ROULETTE RULES

OBJECTIVE OF ROULETTE: Simply make and win bids!

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: No restriction on the number of players

MATERIALS OF ROULETTE: A roulette wheel, a roulette ball, a roulette table, and chips

TYPE OF GAME: Casino game

AUDIENCE: Adult

OVERVIEW OF ROULETTE

Roulette is a super fun and popular casino gambling game. If you’ve ever been to a casino, probably one of the first games you would have gravitated towards (besides the penny slots, of course!) is the roulette table. After all, it’s a super enticing and incredibly easy game to play.

In Roulette, the dealer, also called the croupier, takes bets and rolls the wheel, and players simply make bids on the mat. But don’t worry if this all sounds confusing to you. We’ll go over pretty much everything there is to know about the Roulette rules below!

SETUP FOR ROULETTE

First, let’s go over the absolute basics of Roulette. How exactly do you set up this game? And what does it look like?

A roulette game is comprised of two parts: a wheel and a table. The standard roulette wheel and table has numbers from 1 to 36, plus a 0. However, on some American tables, you may also see a 00.

THE ROULETTE WHEEL

The roulette wheel has a standard look but may look slightly different from country to country and casino to casino. Generally, the wheel is composed of the numbers 1 through 36. These numbers are either marked red or black. There is also a dividing number 0 that is marked green. In some American tables, however, there may be both a 0 and a 00 that are both green.

THE ROULETTE TABLE

On the right side of the wheel, you’ll find the Roulette table, which is reserved for bets. This area is generally covered in a green felt with white grid cells containing numbers and other types of bets that you can make as you play.

The main part of the table has 36 numbers in alternate colors of red and black. These numbers are arranged in three columns of 12, with 1 at the top and 36 at the bottom. At the bottom of these numbers, there are three spaces marked “2 to 1.” Then, on one side of the columns, you’ll find spaces marked:

1st 12 (a bet for 1-12)
2nd 12 (a bet for 13-24)
3rd 12 (a bet for 25-36)
1 to 18
19 to 36
Even
Odd
Red
Black

BETTING AND ROULETTE PAYOUTS

Now, before you start playing, you’ve got to get to know the different types of bets you can make.

To bet, a player will place their chip somewhere on the mat. Where they place their chip or chips determines the bet being made as well as the odds and payouts of the bet. You can play multiple bets at the same time.

So, what are you betting in Roulette, you ask? You’re simply trying to predict where the ball will land in the Roulette wheel.

INSIDE BETS

Inside bets offer a lower chance of winning but a higher paying odd if you do get lucky and win. These bets are placed on specific numbers on the Roulette table instead of a large group of numbers as you would when you place an outside bet (but more on outside bets below).

Here are the different types of inside bets you can make:

Straight up bet: Bet on 1 number (pays out 35:1)
Split bet: Bet on 2 numbers by placing chip(s) in between the two numbers (pays out 17:1)
Street bet or row bet: Bet on 3 numbers by placing chip(s) on the outside border of the numbers (pays out 11:1)
Row bet on 0 and 00: (In American Roulette only) Bet on 0 and 00 (pays out 17:1)
Corner bet: Bet on 4 numbers by placing chip(s) on corner where all the numbers meet (pays out 8:1)
Five number bet: Only on American 00 wheels. Bet on 5 numbers by placing chip or chips on numbers 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 (pays out 6:1)
Six number bet: Bet on 6 numbers by placing chip(s) on outside border of the numbers (pays out 5:1)

OUTSIDE BETS

Outside bets, on the other hand, are not any specific numbers but refer to a group of numbers. These bets are named so because they lie outside the standard number bets. With outside bets, you have a much higher chance of winning but the payout is lower.

These are the types of outside bets you can place in Roulette:

Red or black: Bet on red or black (pays out 1:1)
Even or odd: Bet on even or odd (pays out 1:1)
High or low: Bet on 1-18 or 19-36 (pays out 1:1)
Column: Bet on an entire column (pays out 2:1)
Dozen: Bet on 1st 12, 2nd 12, or 3rd 12 (pays out 2:1)

HOW TO PLAY ROULETTE

Now that you know the basics of Roulette rules, it’s time to play! First, you’ve got to find a table. Roulette tables will have a minimum and maximum bet, so take these into consideration to find the right table within your budget. These tables will also have a board that states the previous winning numbers, but don’t pay attention to these, as where the ball lands is completely random!

ROULETTE CHIPS

Unlike other casino games, you don’t play Roulette with normal casino chips. Instead, you have to ask your dealer (or croupier) for specific chips for Roulette. You’ll get chips in a single color, and you can decide what denomination they are. The reason for this is that every player gets a specific color in order to help differentiate who is betting on what.

PLAY ROULETTE

Before the dealer spins the wheel and throws the ball, they will give every player enough time to place their bets. This is when you will place your chips on the Roulette table as explained above in the betting section.

Then, the dealer will spin the wheel and throw the ball. When the ball and wheel both come to a complete stop the result is announced. All losing bets are taken by the dealer and the winners are paid out.

LANDING ON 0 OR 00

One thing Roulette players fear the most is when the ball lands on green, which is the number 0 (as well as 00 in American tables). If the ball lands on green, the house takes all of the winnings for that round (unless you bet on 0 or 00, in which case the payout is 35:1). The presence of the 0 (and 00) introduces an element of risk to Roulette and increases the house edge by 2.7% or 5.26% in American tables.

FRENCH HOUSE RULES

If you are playing French Roulette, they may have “La Partage” and “En Prison” rules. These rules state that if the ball lands on 0, the players that bet on even money bets, such as black or red, high or low, or odd or even, get half their money back.

In La Partage, players can collect half their money back if the ball lands on 0.

And in En Prison, players leave half their money on the table for the next round if the ball lands on 0.

STRATEGY FOR ROULETTE

There are many different strategies you can employ when playing Roulette. What strategy you use is entirely up to you and what you think will get you to win big!

MARTINGALE STRATEGY

The Martingale strategy is one of the most popular strategies, particularly for beginners. In this strategy, you generally stick to outside bets. To employ the Martingale strategy, you double the size of your bet after you lose. But when you win, you reset your bet to your initial bet amount.

So, for example, if you bet 1 chip on the first round and you lose, you bet 2 chips on the second round. If you lose again, you bet 4 chips on the third round. And if you finally win, you bet just 1 chip on the fourth round once again. And so on.

D’ALEMBERT STRATEGY

The D’Alembert strategy is also used on bets with even money payouts, so when using this strategy, stick to outside bets. This strategy is similar to the Martingale strategy but with less risk. Instead of doubling your bet when you lose, you simply up your bet by 1. And when you win, you lower your bet by 1.

So, for example, if you bet 5 chips on the first round and you lose, you bet 6 chips in the second round. Then, if you lose again, you bet 7. And finally, in the third round, if you win, you bet 6 chips again in the next round.

FIBONACCI STRATEGY

The Fibonacci strategy is a bit more complicated than the previous two strategies mentioned, but it is very popular amongst more experienced casino players. This is a sequence that was created by an Italian mathematician that involves adding the last two numbers in the sequence together.

The sequence is as follows:

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377… and so on.

So, when it comes to betting, the Fibonacci strategy involves adding the last two bets. When you lose, you continue in the sequence one by one. And when you win, you move back two steps in the sequence.

For example, if you bet 1 chip in the first round and lose, you bet 1 chip in the next round. If you lose again, you bet 2. If you lose, in the next round, you bet 3 and if you continue to lose, you bet 5. At this point, you finally win a round, so in the next round, you bet 2 chips once again!

JAMES BOND STRATEGY

Another favorite strategy for beginners, the James Bond strategy was popularized by, you guessed it, James Bond! Or, rather, the author, Ian Fleming.

In this strategy, you will need at least $200 to bet. Then, you place bets as follows:

$140 on high, so 19-36 (you win $80)
$50 on 13-18 (you win $100)
$10 on 0 (you win $160)

In this way, you only lose if the ball lands anywhere between 1 and 12.

VARIATIONS OF ROULETTE

As you will have noticed already, there are a few different variations of Roulette you can play with slightly differing rules. The three most popular Roulette variations are American, French, and European, but there are others you may come across online or during your travels.

AMERICAN ROULETTE

In American Roulette, as explained above, the main difference is that there is an extra green number, 00. This makes American Roulette have a higher house edge. Due to this extra number, there is also the possibility of making a five number bet by betting on 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3.

FRENCH ROULETTE

French Roulette has a standard Roulette setup with just a single 0, but there are additional betting rules, La Partage or En Prison. As previously mentioned, these rules allow players who bet even money to get half of their money back if the ball lands on 0.

EUROPEAN ROULETTE

European Roulette is the standard Roulette setup with a single 0 with no side bets, other payouts, or hidden rules.

ONLINE ROULETTE

While playing Roulette in person at a casino is undoubtedly the most fun way to partake in the game, you can also now play online. Check out our top picks for the best online casinos for some recommendations on playing roulette online.

FAQ

What Is the Safest Bet in Roulette?

If you want to play it safe, of course, the safest bets will be those that will give you around a 50% chance of winning. These will be bets like red/black, odds/evens, and high/low.

What Is the 3 2 Rule in Roulette?

In the 3 2 betting system in Roulette, your aim is to cover as much area as possible so that you can turn a profit. In the 3 2 system, you bet 3 units on either Red, Black, Odd, or Even as well as 2 units on a column of numbers.

What Is the 00 Rule in Roulette?

If the ball lands on the 0 or 00, all bets are lost. However, if you bet on 0 or 00, you will get a payout of 35:1.

Is Roulette 100% Luck or Does It Also Require Skill?

Unlike other popular casino games like Blackjack and Poker, Roulette is technically 100% luck. But having a bit of knowledge on where the ball is likely to fall may help.

What Numbers Hit Most in Roulette?

It’s all random, so there is no particular number that hits the most in Roulette. But it’s worth noting that some of the most popular numbers to bet on include 7 and 17.

Author
Recent Posts

Mia Kim

I am a digital nomad and traveler with a passion for board games. I've been a big board game nerd all my life, and I'm a particular fan of word games like Scrabble, Boggle, and, yes, Wordle, too!