• A roulette rule applied to even-money bets only, and by some casinos (not all). When the outcome is zero, some casinos will allow the player to either take back half his/her bet or leave the bet (en prison = in prison) for another roulette spin. In the second case, if the following spin the outcome is again zero, then the whole bet is lost.
• Roulette 101 – Rules, Odds, Payouts & Bets. In Vegas, I got into a long argument with the man at the roulette wheel over what I considered to be an odd number. Roulette often seems like a complicated game to many beginning gamblers. In truth, it’s one of the simplest casino games to learn.

The basic rules of roulette are fairly simple, and you don’t need to be some sort of math genius to learn how to play. On this page, you will find all the information you need on how to play roulette and learn all about the different rules that some casinos and games may offer. ROULETTE RULE BASICS Learning how to play roulette is easier than many casino games, as the gameplay is relatively straightforward. A round of roulette consists of players making bets in an effort to predict where a ball will land after being spun on a large wheel. Losing bets are then collected and winning bets are paid out.

RouletteOnline.net is a trusted resource for thousands of roulette players worldwide, from complete beginners to seasoned veterans looking for the latest tips and information. Our expert team has put together this guide so that you can approach your next roulette game with the confidence to win while having fun playing one of the most popular casino games in the world.

ROULETTE RULE BASICS

Learning how to play roulette is easier than many casino games, as the gameplay is relatively straightforward. A round of roulette consists of players making bets in an effort to predict where a ball will land after being spun on a large wheel. Losing bets are then collected and winning bets are paid out.

A roulette wheel consists of a large outer rim on which a ball will be spun, as well as a series of numbered pockets that the ball can fall into. These pockets are numbered between 1 and 36, with half of the pockets colored black and the other half colored red.

In addition, there is a zero (0) pocket that is colored green. Depending on the type of roulette game being played, you might also see a double zero (00) which is also colored green.

Before each spin, players have time to place their bets on the large layout that covers most of the roulette table. There are numerous bets available, some of which offer larger odds than others based on how likely they are to happen. For instance, predicting exactly which number the ball will fall into will pay much more than simply guessing whether it will fall into a red or black pocket.

Players can place as many bets as they like throughout the layout. That can get confusing, with many people allowed to play at the same table. That’s why live roulette games feature colored chips, with each player getting their own color to differentiate their own bets from those placed by others.

After players have been given time to place their bets, the croupier – the casino attendant in charge of the game – will place the ball on the rim of the roulette wheel, which they will then spin. Bets will still be allowed as this process begins. However, the croupier will soon wave off any further bets before the ball begins to slow down too much.

Once the ball drops into a pocket, the croupier will announce the winning number and mark it on the table. Losing bets will be swept from the table and winning bets are paid out. Any bet that includes the winning pocket – because of the number, color, or its position on the betting layout – gets paid according to the posted roulette odds.

Once this process is completed, the croupier will reopen the table to bets, and a new round can begin.

ROULETTE WHEEL VARIATIONS

There are two different roulette wheels that are commonly used throughout the world. The American roulette wheel has both a zero and a double zero, while the European roulette wheel only has the single zero.

For the most part, the betting options on both wheels are largely the same, as are the payouts. That means the odds are slightly better in European roulette,since there is one less pocket that the ball can potentially fall in. Some European roulette games also use French rules that further improve the odds for players on even money bets.

While these are the two most common wheels, there are a number of different roulette types available, especially when it comes to the online world. For more information about these wheels and others you might see in less common roulette variants, check out our roulette wheels page.

PLACING YOUR ROULETTE BETS

There are three main roulette variations available: American roulette, European roulette, and French roulette. But while there are subtle differences between these three games, your betting options will remain roughly the same no matter what roulette wheel you are playing on.

Of course, you can choose to bet on a single number, which will only win if the ball falls in that exact pocket. It’s also possible to bet on a range of numbers that are grouped together on the betting layout, which can vary from just two adjacent numbers to a full column or set of 12 numbers. These bets win if the ball lands on any number in that range.

There are also a number of even money bets that cover roughly half the wheel. You can bet on whether the ball will land on red or black, whether the winning number will be odd or even, or whether that number will be low or high.

THE ROULETTE BETTING TABLE

A typical roulette table will have your betting options presented on a layout. Almost all roulette types use the same basic board, with the American table having the one major difference: a space for the double-zero pocket right next to the single zero at the head of the layout.

BET TYPES IN ROULETTE

Roulette bet types are broken down into two basic categories: inside bets and outside bets. Generally speaking, inside bets are riskier and have higher payouts, while outside bets give you a better chance of winning, but offer lower odds.

While most roulette games post the same minimum bets for both types of bets, the big difference is that each outside bet must meet the minimum, but only the total of your inside bets has to add up to the minimum bet.

And whereas almost all bets in the same roulette game will have the same house edge, that’s not true between different types of games. We recommend European roulette, as the single-zero wheel significantly lowers the house edge when compared to the double-zero layout of American roulette. Our page on roulette odds contains more information on the house edge and payouts in both variants.

On some European roulette tables, you may also see an additional “racetrack” layout on the table. This is a sign that you can make a set of specialty French bets often known as “call” or “announce” bets. The bets have this name because they are traditionally made by calling them out to the croupier instead of by placing chips on the standard layout.

These bets cover sections of the wheel, rather than sections of the board you see on the roulette table. For instance, the voisins du zero bet covers the 17 numbers around and including zero on the wheel, starting at 25 and ending at 22. The tier bet covers the 12 numbers starting at 27 and going through the 33, while the orphelins – literally the orphans that aren’t included in the two other call bets – covers the remaining eight pockets on the wheel.

For betting purposes, each of these call bets is made up of a series of straight and split bets that cover all the numbers in the appropriate range.

HOW TO WIN AT ROULETTE

The result of each spin of the roulette wheel is determined entirely by luck, and most bets have the same house edge. But that doesn’t mean you can’t employ some roulette strategy in order to improve your odds of winning.

One of the most important decisions you can make is to choose the right type of roulette game to play. European roulette offers a house edge of just 2.70%, while the American variant with an added double zero gives the casino a 5.26% edge.

These numbers hold for almost every bet on the table, but there are a couple of exceptions. In American roulette, the basket bet (which covers 0-00-1-2-3) has a house edge of 7.9% and should be avoided. If you’re looking for an especially good bet, many European roulette games use the la partage rule, in which the player loses only half of an even money bet if the ball lands on zero. This effectively cuts the house edge in half on bets like red/black and odd/even.

Betting systems can also play a role in your roulette strategy. For instance, many players like to use progressive systems such as the Martingale when playing even money bets. These systems work by increasing your bet size after every loss.

For example, in the Martingale, you might bet $5 on red. If you lose, you would bet $10 on the next spin. Should you continue to lose, you would continue to double your bet to $20, then $40, then $80, and so on. Once you win a bet, you should return to your initial bet size.

The Martingale won’t change the house edge, but it will make you very likely to score a lot of small wins. The trade-off is that you’ll occasionally take big losses when you lose several bets in a row. For more information on how to win at roulette, check out roulette strategy guide.

When you first start playing roulette, we advise that you make small bets so that you can become familiar and confident with the game before increasing your stakes. You might also want to try practicing with our free roulette games first.

We host over 80 of the best online roulette options available so that you can learn how to play roulette, hone your skills, get a feel for different versions of the game, test out your betting strategies, or simply try a few spins for fun.

READY TO PLAY ROULETTE FOR REAL MONEY?

Now that you know how to play roulette, you can take that knowledge and try playing the game for real money. Our team of experts has put together a recommended list of trustworthy online casinos, each of which offers a variety of roulette games along with bonuses and promotions that cater to roulette players.

FAQ

How many bets can you place in a roulette game?

Most roulette games don’t place a limit on the number of bets you can place on each spin. There are numerous bet types available, ranging from “straight” bets that cover only a single number, to even money bets like odd/even and red/black, which give you nearly a 50/50 chance of winning.

What is the best bet in roulette?

Everyone will have different preferences when it comes to their favorite roulette bets, meaning there is no single “best” bet. The highest payouts are on single number bets, which pay 35-1 when they hit. The lowest house edge comes from even money bets in European roulette games that are using the la partage rule. These bets only give the casino a 1.35% advantage.

What number comes up the most in roulette?

In a fair roulette game using an unbiased wheel, all numbers have an equal chance of winning on each spin. That means that whether you like the 00 or the lucky number 7, your chances of winning are exactly the same.

Are casino roulette games rigged?

Our recommended online roulette casinos offer fair games that are independently tested to ensure they offer truly random results. Almost all live roulette games are also entirely fair, although it’s not unheard of for a casino to unknowingly use a biased wheel that favors some numbers over others! Unregulated operators may also run rigged games, which is why it is important to stick with legal, licensed casinos, such as our top-rated sites.

Is roulette all luck?

Since each spin is unpredictable, it’s true that roulette is mostly a game of luck. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t steps you can take to improve your chances of winning. For a rundown of how you can give yourself the best odds of success, check out roulette tips and tricks from our experts.

The game of roulette is a simple game to play, there are very few rules you have to remember, and it is simply the player versus the house, so the other players at the roulette table have no bearing on the outcome of your bets.

To begin, you will be given chips to play with after handing over how much you want to bet in this session. If you’re playing online, it will be done automatically for you, so there’s no need to worry there.

Once you have your chips, you have to decide on what you want to be on. There are lots of different bets for you to bet on when playing roulette, and each one has their own rule attached to them.

One number: The ball has to land on the one number you have a chip on. You can bet on as many numbers as you like on the table, and if the ball lands on it, you get 35x your stake as winnings. If the ball lands on a number you don’t have a chip on, your bet loses.

Split: Place your chip on the line between two adjacent numbers (such as 1&4 or 34&35), and you have covered them both. Effectively, your stake is split on each number. If the ball lands on either number, your bet wins and you win 17 times your stake back. If the ball lands on a number that you haven’t covered in your split bets, your bet loses. You can bet on as many splits as you want on the table.

Street: A street bet is a bet that covers 3 numbers on a row. So, that could be 1, 2 & 3, or 10, 11 & 12 or any of those rows. You place your chip at the edge of each row you want to cover, splitting your stake between each number, essentially, and if the ball lands on any of those numbers, your bet wins. If the ball lands on any number you have not covered, you lose. You can bet on as many rows as you want.

Corner: A corner bet is a bet that covers 4 numbers that have boxes with corners that meet. An example of this would be 1, 2, 4 & 5. This means your stake is effectively split between 4 numbers. Place your chip where all four numbers meet in the middle. If the ball lands on any of the four numbers in the square of numbers, your bet wins. If the balls lands on a number whose corner you haven’t covered, your bet loses.

Six Line: A six line bet is very similar to a street bet, but it covers two adjacent rows. So, it would be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6, or it could be 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9. You can bet on as many six lines as you like, splitting your stake between all 6 numbers. To bet on a six line, you place your chip at the edge of both rows, where they meet at the corner. If the balls lands in any of the numbers on your six line bet, you win. If the ball lands elsewhere, your bet loses.

Column: A column bet is a bet that is on a column of number. The roulette table is split into three rows, and you can be on any of them, two of them, or if you’re determined to lose money in the long run, you can bet on them all. Place your chip in the box at the bottom of the column you want to bet on. Your bet covers 12 numbers, and you win if the ball lands on any of the numbers in the column you have bet on. If the number the ball lands on is in another column, your bet loses.

Dozens: You can bet on a specified dozen of numbers – 1-12, 13-24 or 25-36. Each dozen has a specified box on the roulette table, and to bet on one, you place your chip inside it. You can bet on one dozen, two dozen, or again, if you’re determined to lose money, you can bet on all three. If the number the ball lands in is in your dozen numbers, your bet wins. If it’s in a dozen that you have not covered, your bet loses.

Odd/Even: You can also bet on the number the ball lands on being odd or even. Both have set boxes on the table to bet on, and to bet on it you place your chip in the relevant box. You can bet on both if you want, but I would not advise it. If you bet on odd and the ball lands on an odd number, you win. The same applies to a bet on the even numbers. If you bet on odd and the number is even, you lose. Again, the same applies if you bet on an even number.

Red/Black: As well as being able to bet on the number being odd and even, you can also bet on whether the number will be red or black. Each number has a colour assigned to it – 18 numbers are red and 18 are black. Like the odd/even bet, red and black bets have their own boxes on the roulette table, usually with a block of the colour in it. If you want to bet on red, put your chip in the red box, and put them in the black box if you want to bet on black. If the number the ball lands in has the colour that corresponds to your bet, you win. And if it lands in the other colour, you lose.

1-18/19-36: The other 50/50 bet you can have on the roulette table is on the first half or second half. Again, like the other 50/50 bets, they have designated boxes on the roulette table, and to bet on them, you simply put your chip in the relevant box. You can bet on the numbers 1-18 inclusive or the numbers 19-36 inclusive. If the number the ball lands on falls in your set of numbers, you win. If they fall in the other set, your bet loses.

And really, those are the main rules to remember – if the ball lands on a number you have covered, you win. If it doesn’t, you don’t.

The only other thing to remember is that you have to put your bets on in a timely manner. You can place your bets once the table has been cleared of the previous spin’s bets, and you can place them until the dealer says “No more bets,” or something similar.

You should also note the table’s minimum and maximum bets, known as “table limits”. You can not bet less than the table’s minimum, and you can not bet any more than the table maximum.

Roulette is an easy game to understand and play, which is why it is so popular worldwide. There are different variations of roulette, but they all share the same basic rules. I’ll explain the different games after but first lets start with the basics.

Roulette Rules Simple

Roulette: The Basics

The dealer, also known as “The Croupier”, takes care of all aspects of the game from the spinning of the wheel to the collection of losing bets, and the payouts of winning ones. Each table will have a minimum and maximum bet amount, these represent the lowest and highest amount you’re allowed to bet each spin.

Some tables have different minimum and maximum depending on if you’re betting inside or outside, inside being any numbers (0,00,1-36), outside being everything else. Roulette chips are different than normal casino chips due to the fact the player determines the value of their chips, usually the table minimum, and each player has the own color of chip.

The Croupier spins the wheel in one direction and rolls the ball in the other, eventually the ball will lose momentum and fall into one of the marked slots on the wheel. You can place bets up until the croupier announces, “No more bets” at which point you CANNOT place anymore bets and it is just a matter of waiting to see where the ball landed and seeing how you made out. The croupier will place a marker on the winning number and payout accordingly. That’s pretty much all there is to it, see, I told you it was easy. Now for the other variations:

American Roulette

The main difference between American Roulette and other versions is that it has both 0, and 00, changing the odds in favor of the casino, thus being one of the most unfavorable versions to play. For a detailed description of American Roulette, how it works and where to play American Roulette online, click here: American Roulette.

European Roulette:

European Roulette is different from American for numerous reasons, first and most important being that there is only one 0 on the table, instead of both 0 and 00. The second reason is the inclusion of the “La Partage” and the “En Prison” rules. These rules come into effect if the ball lands in zero, while betting an even money bet. Both rules significantly decrease the house edge and are why it’s the most favorable version to play by players around the world. For more information on European Roulette, including where to play European Roulette online, click here: European Roulette.

French Roulette:

Very similar to European Roulette, the major difference being the added “Finale” betting option, the croupier is known as a “Stickman” and the table layout is different than American and European but the main rules are the same. Considering the game was invented in France its only fitting that the French version would be the most complex. See my French Roulette article for more details.

Wild Viking Roulette:

By combining Roulette and Poker, this game is an exciting and welcome variation of Roulette and is usually linked to a progressive jackpot, adding a whole other element to the game.

Roulette Rules Of Play

Roulette Rules Example