'We Are All Inclined to Look for Patterns Where None Exist': Andrew Shepard on Common Myths About Roulette Strategies

For decades, roulette has been surrounded by myths about “secret systems” supposedly capable of guaranteeing steady winnings. Despite the development of the industry and easy access to information, many players continue to believe in these myths. That is why in this interview we spoke with Andrew Shepard, Head of Product at Roulette77, a project originally created as an educational platform where strategies are not viewed as a path to guaranteed income but as a tool for understanding mathematics and the discipline of play. In this conversation, we discussed the most common player misconceptions, the role of strategies in responsible gambling, and how educational tools help debunk the myth of beating roulette.

Andrew, Many Players Still Believe That “Secret Systems” Exist to Guarantee Winnings. Why, in Your View, is This Myth so Persistent?

I think this myth has lasted so long for two reasons. The first is human psychology. We are all inclined to look for patterns where none exist. When a player sees several reds in a row, it feels like “black is bound to appear.” Logically, this is false, but emotionally it seems convincing. There is also another important factor — marketing. On forums and social networks, it is common to find people selling strategies as the “secret to success.” For beginners, this sounds highly persuasive: the rules are simple, the promises are big, and examples of winnings can be selectively shown. This fuels the illusion that somewhere there exists a system that bypasses mathematics. In practice, of course, no strategy can eliminate the built-in house edge. But the myth survives because it is convenient: it gives the player hope of controlling randomness. And as long as there is a desire for this feeling of control, legends about “secret schemes” will continue to exist.

How Do You Explain in Simple Terms That No Strategy Can Change the Mathematical Advantage of the Casino?

When we talk about roulette, it is important to remember one simple thing: every spin of the wheel has the same probability and does not depend on previous results. The wheel does not “remember” what came before. If you are playing European roulette, the chance of any specific number appearing is always 1 in 37, and no sequence of bets can change that fact.

The house edge is built directly into the payouts. The casino pays less for a win than the “fair” probability would suggest. For example, a straight-up bet has an actual chance of 1 in 37, but the payout is 35 to 1. That difference is the house edge. Strategies can change the pace of play, the size of bets, even the feeling of control, but they do not alter the fundamentals: probability is always on the side of the casino.

At Roulette77, we try to make this as transparent as possible. Strategies are presented not as the key to success but as a tool you can explore, examine results and testing graphs, and see for yourself that in the long run they do not fundamentally change the balance.

Do You Have a Favorite Example of a Popular Player Misconception?

Yes, I have two such examples that come up most often. The first is belief in so-called streaks, which I already mentioned above. Players see several reds in a row and decide that “black must come next.” At first glance, the logic seems clear, but in reality this is a typical example of the gambler’s fallacy. The wheel has no memory, and the probability of black remains the same as before — about 48.6% in European roulette. But psychologically, people find it difficult to accept randomness as an independent process, and that is why this myth has survived for decades.

The second example is the Martingale system. It seems very convincing: after each loss, you double your bet, and sooner or later the win will cover all previous losses. The problem is that this only works in the short term. In reality, a limited bankroll and table limits make the system vulnerable. Even a streak of 7–8 losing spins in a row can wipe out a player’s entire balance.

Why do I highlight these two misconceptions? Because they show how easy it is for a player to confuse the “feeling of control” with actual control. Both streaks and doubling create an illusion of predictability but do not change the mathematics. At Roulette77 we always try to explain this not dryly, but through simulations: the player can see for themselves that after 500 or 1,000 spins, the system offers no guarantees and more often accelerates the path to limits. In my view, this is far more convincing than any theoretical explanation.

How Does Roulette77 Use Simulations and Calculators to Show Players the Real Effectiveness of Systems?

We started from the idea that explanations in words alone rarely convince anyone. A player is more likely to trust their own eyes than any theoretical reasoning. That is why at Roulette77 we focused on practice — strategy and roulette simulators. The simulator allows you to take any popular strategy and run it over hundreds or thousands of spins. The player sees the balance dynamics: where the strategy produces small winning streaks and where a sharp collapse occurs. This gives an honest picture, showing that a system may work locally, but in the long run the house edge always appears.

We also offer demo games where systems can be tested without risk of loss. This is especially useful for beginners. When someone tries it for themselves and sees the result, illusions fade much faster. All of this is part of the educational mission of Roulette77. We do not tell players “do not use strategies.” We say: “Try, test, see the result without risk.” This approach does not destroy interest in the game but redirects it toward a more conscious attitude.

Many Players Think: “If a Strategy Does Not Guarantee a Win, Then What is the Point of it?” What Do You Usually Answer Them?

This is one of the most common questions, and it is logical. When a player learns that a strategy cannot beat the mathematics of the casino, it may seem that there is no point in it. But in reality, strategies have another value: they help structure the game and control behavior. Take bankroll management, for example. A strategy gives the player rhythm — when to raise a bet, when to lower it, how much to allocate for a session. This reduces chaos and impulsiveness. Instead of playing “on emotions,” a person follows a pre-chosen system. For a responsible player, this is useful because discipline is the key to maintaining control.

And we should not forget the factor of engagement. Strategies add an element of experimentation: you can try different approaches and see how they work in practice. In this sense, a strategy is not a key to victory but a tool to make the gaming process more meaningful and interesting.

If You Sum it Up: What is the Value of Strategies for a Responsible Player, and How Does Roulette77 Communicate this Idea?

For a responsible player, a strategy is not a tool for guaranteed winnings but a way to give the game structure and awareness. It sets boundaries: how much to bet, how to respond to losses, when to stop. This is its real value. A strategy disciplines the player and reduces the influence of emotions, which are most often what lead to problematic behavior. This is also part of the nature of gambling. Without emotions, it would never be so popular.

At Roulette77 we constantly emphasize that all systems can only be considered in this way. There are no promises of “secret schemes” or “foolproof methods” on the site. On the contrary, we provide tools for testing: simulators, calculators, demo versions. The player sees the results and understands that a strategy does not cancel out the house edge. Our goal is not to discourage people from using strategies but to teach them how to use them properly. If a person treats a strategy as a textbook of discipline, they play more calmly, make more balanced decisions, and understand the limits of their bankroll. That is already a step toward responsible play.