with wisely. The first thing roulette beginners need to know is that there are two main types of wheel: European and American. Experts consider the European wheel more likely to help you win. European wheels have one less pocket than American ones (which have 38) and more crucially they have only one zero. American wheels carry an extra double zero, increasing a player’s chances of losing their money.

Another top tip: if you play roulette in a casino, compare its average pay-out rates with that of other casinos. Obviously, the play with the highest pay-out rates will net you the biggest win, and everyone will be happy especially your spouse/mother/bank manager.

Another expert tip is to focus your bets on the 50-50 options. Red-black, even-odd, high-low…you get the picture. The winnings will be inevitably much lower than single number bets but the chances of winning are much higher. And for heaven’s sake, don’t make frivolous bets based on your favourite numbers or dog’s birthday…whatever it may be.

It’s also important to examine the table before you begin to play for any sort of bias. Some may yield more black than red, or more even than odd, that sort of thing. Watch the spins before joining and try to pick up on any particular outcomes that keep cropping up; then bet accordingly.

If you start to lose at roulette, a possible but risky strategy is the Martingale System. This says that if you double the bet you place each time an eventual win will earn you back your money and a little more besides. This is obviously a bit of a dangerous strategy, and in no way should be attempted with more money than you can afford to lose. However, if you do win, this ensures you win your money back (probably best to stop there if you manage that or start again on a very small scale).

A slightly different, yet marginally safer theory is the D’Alembert System. This states that, beginning with one unit, you bet one more unit if you lose and one less if you win. So, say you bet £5 and win, you bet again with £4. Or if you lose, bet again with £6. Putting money aside if you win ensures you leave with something and betting again with more money means that you get your money back if you are successful.

However, the most important rule of roulette is knowing when to quit. As any expert will tell you, the risk of losing just isn’t worth it. If you feel you might get carried away, choose a table with a lower betting limit to check yourself. Don’t put your house keys, car, children or wife on the table; and definitely not that nice antique watch your Granddad gave you, that’s just crazy talk.