For centuries, online roulette table odds have been a controversial topic among gamblers worldwide. The belief has been that the house would always win – until a group of students and their professor proved otherwise. Each in their own pursuits of trialling their theories and strategies to identify flaws in the game, the professor’s attempts ultimately proved most lucrative.

The students who figured roulette out

Dubbed the Eudaemons, a group of physics graduates from the 1970s rallied together to prove that, contrary to popular belief, roulette is not an unbeatable game. By focusing on the wheel’s construction and dedicating months to developing a formula to predict where the ball would land, the students were well on their way to verifying their claims.

After that, they spent another two years developing a computerised system that would be used on the ground to calculate anticipated outcomes. With their system in hand, they used maths, statistics and the wheel’s construction to calculate the answer from their inputs.

But before long, the design of their system proved problematic and dangerous, leading to them calling it quits. Walking away with an impressive $10,000, their efforts proved that roulette isn’t as unbeatable as many believed. This prompted other brilliant minds to continue their exploration. 

Why it should be impossible to beat the house

Technically, it should be impossible to beat the house at roulette because of a mathematical proof based on the zero. Given that European casino roulette tables contain a zero, you’re paid at odds of 35-1, when in reality the odds are 36-1. This means that the house will always have the upper hand.

But Dr. Richard Jarecki found a way around this. 

Richard Jarecki’s system

German-born Jarecki was one of those rare, brilliant minds. After ultimately settling in New Jersey and obtaining his doctorate, he focused his attention on another area of interest – casinos and roulette tables.

Through observation and research, he noted that while cards and dice are regularly replaced, the wheel remained in place for years, which led to physical deterioration that affected the frequency with which certain numbers came up. To put his claim to the test, he manually recorded and analysed countless spins to better understand the impact of the dents, chips and scratches on the infamous wheel. Of course, his system wouldn’t apply to online roulette because there’s no physical wheel.

He then put his findings into practice and won several times. This raised eyebrows at some casinos and even had him temporarily suspended from a San Remo casino. Upon his return, he walked away $100,000 richer and prompted the casinos to regularly change their wheels in order to avoid financial ruin!

With his success at roulette being a hot topic, it’s no wonder that he drew crowds whenever he entered a casino. Scores of people would gather to witness “the master” in action. On the other hand, casino owners dreaded his presence, as they knew that it put them at a disadvantage because of his likelihood of winning at roulette.

Between 1964 and 1969 Jarecki accumulated enormous wealth playing roulette – in fact, it is estimated that he amassed some $1.25 million during that period. This was before he returned to New Jersey and pursued an even more lucrative career as a commodities broker.

Upon retiring, he moved to Manila and passed away in 2018 at the age of 86. Many would agree that Jarecki’s was indeed a life well lived!

Can it be done again?

Given Jarecki’s success and system, gamblers across the globe have questioned whether it could be repeated. After all, who wouldn’t want to beat the house and record their most lucrative win to date?

The short and sweet answer to this question is no. It’s highly unlikely that you’d be able to triumph over the house edge based on Jarecki’s theory. As the tale of the professor who figured roulette out was popularised and reported on, casinos made a point of setting their establishments in order by replacing their wheels regularly in addition to continuous inspection for defects or signs of wear and tear. 

Explore other exciting casino games online

While the chances of you striking it lucky at the roulette wheel in the same way Jarecki did are minimal, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t try your hand at other popular games. Whether you’re a novice or experienced player, you can take your pick from a selection of casino table games, live dealer games and themed online slots to suit your mood. Immerse yourself in the complete online casino experience when you register at The Phone Casino.