The Rules of Roulette & Types of Bets
Roulette is one of the oldest casino table games and also one of the easiest to play. As they are straightforward, you can pick up the rules of roulette in no time, meaning you're likely to be playing this traditional casino table game within minutes. Take some time to read our roulette rules & bets guide, and you'll have all the information you need to start spinning the wheels at a roulette table.
What is Roulette?
Walk onto the floor of any land-based casino and go to the table with the largest crowd around it. 80% of the time, that table will be hosting roulette. It is one of the most recognizable games at land-based casinos and is also among the most popular at online casinos. Essentially, the aim of the game is to bet on where you think the ball will land on the roulette wheel. You can place a range of bets ranging from single number bets, split bets, column bets, and even money bets, such as odd or even, red or black, or high or low.
How to Play Roulette?
As mentioned, you place your chips on the desired bets and wait as the dealer spins the roulette wheel and throws in the ball. The number, color, number range, and even if it is odd or even can determine the result of the bets and whether you walk away a winner.
The game is simple, but to fully understand how to play roulette, you need to know the core fundamentals. You need to understand the roulette wheel, the roulette table betting layout or overlay, and the different bets and their odds and payouts.
The Roulette Wheel
The most iconic element of roulette games is the roulette wheel. It contains various numbers of different colors, and which of the number pockets the ball ends up in will determine which players have one and which have lost their bets.
However, new players at a roulette table may not know there are actually three different roulette variations. Telling which of these variations you're playing will come from a quick look at the Roulette wheel and roulette table layout.
The different variations are European, French, and American Roulette. The first two have a lot of similarities, while the latter has the most differences. We will go into each in more detail later, but in terms of the roulette wheels, this is what you can expect:
- French/European Roulette Wheel: These variations have 37 numbered pockets ranging from 0 to 36. The numbers from 1 to 36 are black or red in sequence. The single zero is green.
- American Roulette Wheel: On the American version, there are 38 pockets. Again, the numbers from 0 to 36 are red or black. Rather than just a single zero, the American roulette wheel also features a double zero number.
The Roulette Table and Betting Rules
With a better understanding of the different roulette wheels in your arsenal, the next port of call regarding roulette rules is to understand the roulette table layout and betting options. First up, you should know that each table will have minimum and maximum bets limit. This is the minimum and maximum you're allowed to wager each round.
If you play roulette at a land-based casino, you will see the betting layout on the felted table in front of you. At an online casino, that layout is incorporated as an overlay on your screen. Both will look the same and contain the different positions you can place your bets.
You will notice a main grid of numbers and separate betting sections around the outside. The former contains the 'inside bets', and the latter is where you place any 'outside bets'. We will not go into too much detail about each, as you can find a more detailed explanation of them in our roulette odds, bets, and payouts guide.
Roulette Inside Bets
In short, inside bets involve single numbers or groups of numbers. You could place a single number bet, a split bet, a line bet, a street bet, a corner bet, a basket bet, or a combination of them all. Each of these roulette bets (when placed individually) will offer higher payouts and longer odds when compared to outside bets. That means you will win less frequently but enjoy larger payouts when they come your way.
The full list of inside bets you can use when playing roulette:
- Straight Up: Betting on a single number. If you win the bet, you receive a payout of 35:1.
- Split: Betting on two adjacent numbers. This pays 17:1 when you bet correctly.
- Street: Betting on a row of three numbers. This has a payout of 11:1.
- Corner (Square): Betting on a group of four numbers that form a square. A Corner Bet has a payout of 8:1.
- Six Line: Betting on two adjacent rows (six numbers in total). A win will give you a payout of 5:1.
Roulette Outside Bets
On the flip side, 'Outside Bets' offer much lower odds and payouts. You can place even money bets such as black or red, odd or even, or low or high. These are essentially 50/50 roulette bets that pay 1:1. Another option is dozen bets which pay 2:1. Sticking to these will ensure your bankroll ticks over nicely compared to inside bets but will not reward you with huge dividends after each win.
The full list of outside bets you can use when playing roulette:
- Red or Black: This involves betting on whether the ball will land on a red or black number. It will pay 1:1 if the bet comes in.
- Odd or Even: Betting on whether the ball will land on an odd or even number. This also pays 1:1 as it is essentially a 50/50 bet.
- Low (1-18) or High (19-36): This involves betting on whether the ball will land on a low or high number. Again, this pays 1;!.
- Dozen Bet: Betting on one of three groups of 12 numbers (1-12, 13-24, 25-36). The Dozen bet has a payout of 2:1.
- Column Bet: Betting on one of the three vertical columns of numbers. As you're covering one-third of the roulette wheel, this pays 2:1.
Which are the best roulette bets to use? The beauty of roulette is that there is no correct answer to which bets are the best. The bets you choose will depend on your playstyle, bankroll, and roulette strategy. If you prefer a safer playstyle or have a smaller bankroll, outside bets are probably your best bet.
Note: More information can be found in our "How to Play and Win at Roulette" guide.
Racetrack Betting Rules
If you play European or French Roulette, you may also notice a racetrack betting section. This is a layout of the numbers in the order they appear on the roulette wheel. This allows you to place bets covering certain sections of the wheel. Below, you will find information on some of the most common bets players will place using the racetrack.
- Voisins du Zéro (Neighbors of Zero): This is a bet that covers the numbers close to the zero on the roulette wheel. In total, it covers 17 numbers via a series of split bets and a few straight-up bets.
- Tiers du Cylindre (Thirds of the Wheel): Similarly, this bet covers a third of the wheel starting from the 27 and finishing on the 33. It involves placing 6 split bets and will give you a 45.9% of winning.
- Orphelins (Orphans): This involves all the numbers not yet seen in the above two bets. In fact, it is the reason it is called the Orphans bet. The bets will cover the 1-20-14-31-9 in one section of the wheel and the 17-34-6 in another.
- Neighbors Bets: This is a bet you can place on any section of the racetrack. it essentially means betting on a number and those closest to it (neighbors). For example, you could bet on the 5, 10, 23, 24, and 16.
A Glossary of Terms When Playing Roulette
Alongside understanding the rules of roulette, you will have to come to terms with the terminology of the game of roulette. Below, you will find many of the most common terms you will see and hear when playing roulette:
- Inside Bets: Wagers placed on specific numbers or small groups of numbers within the roulette layout.
- Outside Bets: Bets made on larger groups of numbers, such as colors, odd/even numbers, or high/low numbers.
- Straight Bet: A bet placed on a single number, a winning number offers the highest payout but the lowest odds of winning.
- Split Bet: Wager on two adjacent numbers on the layout, increasing odds slightly compared to a straight bet.
- Street Bet: This a term for betting on a row of three numbers.
- Corner Bet: Wager on a block of four numbers that form a square on the layout.
- Six Line Bet: Bet on two adjacent rows, covering six numbers in total.
- Column Bet: Betting on one of the three vertical columns of numbers on the layout.
- Dozen Bet: Wagering on a group of 12 numbers: 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36.
- Red/Black Bet: Placing a bet on either all red or all black numbers.
- Even/Odd Bet: Betting on all even or all odd numbers.
- High/Low Bet: Wagering on numbers either 1-18 (low) or 19-36 (high).
- Croupier: The dealer responsible for spinning the roulette wheel and managing the game.
- Wheel: The circular device containing numbered pockets where the ball lands after being spun.
- Ball: The small, white sphere spun around the wheel, eventually landing in a numbered pocket.
- House Edge: The statistical advantage the casino holds over players in the long run.
- En Prison: The En Prison rule is applied to even-money bets, where the player's wager remains "in prison" for the next spin if the ball lands on zero. If the subsequent spin wins, the player recovers the bet; otherwise, it's lost.
- La Partage: Similar to En Prison, this rule returns half of the even-money bet to the player if the ball lands on zero. It does not protect other losing bets.
- Voisins du Zéro: French for "neighbors of zero," referring to a series of numbers on the wheel close to zero.
- Orphelins: French for "orphans," denoting the numbers not covered by Voisins du Zéro or the Tiers du Cylindre bet.
- Tiers du Cylindre: Betting on a third of the wheel, roughly opposite to the Voisins du Zéro numbers.
How to Play Online Roulette - A Quick Step-by-Step Guide
For the most part, playing at an online roulette table is not much different from playing at a table in a land-based casino. As long as you stick to the standard variation of the roulette game, the roulette rules, house edge, and payouts will be the same.
Note: There are other online roulette games that offer something different from the standard variations. Some will offer random multipliers on straight-up bets (single number), some will have bonus rounds, and others may have unique qualities such as a second ball. In these cases, be sure to check the game's specific roulette rules, as the house edge, payouts, and other details may vary.
This is your step-by-step guide to playing roulette online:
- Use our online casino reviews to find the best online casinos offering a variety of roulette games.
- Complete the registration process at your chosen online casino. This should take no more than a few minutes. Take the time to consider the welcome bonus offered on the platform and then make your first deposit.
- Take a look through the table game and live casino lobbies to find a roulette game to play. Before you start, consider playing a demo version of roulette to hone your skills without risking real money. When ready, start playing for real money on your chosen roulette tables.
- Decide how much you want to bet on a wager and place your chips on the betting overlay accordingly. Consider outside bets, to begin with, before perhaps experimenting with inside bets sparingly.
- Wait to see if the ball lands in a pocket that gives you winning bets. Place more bets for the next spin and rinse and repeat.
Using Roulette Strategies - Can They Help You to Beat the House Edge?
We have a roulette strategy guide dedicated to this subject, so will not go into too much detail regarding all the different roulette strategies out there. There are tons of them around, and many will give you a structured betting system to follow. Some use a progressive system when placing even-money wagers that require you to increase or decrease your bets depending on the result of the previous even-money bets. For example, if your bet loses when using the Martingale roulette strategy, you're meant to double the size of the initial bet for the next spin. You continue to do this until you land a winning bet.
Other popular roulette strategies include the James Bond strategy, Fibonacci, Reverse Martingale, Labouchere, and Paroli.
The Different Roulette Game Variations
At land-based casinos, you will usually come across several variations of roulette. However, once you start playing roulette online, you will see there are so many other variations to play as well. Some offer additional balls, multipliers, bonus rounds, and more. Here, we look at the different options you have when you want to play roulette.
American Roulette
American Roulette is one of the most common variations you will find but also the worst in the opinion of most. This is because of the American roulette wheel that doubles the house advantage. On top of the single zero (0) pocket, this variation also has a double zero (00). Any time the ball lands on zero or double zero, most player bets are nullified as they're not even or odd, black or red, or are covered by many other bets placed on the roulette layout. With two zeros, you now have two sections which give the house its advantage. Therefore, the house edge of American Roulette is 5.25%.
European Roulette
As European Roulette has a single zero, the RTP is 2.70%, almost half that of American Roulette. Alongside French roulette, this variation has the lowest house edge of all roulette variations. Another difference is players can use call bets or announced bets to ensure faster and more exciting gameplay.
French Roulette
In terms of house edge, while French Roulette has the same overall house edge as European Roulette, there are a couple of additional rules, when activated, make it even better. The En Prison rule and La Partage, give insurance on even money bets that essentially half the house edge to 1.35%. Aside from those roulette rules, French Roulette, is identical to European Roulette.
Online Roulette Variations
You will find the best range of roulette variants by playing online. Technology allows developers to come up with variations of the game which are hard to replicate at land-based casinos. Have a look for the following the next time you're at an internet casino:
- Multiplier Roulette: One of the most popular genres of roulette games that have come about in recent years, is the multiplier roulette variant. Usually delivered via live casino suppliers, these games will randomly assign multipliers to single numbers of up to 500x and 1,000x. These multipliers only apply to straight-up bets, which means if you place a number bet and it ends up the winning number, you could win a substantial payout.
- Mini Roulette: As the name suggests, this is a miniature version of roulette. The spinning roulette wheel and the betting overlay will have fewer numbers (usually 12) for you to place bets on. With fewer numbers, the roulette rules, odds, and payouts are different. For that reason, check them all to get an understanding before playing.
- Double Ball Roulette: Again, the name gives a clue about what to expect when playing Double Ball Roulette. This variant of the game has two balls instead of one. Of course, this has a major effect on the rules, so make sure you're up to speed on them before you place your bets.
- Auto Roulette: This is an automated variation of roulette that does not have a dealer. It allows players to enjoy more bets per hour due to the increased speed of each round.
- Speed Roulette: When playing Speed Roulette, the game is sped up due to a shorter betting period. You have to place your bets quicker than before. Again, this allows players to place more bets per hour.
Ready to Play Roulette?
Now that you have a better grasp of the roulette rules and bets, you're ready to start playing roulette. The good news is you do not have to look too far to find the variation of roulette you want to play. You can check out the many casino reviews conducted by our team of experienced reviewers here at PlayCasino to identify the best online casinos for playing roulette. Within minutes, you could hit the winning number and secure a payout, whether you placed a column bet, line bet, street bet, corner bet, or a 50/50 bet.
