Changing roulette balls is a safeguard that a casino will take to make sure the game can’t be beaten. If a wheel is used long enough, it will begin to favor certain numbers if the same equipment is used every time. Advantage players can watch, and document, which numbers become favorable, and bet those numbers to hit every time. They’ll win at a higher rate than a regular player and eventually beat the house for a big sum.

Changing the ball, or moving the wheels around the floor, are some ways to eliminate this type of advantage. The balls are a different size, making for a different outcome on that particular wheel. The wheel may start to favour certain numbers again, but they will be different than they were with the other ball. Advantage players won’t be able to track the favourable numbers when the balls get changed out regularly.