How to Play Roulette
A Complete Guide
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.
STEP 1
Place your bet
Once in your game, you're ready to place your first bet. You'll need to select the chip size that you'd like to bet with. You can then click on the table layout to place your bet.
STEP 2
Dealer Spins the Wheel
Once your bets are placed, click the “Spin” button.
The wheel is spun and the ball dropped into the wheel.
STEP 3
The Outcome
The wheel will come to a stop and the ball will settle in a pocket.
If you’ve correctly predicted its final landing place then you’re a winner!
STEP 4
Collect Your Winnings
The dealer will issue your payout if you’ve been lucky.
Your payout depends on the type of bet that you placed, as well as on the size of your bet.
Online Roulette Guide
To give players a head start at online roulette gaming, we've produced a guide to roulette odds. Click the link and the guide is yours to download for free.
Make the most of your online gambling time by reading up on the most financially savvy bets to make before you start gaming. We'll take you through the table layout for the American and European games, the best odds and payouts, as well as a guide to inside and outside bets.
Roulette Game Variations
What is European Roulette?
European roulette is arguably the most popular form of roulette. The European wheel only has a single zero, meaning that the House Edge is significantly lower than that of other roulette variations, at 2.7%.
What is American Roulette?
The reputable Vegas variation, American roulette sees a double zero added to the wheel, raising the House Edge to a massive 5.26%, as well as the numbers being sequenced differently. The types of bets available remain the same as in the European variation, and due to the House Edge, winnings can be extremely lucrative.
What is French Roulette?
French roulette is incredibly similar to the European variation, with a single zero on the wheel. Available bets are the same, with the addition of "En Prison" and "La Partage". These two bets work as insurance, meaning that you'll only lose half your wagered amount if the wheel is to stop on zero.
What is Mini Roulette?
This variation is widely available in the online roulette world and is perfect for those players that feel daunted by the sheer number of betting options in other types of roulette. With only 13 slots, Mini roulette simplifies things whilst incorporating the "La Partage" concept to swing the odds in your favor.
What is Multi-Ball Roulette?
Play with up to 10 balls at once! Multi ball roulette cranks up the action of the classic casino game, including some new groups of bets as well, depending on where the balls land. Usually played in the European format, you'll have no trouble understanding how play works.
What is Multi-Wheel Roulette?
Multi wheel roulette does exactly what it says on the tin. Choose to play with anywhere up to eight wheels at the same time. Similar to the multi ball variation, this version is played with the European style layout of the table and wheel.
What is Live Roulette?
Experience all the fun and thrill of a real life casino in the comfort of your own home. Live dealer roulette games work in exactly the same way as their computer counterparts, but with a real life croupier spinning the wheel.
Making Bets: How Much Does Roulette Pay?
If you're playing online roulette for real money, or even for fun, you need to know that some bets pay out more than others. Remember, the fewer numbers in your bet, the more money you'll win. That's because the odds against winning a single number are way higher than winning 18 numbers. Here are the payouts and odds that you should know about.
| Numbers bet on | Payout | Odds against winning |
|---|---|---|
0, 00, or any single number | 35:1 | 37:1 |
0 and 00, or any two adjoining numbers | 17:1 | 18:1 |
Any three numbers | 11:1 | 1.557:1 |
Any four numbers in a block | 8:1 | 8.5:1 |
0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 | 6:1 | 5.33:1 |
Column bet, dozen bet | 2:1 | 2.157:1 |
Odd, even, red, black, 1 to 18, 19 to 36 | 1:1 | 1.111:1 |
These odds are for American roulette, which features a single zero and a double zero. For the French or European version of roulette, the odds are slightly different because there's only one zero to worry about.
What Are Minimum and Maximum Bets in Online Roulette?
Minimum bets for online roulette will be between $1-$5. Maximum bets can be anything upwards from $2,000. The wagering limit will usually vary depending on the game. For example, there are unique variants such as Super Stakes or High Limit Roulette which can have maximum bets of up to $15,000. In contrast, games like Low Stakes Roulette will have minimum bets of just $0.50.
What’s the Difference Between Inside and Outside Bets?
Outside bets offer a lower payout but have better odds of winnings. Inside bets offer a higher payout but with lower odds of winning. You can find outside bets placed in groups outside of the numbered grid, while inside bets are placed within the grid.
Inside Bets
Inside bets are wagers placed on individual numbers or specific number combinations. Common inside bets are straight ups, splits, streets, squares, quints, five number, and snakes. These bets all offer large payouts but also come with a high risk – the probability of winning an inside bet is low.
Outside Bets
Outside bets are placed outside the numbered box. There are five different outside bets that players can make: red or black, even or odd, 1-18 or 19-46, dozen bets, and column bets. Players are more likely to win with an outside bet – it’s the best choice for new roulette players looking for a lower risk wager.
How to Play Roulette and Win
Whilst you can’t improve your luck of where the ball will land, you can give yourself the best possible chance of winning by learning all there is to know about this great game. Here are a few roulette tips and tricks you won’t want to miss out on. Or check out our comprehensive roulette tips guide for more ways to improve your game.
Try free games
Whether you’re new to roulette or you’re working on your strategy, free roulette games are a great place to start. Free roulette games offer players the opportunity to try out a whole range of different roulette variations, and play to their heart’s content without spending any money. You can’t lose a single penny when you play roulette for free, but of course you can’t win any real money either, so you’ll likely want to move on to real money gambling when you feel comfortable with the game.
Know your variants
Roulette is known for its high house edge, compared to other casino games, but did you know that different roulette variations come with different levels of house edge? The best way to maximize your chances when playing roulette is to stick to the variants with the lowest house edge. We highly recommend you play European roulette to give yourself the best chances of winning.
Play outside bets
Outside bets are the bets you’re most likely to win in roulette, so if you’re new to the game these are a great way to begin. Outside bets tend to cover large areas of the wheel, making them more likely to come up. However, as we mentioned before, bets that are easy to win tend not to pay very well!
The en prison rule
If there’s one rule that really works to a player’s advantage in roulette, it’s en prison. The en prison rule enables players to win back their money if the ball lands on zero, as long as they’ve placed a bet with 50/50 odds (i.e. even vs. odd, red vs. black and so on).
Play Roulette Online Today
Have we inspired you to give roulette a try? Play online roulette today at one of the world’s top online casinos and put your new roulette knowledge to the test. Try different strategies, check out free games, experience live dealer games or play mobile roulette and see whether lady luck is on your side.
FAQ
How many numbers are there in roulette?
The amount of numbers available to bet on depends on your roulette variant. French and European games have 37 pockets. American roulette has 38 pockets because of the extra double zero number available. There is even mini roulette which has 13 numbers to bet on (including zero).
What is the best bet in roulette?
The best bet for a big payout is a single number wager. Any bet on a single number has odds of 37 to 1 and so offers a huge reward. This being said, the chances of this bet winning are far less likely than say red/black or another outside bet.
How do the odds work in roulette?
Roulette odds come in the form of ‘x to 1’. This means you’ll win ‘x’ amount for every dollar you bet. For example, a single number on the table has odds of 35 to 1. If you were to wager $1 and win the bet, you’d receive your stake back as well as $35 in winnings.
What does a number on roulette pay?
In roulette, numbers pay differently according to how the player wishes to bet. Even money bets are those on red/black, even/odd and 1-18/19-36. If you bet on these and win you’ll get the same amount back that you originally bet.
If you place bets that you’re less likely to win, you’ll get a higher payout if you do get lucky. You can win a big sum of money from just one bet in roulette, but it’s not easy to do so.
When you’re betting in roulette, there’s a quick and easy mathematical equation which can help you to remember what the payouts are. Divide 36 by how many numbers you’re betting on, then take away 1. This will give you your potential payout. You’ll also get your original bet back.
How much do you win on green?
Green bets have odds of 35 to 1, so you would win 35 times your stake wagered. If you were to bet on 0 and 00 at the same time in American roulette, the payout would be 17 to 1.
Can you bet on red and black at the same time?
Yes, you can bet on both red and black at the same time. Most would advise against this though, as the bets effectively cancel each other out. The green pocket is also in play meaning there’s a chance you’d lose on both bets regardless.
How can I increase my chances of winning roulette?
For a better chance of winning, stick to outside bets. Though they payout less, outside bets have far better odds of winning than inside bets.
How do you place a bet?
In online roulette, you place a bet simply by clicking the relevant part of the roulette board, after selecting your bet amount. You can take as much time as you need. In a real casino, you would do the same but by physically placing chips on the board with a croupier present. The croupier tells the table when betting is over and then spins the wheel.
Why is a French roulette table red?
A French roulette table is entirely red. However, for betting purposes, half of the numbers are still considered to be black. Apparently, the French just like an all-red table.
How do you deal roulette in a casino?
In a casino, the main purpose of a roulette dealer is to handle bets, spin the wheel and issue payouts. At the end of every round, winning and losing bets are distributed to players in chips. Dealing roulette in a casino is a tough job, requiring a lot of training and memorizing common payout patterns.
