Roulette has been given a new twist, resulting in an exciting new spin on what is arguably the most well-known of all casino games. The Tropicana’s recent introduction of Double Ball Roulette was part of a “field test” required by the Nevada Gaming Commission before the game became more widely available.

This new take on roulette is similar to the classic game in enough ways that it is not intimidating. It’s the classic “American” (0-00) roulette game, but with two balls instead of one, new bets, different payouts, and a bonus: players can control when the balls are dropped onto the wheel using a remote control.

The optimal mix of known and unknown elements

The layout of this version of roulette isn’t all that different from the layout of traditional roulette, except for a side bet that wins if both balls land on the same number. This wager has a payout of 1,200 to 1. It happens about once every 38 spins, so it’s not a particularly uncommon occurrence. However, the game’s odds of picking that number when it hits are only one in 1,444.

Aside from the different layout, you will be able to tell that you are playing at a Double Ball Roulette table because of an interesting addition to the wheel itself. In this version of the game, instead of being spun by a dealer, the balls are shot with compressed air through a tube (see the photo below).

To release the balls, each player presses a button on a wireless remote that is passed around the table. This brand-new aspect of the game is fantastic in our opinion. We are open to trying anything that will make a table game more enjoyable for the players.

Both balls are placed in the gap at the top of the contraption on the left by the dealer. When a player presses the remote’s button, the balls are launched through the tube and into the ball track. It’s similar to the movie “Rollerball,” but without the hippie garb and bell bottoms.

Craps players stay at the table longer in anticipation of their next roll of the dice, and slot machine players wait longer for their turn to hit the button using this clever remote control, which also serves as a clever way to keep players at the table for longer. We’d love to show you the remote button device, but photographs are strictly prohibited in casinos. Ha, ha. That joke is never old. This Las Vegas blog does not follow the rules of society.

Even if the two-ball idea fails, we’d love to see these remote buttons on every roulette table in Las Vegas!

Because there are two balls, one might conclude that the chances of winning are doubled on any given spin. While this is correct, a closer examination of the payouts reveals that the casino is not giving up anything extra. For all the fun we’re having, it’s taking a little more of a commission. In traditional roulette, for example, a straight-up number win pays 35-to-1. A straight-up number pays 17-to-1 in Double Ball Roulette. (With two balls and two resulting numbers, the payout is roughly half.) So, by rounding down, the casino gets a little extra something in its payout.

In Double Ball Roulette, the house edge is 5.33 percent for a single number. It is 5.26 percent in traditional roulette. So, not much worse, and in traditional roulette, no bet pays 1,200-to-1. Check out Wizard of Odds for all the probabilities for this new game, as well as Double Ball Roulette for all the pay tables.

The Double Ball Jackpot appears unlikely, but it has hit nine times in the first 16 days of Double Ball Roulette’s operation at Tropicana. A single player won three times. On the same day. Oh, and two balls can fit in any of the wheel’s number “pockets.” A traditional roulette wheel is used in Double Ball Roulette.

It takes some experience to get good at some of the other bets and payouts. When you split two numbers, you get an 8-to-1 payout. Five to one is the payout for three numbers (a line), while three to one is the payout for four numbers (a corner bet). The payout for a bet on five numbers, known as the “first five,” is 5-to-2, while the payout for a bet on six numbers, known as the “line,” is 2-to-1.

Therefore, for a bet on red to be successful, both balls must end up on red numbers. Likewise, black. The payout for a split result is one for one. To adapt to there being two outcomes for each spin takes no more than a minute of your time. On the layout, the dealer will use two dollies (also known as markers), and an overhead video display will show both winning number combinations.

Increase the number of stimuli in your roulette game by a factor of two

The traditional casino game of roulette is given some fresh new features in Double Ball Roulette. Roulette has the potential to become repetitive at times, so this new twist is very welcome. Players who are dedicated to the game of roulette may choose to ignore the novelty of Double Ball Roulette due to the slightly higher house advantage on certain bets. On the other hand, this game variation is a lot of fun for recreational players, and we hope that it will soon be offered at other casinos in Las Vegas.

On the official website for Double Ball Roulette, you can find additional information about the game, as well as some tantalizing hints about the potential prizes that may be awarded in the future (imagine winning a jet ski at a roulette table; how awesome would that be?). This will differentiate this game from others that are played on tables.

If you get the chance to play Double Ball Roulette, be sure to share your thoughts with us afterward! And while you’re in the comments, please don’t hesitate to express your shock that we didn’t make a single “ball” pun throughout the entirety of this blog post. I am grateful to you for your comprehension.