Monopoly Roulette Hot Properties
Monopoly is one of the true classics in the board gaming world. Sure, some players dismiss it as an out-of-date concept when compared to modern tabletop games, but it has been popular for nearly a century now and shows no signs of going away soon. Similarly, roulette has thrilled casino audiences for hundreds of years, and seems likely to be played, whether for real cash or as a free online roulette game, in virtually every resort in the world for many generations to come.
So what happens when you fit these two beloved classics and mash them together? The result is Monopoly Roulette Hot Properties, an online casino creation of Williams Interactive. For the most part, it’s a standard interpretation of roulette. But there’s one extra space on this wheel, one that offers you a chance to play a bonus game.
The Basics
As we said, Monopoly Roulette Hot Properties is in most ways just another form of roulette, so we’ll first explain the basics of that game before moving on to what makes this particular variety unique. The game is played with a ball that is spun around a wheel that is divided into a number of different sections, or pockets. In this case, there are 38 pockets: 36 representing the numbers 1 through 36 (evenly divided in color between red and black), one representing the zero, and the Hot Properties pocket, which we will deal with after going over the standard bets.
On each round of betting, you will be allowed to place bets on a large layout that includes all of the individual numbers, as well as other places for bets that cover larger sections of the wheel. Once you’ve made your bets, you can hit the spin button to start the wheel. Once the ball lands in a pocket, the losing bets are removed from the table, and the winning bets are paid out.
There are a great number of different bets that can be made on each spin, each of which pays out differently if you win. The following list of wager types covers all of the standard bets, which are further divided into inside and outside bets, based on where they are located on the betting layout. Let’s take a look at all of the possible bets:
- Straight: A bet on a single number, made by placing a bet directly on that number. This bet offers odds of 35-1.
- Split: A bet on two numbers, made by placing a bet between those numbers on the layout. This bet pays out at 17-1.
- Street: A bet on a row of three numbers, made by placing chips on the side of the row. If any of those numbers win, it pays out at 11-1.
- Corner: A bet on a block of four numbers, made by placing chips at the center of the “square.” If any of the four numbers are chosen, you win at 8-1 odds.
- Six Line: A bet on two rows, coving six numbers in total. Should any of those numbers win, this pays 5-1.
- Columns: These bets cover a full column of 12 numbers. If any of these numbers are spun, the bet pays 2-1 odds.
- Dozens: These bets cover a dozen numbers sequentially (for instance, 1-12 or 13-24). Like the columns, these pay 2-1 odds when they win.
- Odd/Even: These bets win if any of the appropriate numbers are picked, and pay even money.
- Red/Black: These bets win if the ball lands in any pocket of the appropriate color, and pay even money.
- 1-18/19-36: These bets win if the ball lands on any number in the range, and pay even money.
This game also offers the classic French bets in a “racetrack” betting layout. If you’re a veteran roulette player, bets like the tiers, voisins, and orphelins can be made from this menu, offering a few options for covering sections of the wheel rather than sections of the standard layout.
Take Your Best Offer
While all of the above information could apply to any version of this game, Monopoly Roulette Hot Properties also has a special “Hot Properties” pocket on the wheel, as well as a space to bet on this pocket on the layout. Like any other bet, this one pays out only if the ball lands in the associated pocket (which, incidentally, is colored yellow).
When this happens, you’ll be transported into the Hot Properties bonus game. This is essentially a version of Deal or No Deal, with 18 cards that each feature a different Monopoly property and a range of prize values, which you can see before the game begins. After that, the cards will be randomized and turned face down.
You’ll now have to reveal five of these cards (you can also hit a quick pick button in order to speed up the process). As the cards and prizes are revealed, you will be removing those prizes from consideration. After you make your choices, you’ll then be made an offer – a prize amount you can take immediately to end the game. If you choose to reject this offer, you’ll again have to eliminate five cards, after which another offer is presented.
Should you reject again, you’ll then go through two more rounds, each of which will have you pick three more cards. After each, a new offer based on the remaining cards will be presented, which you can take or reject. If you make it to the final two cards and do not want to take the last offer, you’ll pick one card to reveal, removing it from play, and you’ll win whatever prize is on the final property.
Essentially American
When it comes to comparing this to a standard roulette game, the best comparison is with the American, double-zero version. That’s because the Hot Properties button works as a second zero on normal bets. As a result, virtually every “standard” bet on the wheel has the same house edge of 5.26%, or exactly the odds you would find on American roulette tables.
That only leaves the question of the house edge on the Hot Properties option, and unfortunately, we don’t have data to suggest what that might be. However, based on the payouts that we’ve seen in some sample bonus rounds, we suspect that the house edge may actually be a bit lower than on other bets, perhaps in the range of 2%.
This calculation assumes that you take the final (essentially random) prize that is awarded to you after playing through all the rounds. If you take one of the banker offers, which tend to be less than the average of all remaining prizes, then the house edge on this bet increases somewhat, though we’re not certain exactly by how much. Thus, we have to recommend simply taking the final card you are dealt, unless the money you stand to win is so much that you feel you can’t risk it, in which case we can’t fault anyone for taking that offer.
Two Classics in One
Monopoly Roulette Hot Properties doesn’t include any major changes when compared to a more typical wheel, but the inclusion of the bonus round does shake things up a bit. That, along with the use of fonts and art from the classic board game, will likely strongly appeal to Monopoly fans, while those who are accustomed to American two-zero games should see no disadvantage playing here.
The only people who might want to avoid this game are those who are happy with standard European wheels that have just the single zero, as those will offer better odds. But if you’re looking for fun over the best possible return to player, or just want a change of pace in your play, then this creative game is well worth a look.
