[bigwill]

I hear what you're both saying. But I wouldn't call beating roulette in the short term a legitimate strategy exactly because it only works in the short run--strategies are supposed to work for longer than that! The only legitimate value I can see is that if you actually enjoy the experience of playing roulette that it's worth paying for it. Anyone who's willing to buy volatility can win in the short term. Otherwise, stick to a game of skill and get some money on the table while you do it. If you're good you can get some vol. and some positive EV.