The Basics
Roulette is a table game where players bet on where a ball will land on a spinning wheel. The dealer (or the software, in our case) spins the wheel in one direction and releases the ball in the other. When the ball loses momentum, it drops into one of the numbered pockets. If your bet covers that number, you win.
You can place multiple bets per round. There’s no limit to how many positions on the table you cover, as long as each bet meets the table minimum. Once the dealer announces "no more bets," the betting window closes and you watch the spin play out.
The game has been played in casinos since the 18th century and remains one of the most popular table games worldwide. Its appeal is straightforward: the rules take about five minutes to learn, but the range of betting options gives experienced players plenty to think about.
Three Versions of Roulette
There are three main variants you’ll encounter, and the differences between them come down to the number of pockets on the wheel and the rules that apply when the ball lands on zero.
European
The standard version and the one most people should play. A single zero pocket gives the house a 2.70% edge. You’ll find this in most online simulators, European casinos, and increasingly in American venues too.
American
Adds a double-zero (00) pocket, bringing the total to 38. Common in Las Vegas. The extra pocket nearly doubles the house edge to 5.26%. The payouts stay the same as European, which means you’re getting worse odds on every single bet.
French
Same wheel as European but with player-friendly rules when the ball lands on zero. La Partage and En Prison cut the house edge on even-money bets to just 1.35%. The best odds you’ll find at any roulette table.
* Applies only to even-money bets under La Partage or En Prison rules
The Wheel Layout
The numbers on a roulette wheel aren’t arranged in numerical order. They’re carefully positioned so that high and low numbers, odd and even numbers, and red and black pockets alternate as much as possible. This ensures that no section of the wheel is biased toward any particular type of bet.
On a European wheel, the sequence starting from zero and going clockwise is: 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25, 17, 34, 6, 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33, 1, 20, 14, 31, 9, 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26.
American roulette uses a completely different number arrangement. The double-zero sits directly opposite the single zero on the wheel. If you’re using any kind of wheel-sector betting (covering a physical section of the wheel), the strategy changes entirely between the two versions.
The Table Layout
The betting table is divided into two main areas. The inside / outside.
Inside bets cover fewer numbers but pay more when they hit. Outside bets cover larger groups and win more often, but the payouts are smaller. You can mix and match both types in the same round.
Inside Bets
Inside bets are placed on specific numbers or small groups of adjacent numbers. They’re higher risk but come with the biggest payouts.
- Straight Up (35:1) – A bet on a single number. Place your chip directly on the number. This is the highest-paying bet on the table but also the hardest to hit at 2.70% probability.
- Split (17:1) – A bet on two adjacent numbers. Place your chip on the line between them. Covers two numbers for a 5.41% chance of winning.
- Street (11:1) – A bet on a row of three numbers. Place your chip on the outside edge of the row. Covers three numbers for an 8.11% win rate.
- Corner (8:1) – A bet on four numbers that share a corner. Place your chip at the intersection. Covers four numbers with a 10.81% probability.
- Six Line (5:1) – A bet on two adjacent rows, covering six numbers. Place your chip on the outside corner where the two rows meet. 16.22% chance of winning.
Outside Bets
Outside bets cover larger sections of the table. They hit more frequently but pay less. These are generally better for players who prefer steadier, lower-risk play.
- Red/Black (1:1) – Bet on the colour of the winning number. Covers 18 numbers (48.65% chance). Zero is green, so it loses for both red and black.
- Odd/Even (1:1) – Bet on whether the number will be odd or even. Same coverage and probability as red/black. Zero counts as neither odd nor even.
- High/Low (1:1) – Bet on 1-18 (low) or 19-36 (high). Again, 18 numbers covered.
- Dozens (2:1) – Bet on the first 12 (1-12), second 12 (13-24), or third 12 (25-36). Covers 12 numbers with a 32.43% win probability.
- Columns (2:1) – Bet on one of three vertical columns. Same payout and probability as dozens, just a different grouping of numbers.
Special Rules: La Partage and En Prison
French roulette (and some European tables) offers two rules that significantly improve the odds on even-money bets. Both only apply when the ball lands on zero.
La Partage ("The Sharing")
When zero hits, even-money bets (red/black, odd/even, high/low) lose only half their stake. You get 50% back automatically. This cuts the house edge on those bets from 2.70% to 1.35%. It’s automatic and requires no decision from the player.
En Prison ("In Prison")
Instead of losing half, your even-money bet stays on the table "in prison" for one more spin. If your bet wins the next spin, you get the full stake back (but no winnings). If it loses, the house takes it. The maths works out to the same 1.35% edge as La Partage, but you get the excitement of a second chance rather than a partial refund.
How a Round Works
Every round of roulette follows the same sequence, whether you’re at a casino table or on an online simulator:
Betting Limits
Every roulette table has minimum and maximum bet limits. The minimum applies to each individual bet you place, not your total for the round. So if the table minimum is 10, you need at least 10 on every position, but you can bet on as many positions as you want.
Maximum limits exist primarily to prevent progression strategies (like the Martingale) from being used indefinitely. They also protect the casino from very large single bets. On our simulator, different tables have different limits, from casual tables with small minimums up to VIP tables with much higher stakes.
If you’re planning to use any kind of progressive betting system, always check the table limits before you start. You need enough room between the minimum and maximum to sustain your progression through a losing streak.
European vs American: Which Should You Play?
If you have the choice, play European. The maths is unambiguous. European roulette returns 97.30 cents per dollar wagered on average. American roulette returns 94.74 cents. That gap adds up quickly over a session.
The only unique bet in American roulette is the "basket" or "top line" bet covering 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. It pays 6:1 but has a house edge of 7.89%, making it the worst bet on either table. There’s genuinely no strategic reason to prefer American roulette if the European version is available.
Our simulator defaults to European roulette for exactly this reason. We do offer American tables if you want to experience the difference.
What About French Roulette?
On RTP alone, French roulette wins. La Partage and En Prison cut the house edge on even-money bets to 1.35%, so a French table is the most player-friendly version of the game you can sit at.
Two things to keep in mind, though. The favourable edge only applies to even-money bets (red/black, odd/even, high/low) — inside bets still carry the standard 2.70% edge. And at physical tables, the outside bets are traditionally labelled in French (Rouge/Noir, Pair/Impair, Manque/Passe). If you’re new to the game, European tables are usually the easier starting point.
How Does Online Roulette Work?
Online roulette is played through a web browser or casino app, but the core rules are identical to the table in a physical casino. Each table has minimum and maximum bet limits, and the RTP depends on which variant you’re playing. The main difference is in how the outcome of each spin is generated.
At licensed online casinos, spin results are produced by a certified random number generator (RNG) supplied by an independent auditor such as iTechLabs, eCOGRA, or GLI. As soon as the betting window closes, the RNG instantly determines the winning number; the spinning wheel animation is purely visual feedback. Crypto casinos sometimes use provably fair systems instead, which let you independently verify each outcome by combining a player seed and a server seed.
Our simulator uses the same kind of cryptographically secure RNG you’d find at a regulated casino, so every spin is genuinely random — just with free coins rather than real money on the line.
Real-money online roulette doesn’t accept cash. To play, you deposit funds into your casino account using bank cards, e-wallets (Skrill, Neteller, PayPal), prepaid cards, or cryptocurrencies. Most sites also offer welcome bonuses or promotions, but these come with terms and conditions (wagering requirements, eligible games, time limits) that you need to meet before withdrawing any winnings they produce. Always read the small print.
