Is Spinning the Roulette Ball Easy? You Just Chuck It Around the Wheel… Don’t You? Roulette & Fun Casino Hire London
Think spinning a roulette ball is easy?
Discover the real skill behind roulette from a professional croupier with decades of experience.
Most people watching a roulette game think exactly the same thing, “Surely the dealer just spins the wheel and throws the ball around?” After decades in real casinos and running Mock Vegas fun casino hire across London and the South East, I can confidently tell you absolutely not! In fact spinning a roulette ball properly is a genuine skill. It’s only one aspect in the two weeks of full time roulette training needed to deal in a real casino, and even more time to perfect.
At corporate events and private parties we are often asked “Can I have a go at spinning the ball?” and that sounds simple enough until it’s explained what’s actually involved. A professional roulette spin is NOT spinning the wheel wildly, as fast as possible, throwing the ball as hard as possible and hoping for the best. It is actually about timing, consistency, wheel speed and technique. The casino grade roulette balls used in Mock Vegas fun casinos are not cheap. Professional roulette balls are perfectly spherical and made from a slippery specialist material. They are designed for long, smooth spins and do not damage the wheel rim as something like a marble would do. Because roulette balls are small, slippery and usually used in dimly lit party venues when one does escape it can disappear never to be seen again.
The secret to a good roulette spin is a bit technical. The wheel speed matters - too slow and players may predict where the ball could land more easily. Too fast and the ball just smashes around the wheel like a tennis ball in a tumble dryer. It can even bounce out of the wheel, fling across the room and vanish under a table (or worse… more on that shortly).
The roulette wheel and ball always spin in opposite directions and qualify as a spin the ball must travel around the wheel at least four times. The hardest part is launching the ball. This is the skill most people completely underestimate. A professional croupier will hold the ball between the thumb and middle finger, places it into the rim and flicks it with that middle finger. But that’s not all – they have to be able to do that with either hand, in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions whilst feeling under pressure if it’s a busy game or there is a big punter playing on the table.
“No Spin!” — When Things Go Wrong
Even professional croupiers can make mistakes. Fingers can get in a muddle and the ball is dropped instead of launched. If the wheel is going too fast the ball can escape the wheel and go flying down the betting layout. I’ve seen the ball go straight down a lady’s cleavage on more than one occasion and another time it landed perfectly inside a gentleman’s spectacles between his eye and the lens - nobody was hurt and everybody saw the funny side of such a freak accident.
Spinning the ball is only a small part of a roulette dealer’s job. They need to do complex mental arithmetic under pressure, know their picture bets, neighbour bets and the sections of the wheel - Voisins de Zero, the Orphans and Tier.
At a Mock Vegas fun casino, the spinning technique is exactly the same as in a real casino. That’s why we only use professional croupiers with real casino experience. The difference is the atmosphere is relaxed because the croupiers are very confident in their role. Guests can ask questions, the dealers can interact and explain the games. It’s authentic casino entertainment without the pressure of real gambling.
The biggest danger to stopping the fun are drinks near the roulette wheel and on the tables. In real casinos players don’t lean over wheels holding a prosecco, but at parties this can happen feequently.
So the answer to that BIG question - “Can I have a go at spinning the ball?”
The answer is….sometimes.
If the room is quiet and we can retrieve a lost ball easily and any game won’t be disrupted we’re happy to let guests try. But in crowded venues with many feet to inadvertently kick a tiny ball around, where it might be a dark room, it may not be practical. It could hold up the game while a ball hunt is carried out.
We may make it look easy but that’s because we’re professionals! After decades spinning roulette wheels and balls in real casinos, at corporate events, private parties, weddings, in fun casino nights across London and the South East, I can assure you there’s far more skill involved than most people realise.
This is exactly why professional croupiers matter. When you hire a Mock Vegas fun casino your roulette is authentic, your blackjack runs smoothly, your guests are properly entertained. Your croupiers are confident in their role and therefore free to do what they do best - creating a brilliant atmosphere.
Curious about a Fun Casino Night?
If you’re looking for:
Fun casino hire in London and southern counties
Corporate casino entertainment in the South East
Mock Vegas can help.
Call 0800 612 7737 or contact us via this website for a quick quote. We just need to know the date you have in mind, which town your venue will be in and how many guests you wish to entertain.
