Astro Roulette

Once upon a time, astrology ruled the lives of many people, providing portents of events yet to come and helping nobles and commoners alike make decisions about their day-to-day lives. Today, few people take the practice quite that seriously, but it would be a mistake to say that astrology has disappeared from our lives. Whether they read their daily horoscopes for a little entertainment value or consult charts to help understand or predict what is coming in their lives, countless people still pay at least some attention to the signs that come from the stars above.

Astrology is also the basis for Astro Roulette, an online casino game that is based on the more familiar versions of this very popular casino game. You’ll still be spinning wheels and placing bets on the outcome here, hoping that fortune smiles down on you and puts the ball right where you need it. But the familiar numbers and colors are long gone, being replaced by a new set of symbols based on the astrological signs we all learned at some point in our lives.

The Age of Aquarius (or Libra, or Pisces…)

At first, the marriage of astrology and roulette might not seem to make much sense. But surprisingly, the combination works better than you might expect. The two fit together well enough to make a completely coherent game that’s easy to play and can be picked up instantly either by roulette veterans or those new to the game.

In terms of comparing it to the original forms of the table game, Astro Roulette is closer to European than American tables. This is the equivalent of a single-zero table, conferring the benefits of better odds onto players.

What’s different is the fact that there are (obviously) only 12 signs, and 37 spaces to fill on the wheel. One of these pockets belongs to the “infinity” symbol, which acts as the equivalent of this game’s zero. The other 36 are evenly split between the 12 astrological signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. Three pockets are devoted to each of these signs; there is no way to bet on a single individual pocket result, other than by betting on the infinity space.

The object of the game, as is standard in roulette, is to predict where the ball will land on the next spin. You can choose to do so in a number of ways, all of which offer differing odds depending on your chances of winning. In this game, you can make any combination of bets you like, as long as you meet the minimum for each wager (and do not exceed any table maximums).

While the unique format doesn’t offer exactly the same options as a standard roulette table, most of the bets offered are pretty familiar. The following is a complete list of the options presented to you, in order of the odds they offer. We’ve borrowed names for many bets from the original version of the game for the sake of simplicity, though the mechanics of these options is often different. Here’s the complete menu of betting options:

• Infinity: This covers only the one pocket associated with the infinity symbol, paying out at 35-1.
• Straight:  This covers any one sign of your choice, paying out at 11-1 odds.
• Split: This bet can cover any two adjoining signs. If the ball lands on either, you win at 5-1 odds.
• Basket:  This wager covers the infinity and two other signs. If any of these results wins, you will be paid 4-1 on your money.
• Seasons:  These bets – Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter – cover three signs each, and pay out at 3-1 should you win.
• Elements: These Fire, Earth, Air and Water bets again cover an assortment of three signs, and pays 3-1 if any of them win.
• Rows: Each of these bets covers four signs, paying out at 2-1.
• Positive/Negative: Each of these covers six of the zodiac symbols; hit any one of them, and you’ll win at even money.

Gameplay is handled simply and easily. You can choose from a number of different chip denominations, then place your bets on any of the many betting areas available on the layout. If you make any mistakes or want to change your tactics, buttons allow you to clear either one or all of your bets instantly. If you’ve forgotten about the odds on any of the options, simply hover over that part of the layout and they will be presented to you graphically. Finally, when you’re ready to go, just hit the spin button and the action will begin. Once the ball falls into its final resting place, winning bets will be paid out, losing wagers collected, and you can start again at your leisure.

Little Strategy to Consider, But Avoid This One Spot

Remember when we said that this game is very much like European Roulette? That’s true in a number of ways, most notably that almost all bets pay out fairly for a wheel that had 36 slots. It’s the 37th pocket that gives the casino an advantage, albeit a small one: the house edge is just 2.70%, equivalent to what you would get on any European table.

The one exception comes in the basket bet that we talked about above. Because it covers seven spots on the wheel, but pays out at 4-1 odds, it doesn’t quite live up to your other options (mathematically, it would be “fair” if there were only 35 spaces). This is similar to the same bet you can make on an American table (which should also be avoided). For those who are curious, the house edge is just over 5.4%, or exactly double that of everything else on the table. Make any other bet you want according to superstition, whim, or the kind of play you enjoy, but the basket is to be avoided.

A Fun Take on a Classic

After a while, every roulette game can start to look exactly the same, regardless of whether you play for real money or one of the many free online roulette game options available. But Astro Roulette is very different, both in its presentation and its structure. While the core gameplay is familiar, it truly feels like a unique offering with a mystic feel. The wheel itself looks mysterious, and the new age music that accompanies the game definitely helps the mood.

This game is essentially identical to Chinese Roulette, only with a different set of zodiac symbols on the wheel. Overall, we probably prefer the aesthetics of the Chinese version a bit, if only because looking at animals is a bit more intuitive than the astrology symbols. But if this is a theme that speaks to you, this game is as good as any other roulette options out there, and one that is certainly fun to play.