Roulette is often considered to be one of the easier games to play in the casino. Unfortunately, with that label comes a host of players who think that means they don't need to pay attention at the table! This isn't exactly true, and those players are not employing the best of roulette strategies.Proper roulette strategies are not systems. A system is a methodology for betting which essentially gives you a set of rules to follow as you wager, supposedly (but not likely) altering the edge of the game, increasing the odds of winning. There are literally thousands of systems for roulette being sold around the world, but these should be ignored for the most part, and shouldn't be considered strategies. In general, systems are often faulty or pose potential risks that may not be obvious at first glance.Roulette strategies, as opposed to systems, offer methods by which to play, but simply as a guide, not as steadfast rules. Strategies do not claim to mathematically beat the house at all, they usually offer simpler advice on things like setting win and loss limits. As a smart gambler, one of the best roulette strategies you can employ is one that revolves around bankroll management. Take this example: a player starts with a bankroll of $100. To protect their investment they set a loss limit of $100, their entire session bankroll. This means if the player looses this money in the course of playing, they have set a personal rule to not return to the session after getting more money. The player also sets a win limit of $300, meaning if they manage to go $300 over their original bankroll they will stop playing, and limit the risk of losing those winnings in a downswing. This is as basic as roulette strategies get, but it is extremely effective, if you learn to follow your own rules.Slightly more advanced and protective forms of roulette strategies may involve something like a player starting with the same $100 bankroll, but limiting play to initial luck. This means they play through their $100 until they have either lost it all (same session loss limit) or won a predetermined amount. To keep things simple in this example, let's say the players predetermined amount is also $100. This means if the player wins $100 once they start playing, they will take their original $100 bankroll and put it in their pocket - they will then only be playing with their winnings. The player may choose to set a wins limit on their newly acquired bankroll, but the beauty of the strategy is that they have basically set a loss limit of zero. Once you pocket your original bankroll, even if you lose all you're playing with, you've lost nothing at all.

So now that you have set your session start amount and you have decided on a betting system, you are ready to start thinking about setting goals and the action you will take when you reach those goals. Determine Your First Goal
Deciding on what your first goal should be for a session is a little like deciding how much you will bet on each spin. The higher your goal is, the higher your risk is, primarily because the higher a goal is the longer it may take to achieve. And once again, the longer you are exposed to the game, the more likely it is that the house will get your money. Therefore, if you have a $100 session start amount and your bet start amount is $5 then setting a goal to double your money is not practical. A goal of 10-30% is achievable, however. Don't worry if this doesn't sound like a lot, we are not done yet. Determine Your First Goal Action
Next you need to decide what you will do when you reach your goal. There are two basic choices. The first is the simplest. You take your money and leave the table! This is the least risky thing to do and will ensure you keep everything you won. Now some of you are probably saying, stop after winning only $30? You must be kidding. Let's go back to our investment analogy. A broker tells you he has a great deal. He only needs your investment for half and hour or so and you will gain 30%. Will you take that or will you tell him your not interested unless you will gain 50-100%. I think you will most likely take the thirty. The second choice you have after reaching a goal is to pocket some of the money and continue to play. After all, if you feel you are on a winning streak, you don't want to stop. By pocketing, we mean take the money out of play for the session. Set it aside and don't touch it again. On your first goal, you should always pocket at least the entire start amount. This protects your initial investment and allows you to use it again at another session. You should also pocket some portion of your winnings as well. Recurring Goals
If you decide you want to continue to play, there are three more decisions you will need to make:

• What will your next goal be
  
• How much will you pocket when you reach the goal
• How will you adjust your betting system

• Set new goals by a fixed amount
  When you reach a goal, add a fixed amount to the total bank amount to set the new goal. For instance, you could set a new goal that is $20 greater every time you reach a goal.
  
• Set new goals by an increasing amount
  When you reach a goal, add an increasingly larger amount. So, on a first goal, you might add $20. When that goal is reached you might add $40 and then $60 and so on.

1. As per normal poker rules - playing and betting proceeds in a clockwise direction.

2. All Players must first ante before they receive their initial cards, except the $0.50/$1 game which has no ante.

3. There are five betting rounds in a complete game of Seven-Card Stud, not including the ante.

4. On the first round of betting, the Player with the lowest value door card "brings-in" and starts the betting - equal to at least half the minimum bet for the game. In proceeding rounds, the Player with the highest hand initiates the betting. If hands tie, the Player to the left of the dealer acts first.

5. Betting increments in the game determine the bets. In a game of $2 and $4 betting increments, the first two rounds of betting and raising are set at the lower level of $2, the other three rounds of betting and raising are set at the higher level of $4.

6. The exception to this rule is if any Player displays a pair with their 2 face-up cards on 4th Street. In this circumstance, all Players have the option to bet either the lower limit or the higher limit. If a Player bets the higher limit, then all subsequent raises must be made at the higher limit.

7. The maximum allowable number of bets per Player during any betting round is four. This includes a (1) bet, (2) raise, (3) re-raise, and (4) cap. The term cap is used to describe the 3rd raise in a round since betting is then capped and can't be raised further. Once capped, Players will have only the option of calling or folding.

8. In betting rounds where Players have folded, the first active Player left of the Disc/Dealer is first to act.