Have you ever seen a movie where a large anxious crowd is towering over a roulette table and looking at the spinning roulette wheel, waiting for the bouncing small white ball to land on a number?
The excitement! The lure of Roulette | the glitz and glamour of a casino!
Roulette is the most iconic and popular game in every casino. It has relatively easy gameplay than any other online casino games.
Are you ready to learn how to play Roulette? Keep reading!
What is Roulette?
Roulette is a game of chances played both online and offline throughout the world. It began in the late 1700s in Paris and later spread across the globe by the end of the 20th century.
Today, you can’t find a new casino operator without a roulette table. The world of online casinos, too, has a variety of roulette games, offering exciting experiences at the ease of your home.
Understanding the Basics
You have to predict which number the ball will land on when the wheel stops spinning in Roulette. You have to place your bets on the roulette board, and if the ball lands on your chosen number, you get paid.
Sounds simple, isn’t it?
It’s pure luck. You don’t need any specific skill to play Roulette. As a beginner, follow five easy steps, and you can enjoy playing Roulette.
Five Easy Steps To Play Roulette
- Choose the type of roulette game and pick your table.
- Place your choice of roulette bet(s) on the table.
- As you finish placing bets, ask the dealer to spin the wheel.
- As the dealer drops a small white ball, it bounces in the opposite direction of the spinning wheel. The moment it comes to a halt, it reveals the winning number.
- If it’s your chosen number(s), you win, and the casino pays directly into your casino account.
Even though there are no skills involved, you must have a basic understanding of the rules, types of roulettes, and bets before you start playing.
Types of Roulette
There are many roulettes, but mostly you can find American, European, and French roulettes played everywhere. To know the difference in the roulette wheel, look at the zeros. If it has a “00” (double zeros), it’s an American roulette wheel. On the other hand, in the French version, you can find features of ‘la partage’ or ‘en prison’ rules.
Let’s dig a little deep so that you can understand better!
- American Roulette
In American Roulette, there are 38 slots, one extra than others (cause of double-zeros). If you are a beginner, avoid this version as the double zero, unfortunately, reduces your odds of winning.
The difference of 37 or 38 slots, even if it seems minuscule, it affects the house edge significantly. The house edge on American Roulette stands at 5.26% – way higher than the other two versions.
If you place an even-money bet and your ball lands on zero or double-zeros, you will lose all your money.
- European Roulette
The European Roulette has 37 slots, including a single zero with a house edge of 2.7%.
It’s a more favourable roulette game for you if you are a beginner!
Even the bets’ odds are better than American Roulette, like an even-money bet in American Roulette stands at 46.37% compared to 48.6% in European Roulette.
If you didn’t get that, don’t worry, we’ll talk about it in a while!
- French Roulette
Don’t be disheartened if the French terms make you feel like a wazzock!
The French Roulette has the highest chances of winning, as it has a house edge of 1.35% (Vive le France!), which means you get the largest RTP (Return to Player) – 98.65%. Moreover, there’s no double-zero pocket, and the slots are similar to European Roulette.
What makes French Roulette the best type of Roulette for beginners?
It’s the additional game features – the ‘la partage’ and ‘en prison‘ rule that gives you an added advantage.
La partage Rule – It means ‘sharing.’ Unlike American and European Roulette when you place an even-money bet and the ball lands on zero, this rule allows you to receive half your stake back instead of losing everything.
Dog’s bollocks, right?
En prison Rule – It means ‘in prison.’ It’s one more rule that allows you to protect half your winnings from losing on a zero slot.
Let’s say you place your even-money outside-bet, with the ‘en prison‘ rule. It means you leave half of the winning on the table (or in prison) for the next bet.
If the ball lands up in the ‘0’ slot, the money gets carried over to your next spin. If you win the next spin, you get your money back, but if you lose, you lose it all, including the money ‘en prison.’
Types of Roulette Bets
There are many bets in Roulette, but they all fall into two categories – Inside Bets and Outside Bets. A roulette wheel has either 37 or 38 slots depending upon the ‘double zero’ slot. All the numbers on the wheel are listed randomly, alternating between blacks and reds. There are 18 black and 18 red roulette slots with one or two green slots depending upon the zero(es).
Even if you play online, like a land-based casino game, the roulette wheel spins only after locking all the bets on the roulette board.
● Inside Bets
You place bets on the numbered-section, the middle part of the roulette table. This section has the highest payout (up to 35:1), but winning is the lowest.
If you are a beginner, avoid placing inside bets!
Straight Up Bet
It signifies betting on a single number on the board. You place your chip on a single number on the board. If the ball lands on it, you win, and if not, you lose. Even if it has the highest payout – 35:1, the chances of winning in European and French Roulette is 2.70%, and in American Roulette, it’s 2.60%.
Split Bet
As the name says, splitting the bet and placing two numbers sitting next to each other on the board. You win when the ball lands on either of the selected numbers. The payout for this bet is 17:1, and the chances of winning in European and French Roulette is 5.40%, whereas, in American Roulette, it’s 5.30%.
Street Bet
It’s also called a trio bet, and you bet on all three numbers in a row. You place the street bet in a line, and you win when the ball lands on either of the selected numbers. A successful street bet gives you a payout of 11:1. The chances of winning are higher in European and French Roulette (8.10%) than in American Roulette (7.90%).
Corner Bet
It is a bet on four numbers like a square on the roulette board, and you place your chips in the middle of it. If the ball lands on any of the four numbers, you win. The payout for a successful corner bet is 8:1. You get a 10.80% chance of winning in European and French Roulette, whereas it’s only 10.50% in American Roulette.
Basket Bet
Basket bet is about betting on five numbers – 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. You place your chips on the line between 0 and 1, on the side of the roulette board. You win if the ball lands on any of them, and your chances of winning in American Roulette is 13.2%. There are no basket bets in European and French roulette versions. A successful basket bet can payout 6:1.
Line Bet
It’s about betting on two neighbouring streets (double trio bet). You place your chips like a street bet and win when the ball lands on either of the six numbers. The chances of winning in European and French Roulette is fair more (16.2%) than American Roulette (15.8%). The bet-payout for a line bet is 5:1.
● Outside Bets
These are bets that you place on the outside area of the roulette board. They mostly have lower payouts than inside bets but have higher chances of winning.
As a beginner, start with these bets as they can give you a taste of winning!
Red/Black Bet
You place your chips on the ‘RED’ or ‘BLACK’ section of the roulette board and bet whether the ball will land on a red or a black number. You win when the ball lands a number with your chosen colour. The bet-payout is 1:1, but the chances of winning in European and French Roulette is a whopping 48.65% compared to 47.37% in American Roulette.
Even/Odd Bet
It’s a bet where you place your chips on the ‘EVEN’ or ‘ODD’ option on the roulette board. You win when the ball lands on the matching number of the chosen choice (even/odd). The chances of winning and payout ratios are the same as red/black bet in European, French, and American Roulette.
High/Low Bet
1-18 is a ‘High Bet,’ and 19-36 is a ‘Low Bet’; depending upon your choice, place your chips on the spot marked ‘1-18′ or ’19-36’ on the roulette board. When the ball lands on the numbers of your chosen bet (High or Low), you win. Your chances of winning remain the same – 48.65% in European and French Roulette and 47.37% in American Roulette. The payout ratio also remains the same 1:1 as red/black bet or odd/even bet.
Column Bet
It’s a bet on one of the three different columns of numbers wherein you place your chips on the ‘2:1’ space at the bottom of a column of numbers. You win when the ball lands on any of the numbers in that column. The chances of winning are again higher in European and French Roulette (32.40%) against the American version with 31.60%. The payout ratio of the winning column is 2:1.
Dozen Bet
In a dozen-bet, you place your bets on 12 sets of numbers (1st, 2nd, and 3rd) that are in three groups of consecutive numbers. On the roulette board, look for the section mentioning –
- 1st 12 numbers
- 2nd 12 numbers
- 3rd 12 numbers
Place your chips on the chosen set of the dozen-section, and if the ball ends up on a number in that section, you win. The chances of winning and payout ratios are similar to ‘Column Bet’ in European, French, and American roulette versions.
Differences in Playing Roulette Online
The online roulette version is far better compared to the land-based casinos.
You don’t have to worry about rigged roulette wheels or other players cheating!
If you are playing a standard online roulette, you get an unlimited amount of time to place your bets compared to playing with a live dealer (online/offline). The moment you finish placing bets, click the spin button.
You can also use various buttons to control the game and your bets in online Roulette –
| Spin
|
To confirm bet and spin the wheel |
| Double | To double your bet |
| Clear-bets | To remove all your bets |
| Undo | To remove your last bet |
| Double and Spin | It’s for doubling your last-bet and spinning the wheel |
| Rebet and Spin | It allows your last-bet to stand and spin the wheel |
| Rebet | It is for changing the bet you want to place |
If you are playing with a live dealer (online/offline), the dealer spins the wheel, and you watch it.
In an online version, the dealer uses a webcam to bring the roulette action live to you. When the ball lands on a number as per your chosen bet, you win and get paid.
Anytime you finish playing, pick up your chips, and leave the table. But, it’s customary to give a small tip or pass back one of your winning-chips to the croupier (dealer) before you leave the game.
If you are looking for an immersive roulette experience, then go for the live dealer version at the comfort of your home.
Is Online Roulette Fixed?
No, it’s not fixed.
You can play a verified fair game if you play it on the online casinos regulated by reputable licensing organizations. Before you sign in to any online casino, check their licenses and see if they get independently audited by a company like eCOGRA.
Is There a Trick to Win Roulette?
Apart from your lady luck, playing European or French Roulette and sticking to even money bets can increase your chances of winning.
But, remember, no roulette game guarantees that you will win. However, understanding the house edges can tip the scales in your favour.
Roulette Strategies & the Best Bets for Beginners
If you are a beginner, start playing with free online roulette games. It will help you get familiarised with the betting rules without the risk of losing any money. If you want to play with cash on online Roulette, then the best bet for you would be placing outside bets, the even-money ones in European and French roulettes – red/black, odd/even, and high/low.
As a beginner, the best roulette strategy is – the Martingale roulette strategy, in which you place bets on the outside bets with a 1:1 payout (like red or black, odd or even). Just remember, if you lose, double your bet and if you win, halve it. But it works only if you have an unlimited bankroll.
Tips For Winning In Online Roulette
- Go for outside bets. Even if the amounts are small, you are more likely to win them.
- When playing online, pick European and French roulettes. The chances of winning in a bet are higher than American Roulette. Moreover, the house edges are the best –
- French Roulette – 1.35%
- European Roulette – 2.7%
- American Roulette – 5.26%
- Use the ‘en prison‘ rule in French Roulette whenever possible, and you can also apply it to European roulette games.
- When you get the hang of playing Roulette, go for column betting (part of outside bets) to increase your bankroll.
- Set yourself a loss limit before you begin to play so that when you lose, you know when to stop.
- Take time to build your bankroll with smaller bets. Manage your bankroll and resist the temptation to place inside bets like ‘Straight-Up’.
- Explore playing online Roulette for free. When you get the confidence, then move to play with real money.
- Do your research about the online casino before signing up. Check their licenses, withdrawal and banking conditions, and RTP percentages. Check their reputation by reading their reviews online and play only with a legitimate online casino.
Ready to play?
Conclusion
Now that you have a fair idea of playing Roulette – pick a game and spin the wheel!
Enjoy playing Roulette in legitimate online casinos that have high levels of security and big-bonuses. But don’t forget Roulette is gambling, so make sure you play responsibly.
Jennifer Wright is an online casino and slots writer since 2010. She has an eye for detail and take pride in her in-depth analysis of new casino sites that enter the UK market. A regular at iGaming conferences and events, she is also a keen follower of industry news. In her downtime, she is an avid gamer and regularly takes part in esports tournaments. Jennifer currently resides in the north of England.
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