Everything You Need to Know About Roulette

Roulette is an iconic casino game, instantly recognizable by its spinning wheel and the small white ball that determines players’ fortunes. Its name means “little wheel” in French, casino and the game is one of pure chance, making it accessible and exciting for beginners and veterans alike.

How the Game Works

At its heart is a large wheel sectioned into pockets, each with a unique number. The two primary versions of roulette are:

• Single-Zero Roulette: The European version contains 37 pockets in total, with one of them being a green 0. Due to the single zero, the house advantage is a favorable 2.7%.
• American Roulette: The American wheel adds a second green pocket, the “00”, casino bringing the total to 38 slots. Players face worse odds in this version because of the “00”.

The aim of the game is simply to bet on the winning number.

Placing Your Wagers

The bets you can make are split into two groups: casino Inside Bets and casino Outside Bets.

Inside Bets

These are bets placed on specific numbers or small groups of numbers on the inside of the betting layout. They have higher payouts but lower odds of winning.

• Straight Up: A bet on a single number. Payout is 35 to 1.
• Split: A two-number bet that pays 17:1.
• Street: A bet on a row of three numbers. Payout is 11 to 1.
• Corner: A four-number bet that pays 8:1.

Outside Bets

These are wagers on general outcomes and have better odds with lower payouts.

• Red/Black: A bet on whether the winning number will be red or black. Payout is 1 to 1.
• Odd/Even: A bet on whether the number will be odd or even. Payout is 1 to 1.
• High/Low: A bet on whether the number will be in the low range (1-18) or the high range (19-36). Payout is 1 to 1.
• Dozens/Columns: Betting on a group of 12 numbers.

Is There a Winning Roulette Strategy?

It is impossible to beat roulette consistently because every spin is random and the house edge is fixed. Systems like the Martingale (doubling your bet after a loss) are extremely risky and can lead to catastrophic losses very quickly. The best “strategy” is to manage your bankroll, play for entertainment, and if possible, always choose European roulette over American roulette.