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. Since everyone wants to make a win sooner or later with Roulette, the online Roulette betting rules allow you to bet on more than one number at a time. This is a great opportunity for the player! Some examples of these options are bets like anyone number up to 36, an odd or even number, a corner, red or black, groups 1-18 or 19-36, or a row.

1. Roulette Rules And Odds
2. Roulette Rules Chart
3. Roulette Rules Wikipedia
4. Roulette Rules Payout

Roulette was first played in France back in the 17th century. It is now one of the most popular European gambling games and Monte Carlo in Monaco is a well known and famous casino centre for playing roulette.

The Basics
Players, usually up to eight, play against the House represented by the croupier also called the dealer, who spins the roulette wheel and handles the wagers and payouts. In the European roulette and French roulette version, the wheel has 37 slots representing 36 numbers and one zero. In the USA most roulette wheels have two zeros and therefore 38 slots.

Each player buys-in a different coloured chips so their bets don't get mixed up. At the end of play, if you won, you exchange back the colorued chips with cash chips. These are special chips with the value amount imprinted on them. There are several denominations in various colours. You then take these chips to the cash desk where they will give you actual cash money in exchange.

Roulette Rules And Odds

To play roulette, you place your bet or bets on numbers (any number including the zero) in the table layout or on the outside, and when everybody at the table had a chance to place their bets, the croupier starts the spin and launches the ball. Just a few moments before the ball is about to drop over the slots, the croupier says 'no more bets'. From that moment no one is allowed to place - or change - their bets until the ball drops on a slot. Only after the croupier places the dolly on the winning number on the roulette table and clears all the losing bets you can then start placing your new bets while the croupier pays the winners. The winners are those bets that are on or around the number that comes up. Also the bets on the outside of the layout win if the winning number is represented.

The House advantage
On a single zero roulette table the House advantage is 2.7%. On a double zero roulette table it is 5.26% (7.9% on the five-number bet, 0-00-1-2-3). The House advantage is gained by paying the winners a chip or two (or a proportion of it) less than what it should have been if there was no advantage. (See Roulette Quiz - The Casino Advantage.)

The 'En Prison' rule
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.

The 'La Partage' rule
The la partage roulette rule is similar to the en prison rule, only in this case the player loses half the bet and does not have the option of leaving the bet en prison for another spin. This refers to the 'outside' even-money bets Red/Black, High/Low, Odd/Even and applies when the outcome is zero. Both the La Partage and the En Prison roulette rules essentially cut the casino edge on the 'even-money bets' in half. So a bet on Red on a single-zero roulette table with the la partage rule or the en prison rule has a 1.35% House edge and one on a double-zero roulette table has a House edge of 2.63%.

The payouts
A bet on one number only, called a straight-up bet, pays 35 to 1. (You collect 36. With no House advantage you should collect 37 (38 in the USA on double zero roulette wheels).
A two-number bet, called split bet, pays 17 to 1.
A three-number bet, called street bet, pays 11 to 1.
A four-number bet, called corner bet, pays 8 to 1.
A six-number bet, pays 5 to 1.
A bet on the outside dozen or column, pays 2 to 1.
A bet on the outside even money bets, pays 1 to 1.

Object of the game
To win at roulette the player needs to predict where the ball will land after each spin. This is by no means easy. In fact, luck plays an important part in this game. Some players go with the winning numbers calling them 'hot' numbers and therefore likely to come up more times. Others see which numbers did not come up for some time and bet on them believing that their turn is now due. Some players bet on many numbers to increase their chances of winning at every spin, but this way the payout is considerably reduced. Other methodical players use specific roulette systems or methods, money management systems, or both.

French roulette rules

The French roulette rules are very much like the European roulette rules. It has the same 37 numbered wheel with one zero but a different table layout for the outside bets. See Table layout(Link opens new window).

The player odds in French roulette are the same as in European roulette (only one zero) and better than the odds in American roulette (two zeros). The players loose only 50% of their even-money bets when the outcome is zero, known as the 'La Partage' rule.

The object of the game is still the same - to predict which number out of possible 37 the ball will land on. And of course, they speak French. Below are the English and equivalent French terms for the various roulette bets:

Inside bets

• One number Straight up = En plein
• Two numbers Split Bet = Cheval
• Three numbers Street Bet = Transversale
• Four numbers Corner = Carre
• Six numbers Line Bet = Sixainne

Outside bets

• Twelve numbers Column = Colonne
• Twelve numbers Dozen = Douzaine
• Red or Black = Rouge, Noir
• Even or Odd = Pair, Impair
• Low or High numbers = Manque, Passe

Canasta Roulette

In Costa Rica some casino table games have different names, others have different names and different rules. Roulette in Costa Rica casinos is called 'Canasta' and is played with a double-zero layout. However, instead of using a roulette wheel the winning number is selected from a circular wire cage with numbered balls similar to the one used in bingo halls.

California Roulette

The difference between California casinos and Vegas (and other) casinos is the way roulette and craps are played.

In California it is against the rules and regulations to have a roulette wheel that is spun and to have a ball drop decide which number is the winning number on the wheel. It is also against the state rules and regulations to throw dice to decide the outcome of a game.

In 2004, California legalized a form of roulette known as California Roulette. By law, the game must use cards and not slots on the roulette wheel to pick the winning number.

There are at least two variations. In some casinos, the dealer spins a wheel containing 38 cards from 1 to 36, plus 0 and 00, and after betting is closed, stops the wheel; a pointer identifies the winning card, which the dealer removes and shows to the players.

In the Cache Creek casino in northern California, a wheel resembling a traditional roulette wheel is used, but it has only alternating red and black slots with no numbers. As the ball is spinning, the dealer takes cards from a shoe and places two of them face down on the table in red and black rectangles. When the ball lands in a red or black slot, the card in the corresponding rectangle is turned over to reveal the winning number.
(Source: Wikipedia.org)

Did you know?

In every casino it is customary that the croupier starts the first round/spin of the day with the ball lying in the number slot of the date of that day. This obviously excludes the numbers 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 0.

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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.

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.

Roulette Rules Wikipedia

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?

Roulette Rules Payout

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.