HOME Roulette Rules and Strategy Roulette is one of the most preferred casino games of all times, which attracts the players with payouts of up to 35 times the bet. First of all, players must be aware of the fact that Roulette wheels in Europe and America are different, so they should always check on what wheel they are playing. French roulette largely mirrors European roulette but the game has two special rules that players can benefit from. The first is ‘la partage’, a rule that allows you to receive half your bet back if you lose an outside bet due to the ball landing in the zero pocket. Whether you’re learning how to play roulette in Vegas or at an online casino, the rules are much the same. Follow our quick start guide and you’ll be a roulette pro in no time.

Roulette is the epitome of what you expect from a casino game. With simple rules, exciting gameplay and the potential for big payouts, it is no wonder it is so popular with players. If you have never played roulette before and fancy trying it out for yourself, then you should brush up on the rules to make sure you are fully prepared for the best experience. You will find everything you need to know to get stuck into the game on this page.

A Simple Overview of How to Play Roulette Online

The game of roulette consists of a wheel with various numbered and coloured sections, along with a table, on which you can place your bets. The wheel features numbers 1 – 36, alternately coloured red and black. There is also a zero slot, which is coloured green. In American Roulette, you will find two green zero pockets on the wheel. In order to play, you select your chip value, and click on the board to place your bets. When playing an RNG variant, you will then click spin, and see the ball spin round the wheel until it comes to land on the winning number. If you play live roulette, the croupier will launch the ball and announce that no more bets are allowed. Once the winning number is determined, any winnings are paid out and the next game round will begin.

Differences Between American, French and European Roulette

At online casinos, you will get a choice of French, European or American roulette. French and European roulette are very similar in terms of the wheel layout and the types of bets you can place. The key difference between the two versions is that the types of bets have different names. As for American roulette, the key difference is that the wheel includes a zero and a double zero pocket. This increases the house edge, making it less favourable to players. American roulette has an RTP of around 94.7%, compared to 97.3% French and European roulette. For this reason, it is advisable to avoid American Roulette and stick to the more favourable variants.

Types of Bets and Their Payouts

There are numerous betting options available when you play roulette online. You can bet on single numbers or on various groups of numbers. The types of bets you can place have different odds and different payouts. The bets you can make can generally be categorised as inside, outside and announced bets.

Inside Bets

Any bets placed on the numbers on the roulette table are known as inside bets. These generally have lower odds and as such, higher payouts than outside bets. A bet on a single number is known as a straight up bet, and it awards the highest payout of 35:1. Other inside bets include a split, street, six line and corner. You can see how to place these on the roulette table below.

Chip	Bet Name	Bet Description	Payout
1	Straight	A bet on a single number. To make the bet, place a chip on the required number.	35 to 1
2	Split	A bet which is placed on 2 numbers that are adjacent on the table. Place the chip on the line that separates the numbers.	17 to 1
3	Street	A bet on 3 consecutive numbers. Place the chip on the outer corner of the row.	11 to 1
4	Corner	A bet that covers 4 neighbouring numbers. Place the chip in the central corner of the 4 numbers.	8 to 1
5	Six Line	A bet on 2 neighbouring street bets. Place the chip on the common outer corner of the 2 rows.	5 to 1

As you can see, it is simple and logical how to place these bets. Furthermore, when you play roulette online, you will generally find the betting limits and the payouts for any particular type of bet by hovering the mouse over the relevant position on the roulette table.

Outside Bets

Whilst inside bets are placed on the numbers on the roulette table, outside bets are placed on the areas outside of the numbers. As these bets cover multiple numbers, you have a better chance of winning. Yet the better odds also mean that the payouts are lower than what you get from inside bets. Bets referred to as simple chances have a payout of 1 to 1 and include the following:

• Red or black – bet on the colour of the winning number
• Odd or even – bet on whether the winning number will be odd or even
• High or low – bet on whether the winning number will be between 1 – 18 or 19 -36

Other types of outside bets include columns and dozens. There are 3 dozens sectors on the table, which cover numbers 1 -12, 13 – 24 and 25 – 36. Likewise, there are 3 columns, each covering 12 numbers in a line. Wins on a column or dozen bet are paid at 2 to 1.

Announced Bets

Announced bets, also known as called bets are special types of bets that are found in both French and European roulette. By opening the racetrack, you get quick and easy access to these types of bets when playing online. One type of announced bet is the Voisins du Zéro (neighbours of zero). This is a 9-chip bet, that includes split and corner bets covering the zero and the 7 numbers on either side of it, from 22 to 25 on the wheel.

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Tiers du Cylindre (third of the wheel) is a 6-chip bet, consisting of 6 splits which covers roughly a third of the wheel, from 27 – 33. Orphelins (orphans) is another popular called bet, which consists of 5 chips, covering a single number and 4 splits. Also available is the Jeu Zéro (zero game). This 4-chip bet covers a straight bet on 26 and 3 splits, covering the numbers next to the zero.

Hints and Tips

You should now have a better understanding of how to play roulette online. Yet to get you off to the best possible start, I’d like to share a few more tips with you to help you hit the ground running.

Play Roulette Online for Free

An advantage of playing at an online casino is that you can often try out games for free before playing with real money. This is particularly useful for new players as it gives you a chance to get a feel for the game and to get a better understanding of the rules and types of bets you can make with no risk involved. Playing for free will enable you to play confidently with real money.

La Partage and En Prison Rules Improve Your Chances of Success

These rules are not found in all roulette variants, but when they are included, they work in your favour. The rules apply to even money bets such as red/black and odd/even, and they come into play when the winning number is zero. When En Prison is in play, any money bet on simple chances stays locked in for another spin if the ball lands on zero. If you lose, your stake is lost, yet if you win, your stake is unlocked and stays on the table for the next round. Alternatively, with La Partage, if the ball lands on zero, half of your stake will be instantly returned to you. These rules reduce the house edge, so if you plan to bet on simple chances, look out for games that feature this.

Check Out the Table Limits

When you play roulette for real money on the internet for the first time, you should be aware of the betting limits. Whilst you can usually see the minimum and maximum table limits at a glance, there may be further limits attached to specific types of bets. Often, the lowest bets are reserved for straight up and split bets, whilst the maximum limits are available for simple chances only. As such, you should make sure you look into the details before you start to wager any of your own money to be certain it matches your budget and your intended style of play.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

InsideBets	Outsidebets
Straight: This is a simple bet that covers one specific number. If that number hits, your bet pays at 35-1 odds.	Columns: A column bet covers an entire column of 12 numbers on the roulette table outlet. If any of those numbers wins, your bet pays out at 2-1 odds.
Split: A split bet covers two adjacent numbers on the roulette table layout, like 4-5 or 6-9. If either number wins, the bet pays 17-1.	Dozens: This bet can cover one of three sets of 12 numbers: 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36. If the ball lands on a number in your chosen range, you’ll win at 2-1 odds.
Street: A street bet covers a row of three numbers, such as 13-14-15. If any of those numbers wins, your bet pays 11-1.	Odd/Even: These bets cover all the appropriate numbers (odd or even), with a zero counting as a loss for both choices. If one of the numbers of that type comes up, you’ll win at even money.
Corner: The bet covers a square of four adjacent numbers on the layout, such as 25-26-28-29. If the ball lands on any of those numbers, you’ll win at 8-1 odds.	Red/Black: These bets will win if the ball lands in a pocket of the appropriate color. If that happens, the bet pays out at even money.
SixLine: This is also known as a double street bet, as it covers two rows or six numbers in total, such as 28-29-30-31-32-33. If any of those six numbers wins, the bet pays 5-1.	1-18/19-36: These bets cover all the numbers in the stated range. If any number in that group hits, your bet pays even money.
FirstFour/Basket: This bet covers the 1-2-3 street, as well as any zeros. On a European wheel, this is known as the “First Four” and pays 8-1. On an American wheel, it is known as a “Basket” bet, which pays 6-1.

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

Easy Rules For Roulette

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.

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