Fortuna Specialty Games

If there’s one thing we know about InBet, it’s that the online casino software provider will never get tired of creating new twists on the old roulette formula. Their Bingo 37 games take the classic wheel game and turn it into one decided by a drawing of balls, just like you’d see in a typical bingo hall.

But InBet wasn’t content to stop there. Their game Fortuna is also – you guessed it – a reimagined version of roulette, in which players are still trying to predict which number will be determined at random. Only this time, the wheel is back…if not in exactly the way you might imagine.

Round and Round It Goes

Fortuna is essentially a simplified version of roulette that can be enjoyed at any casino that utilized the InBet software. The game is based on traditional gameplay, but uses a “big wheel” style spinner rather than the traditional wheel with pockets in order to determine the results of each round.

Like many games from this company, the designers did a great job here in making sure that the interface was clear and simple, containing all the information a player might need without getting to the point of feeling cluttered. On the left side of the display, you’ll see the spinner, where the winning numbers will be determined. To the left, there’s a history of recent results that you can peruse if you like to look for patterns during play. And to the right, you’ll see the betting area, where all of your wagering options are presented. The bottoms of the screen features the user interface, where you can set the size of each chip, repeat previous bets, clear your current board, or make other adjustments.

Fortuna runs on a scheduled basis. Before each round, there is a two-minute betting period, though bets are only taken until 15 seconds before a spin is held (this is done to protect against any potential fraud or cheating, as unlikely as that might be). The wheel is then spun, starting the one-minute “play” period. After the spinner comes to a stop, the winning number is the one that will appear at the top of the wheel; the number will also appear in the center of the spinner to make the result a bit more clear. After this, your winning bets will be paid out, and you can review the results, and the process will start again with another betting period.

Fewer Options than the Original

Fortuna uses a simplified betting system that is based on roulette, but which offers fewer options to players. This is something that might make this a good introduction to the game for those who have never played before, but could also leave some veterans disappointed if their favorite wagers are impossible to make here.

For those who have never played before, the goal is to correctly predict what number will be spun on a large spinner. As on a roulette wheel, there are 37 possibilities: 1 through 36, as well as a zero. Half of the spots are painted red, with the other half painted black; the only exception is the zero, which is green.

Players have a variety of bets that they may make before each spin. These range from wagers on a single number to some that cover nearly half of the possibilities. Of course, some of these options pay out much better than others, based on their probabilities of occurring. As in most roulette-based titles, the bets here pay out fairly for a game that had only 36 possible numbers; the house edge comes from the fact that there are actual 37. The following is a list of the bets you can make during the game:

• Singles: You may bet on a single number at any time. You win if that number is the one selected. This bet pays out at odds of 35-1. This game also offers a random button that will randomly choose one number for you to place a bet on (just in case you don’t want to make that decision for yourself).
• Rows (Dozens): You can bet on three sets of numbers: 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36. If the winner is in that range, your bet pays out at 2-1 odds.
• Red/Black: These two bets cover all spots on the spinner that are painted in the appropriate color. If your color hits, you’ll be paid even money (1-1) on your wager.
• Even/Odd: These bets cover the numbers described: either all the odds, or all the evens. Note that zero does not count as being in either of these groups. If one of your numbers hits, then you’ll win even money.

A Solid Introduction for New Players

InBet may be trying to reinvent the wheel (no pun intended) when it comes to roulette, but most of their attempts are basically just standard versions of the game, reformatted to look a bit different and determine results in a non-standard way. But Fortuna is different. By offering fewer betting options, it simplifies things in a way that games like Bingo 37 do not.

Is that a good or a bad thing? The answer to that question probably depends on your perspective. If you already know and love standard roulette, then this probably isn’t the best option for you – taking away betting choices doesn’t really add anything to the gameplay. But for those who have always been intimidated by the complex layout at the roulette table, this could serve as a great way to introduce themselves to this all-time casino favorite.