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Shotwell Roulette System

Last updated: 01.03.2024 by Andrew Shepard

The Shotwell system we will review today has a rich history. It was first analysed by the Gambling Times Magazine almost 45 years ago, in 1978. Since then, it has been quite popular among players. It is one of the few strategies that was specifically created based on the American roulette wheels of land-based casinos.

The main idea behind this strategy was that all real wheels come with certain flaws. So, the question is can this method be used in online roulette games? Well, it absolutely can. But, that doesn’t mean it performs well. Let’s test the performance of the Shotwell roulette system.

Shotwell System: How it Works

The Shotwell system requires players to cover the roulette board by placing a six-line bet and four different straight-up bets. This allows players to evenly cover the numbers of the wheel that have the same distance. To do that, there are only a few number combinations you can use.

Let’s have a look at some commonly used combinations:

  • You place a six-line bet for 1-6 and straight-up bets on 8, 10, 20 and 26.
  • You place a six-line bet for 10-15 and straight-up bets on 16, 17, 18 and 28.
  • You place a six-line bet for 19-24 and straight-up bets on 1, 2, 4 and 26.

The illustrations below show how the bets of the first example look on both the roulette wheel and the felt:

american roulette wheelshotwell system

This is how you distribute the numbers evenly. When it comes to the stakes, you can choose your base unit in any way you need. The Shotwell system covers a total of 10 out of the 38 numbers of the American roulette wheel. In other words, you have a 26.3% winning chance. The payouts, of course, depend on your bet value.

Suppose you stake 5 units on the six-line bet and 1 unit on each straight-up bet. If the ball lands in your six-line bet, you end up gaining 21 units. For straight-up bets, this results in a 27 unit win.

Shotwell System: Putting the Method in Action for 5 Spins

Following the example we used above, we bet £5 on the six-line bet and £1 on each straight-up bet. Let’s have a look at a random 5-spin process:

  • Step 1

    We place our bets on the six-line (1-6) and the straight-up bets on 8, 10, 20, and 26. The ball sits on 32, resulting in a £9 loss.

  • Step 2

    We alter our six-line and straight-up bets. We wager £5 on 19-24 and £1 on 1, 2, 4, and 26. The ball stops on 9, resulting in another £9 loss.

  • Step 3

    We bet on the same numbers as we did before. But, this time, the ball sits on 20. We win the 6-line bet, which gives us £21. We are up for £3.

  • Step 4

    We stick to the same numbers. The ball lands on 28, which results in a £27 net gain. We are up for £30.

  • Step 5

    We keep the same bets. This time the ball lands on 25, which results in a £9 loss. After 5 consecutive rounds, we won a total of £21.

Testing the Shotwell System Long Term

As always, a 5-spin simulation can’t provide safe results. This is why we used the known payout ratios and probabilities of this system and generated a long-term simulation via Google Sheets. For this experiment, we created 2 fictional players. Each player started with a £1,000 bankroll and used the method for 1,000 rounds.

The only difference between the two graphs below, is the stake amounts. For the first attempt, both players staked £5 on the six-line and £1 on each straight-up. On the second graph, you can see the results for £10 six-line bet and £2 straight-up bets.

Putting the Shotwell System to the TestShotwell System to the Test

As expected, the second graph showcased bigger fluctuations because of the larger stakes. But, in both cases, one player ended up with a net gain and one ended up with a net loss. In the second graph, Player 2 lost his bankroll after 200 rounds.

Shotwell System: Downsides

The truth is that this method was created to take advantage of imperfections on a real roulette wheel. So, it can’t be actually effective for online roulette games, unless there’s a live dealer. Yet, it is important to understand that the distribution doesn’t actually affect our chances.

After all, the possibilities are always the same, no matter which combination we choose. If you add that relying on wheel imperfections hasn’t been an effective strategy for many people, you can’t really rely on this method whatsoever.

Wrap Up

The Shotwell system was initially developed to identify physical flaws on a roulette wheel. Since online wheels use random generators to operate, this automatically cancels the benefits that this method could provide. So, nowadays, the Shotwell strategy is mostly tailored to how you can place your bets. If you liked the strategic placement suggested from the Shotwell system, you can definitely experiment with different stake amounts and number combinations.

Your new strategy is waiting to be tested - play roulette for real!

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