Learn how to play casino roulette. Discover the basic rules, types of bets like inside and outside, and the table layout to begin playing at any casino.

How to Play Casino Roulette Rules Bets and Winning Strategies

To begin participating, place your chips directly on the desired number or line on the betting layout. For a straight-up bet on a single number, like 17, the payout is 35 to 1. If you seek better odds of winning, consider an outside bet. Placing a wager on Red or Black, Odd or Even, or the 1-18/19-36 ranges offers a nearly 50% chance of success and pays 1 to 1. This strategy is ideal for beginners looking to familiarize themselves with the game's flow.

Understand the distinction between American and European versions of this table game. The European wheel features 37 pockets (numbers 1-36 and a single zero), resulting in a house edge of 2.7%. The American counterpart adds a double zero (00), increasing the total pockets to 38 and raising the house advantage to 5.26%. For a statistically superior chance of a positive outcome, always select the European variant when available. This single choice significantly impacts your long-term results.

More complex wagers involve combinations of numbers. A split bet (two adjacent numbers) pays 17 to 1, while a street bet (a row of three numbers) offers an 11 to 1 return. A corner bet, covering four numbers in a square, provides an 8 to 1 payout. These "inside bets" present higher returns but come with lower probabilities of hitting. A balanced approach often involves combining lower-risk outside wagers with a few strategic high-payout inside placements to manage your bankroll effectively during a session.

How to Play Casino Roulette: A Practical Guide

Place your chips directly on the desired number or line on the table layout before the croupier announces "no more bets." The objective is to predict which numbered pocket the ball will land in. The wheel has 37 pockets (0-36) in the European version and 38 (0, 00, 1-36) in the American version. The European layout offers a lower house edge of 2.7% compared to the American layout's 5.26% due to the single zero.

Types of Wagers and Payouts

Wagers are classified into two main categories: Inside and Outside. Inside wagers are placed on specific numbers or small groups of numbers and offer higher payouts with lower probabilities.

Straight Up: A bet on a single number. Pays 35 to 1.
Split: A bet on two adjacent numbers, placed on the line between them. Pays 17 to 1.
Street: A bet on three consecutive numbers in a horizontal line. Place chips on the outer edge of the row. Pays 11 to 1.
Corner (or Square): A bet on four numbers that form a square on the layout. Place chips at the central intersection of the four numbers. Pays 8 to 1.
Six Line (or Double Street): A bet on two adjacent streets (six numbers). Place chips at the intersection of the two streets on the outer line. Pays 5 to 1.

Outside wagers cover larger sections of the wheel, providing lower payouts but higher probabilities of success.

Column: A bet on one of the three vertical columns of twelve numbers. Pays 2 to 1.
Dozen: A bet on a group of twelve numbers (1-12, 13-24, or 25-36). Pays 2 to 1.
Red/Black: A bet on the color of the winning number. Pays 1 to 1.
Even/Odd: A bet on whether the winning number will be even or odd. Pays 1 to 1.
High/Low (1-18/19-36): A bet on whether the winning number will be in the lower or upper range. Pays 1 to 1.

Gameplay Sequence

The sequence of a round is straightforward. First, you exchange cash for colored chips at the table; each player receives a unique color to avoid disputes. You then place your wagers on the felt layout. The croupier spins the wheel in one direction and launches the small ball in the opposite direction. Wagers can be placed until the croupier declares the betting period closed. Once the ball settles into a pocket, the croupier places a marker (a dolly) on the winning number on the layout, clears all losing wagers, and then pays out the winning ones. The process repeats for the next round.

Placing Your Bets: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

To place a bet, first exchange your cash for specific gaming chips at the table. Inform the croupier of the denomination you wish to purchase; for instance, "$100 in chips, please." You will receive colored chips, unique to you at that table, to prevent bet confusion.

Follow this sequence for placing your wagers on the layout:

Wait for the croupier to announce, "Place your bets." This signals the start of the betting window.
Physically place your chips on the specific number or group of numbers you wish to back. The croupier will not place bets for you.
Ensure your chips are precisely on the lines or within the boxes for your intended wager. Misplaced chips may be voided or paid out as a different bet.
The betting window closes when the croupier declares, "No more bets." Any chips placed after this call are disallowed.

Understanding Chip Placement for Common Wagers

Your chip's position on the felt determines your wager type and potential payout. Here are precise locations for popular inside and outside bets:

Straight Up: Place the chip entirely within a single number's square (e.g., 7). Payout: 35 to 1.
Split: Position the chip directly on the line separating two adjacent numbers (e.g., between 8 and 9, or 8 and 11). Payout: 17 to 1.
Street: Set the chip on the outer line of a row of three numbers (e.g., on the line to the left of the 4 in the 4-5-6 row). Payout: 11 to 1.
Corner (or Square): Place your chip on the intersecting point that touches four numbers (e.g., the corner touching 13, 14, 16, and 17). Payout: 8 to 1.
Column: Place your wager in one of the three boxes marked "2 to 1" at the far end of the number grid. This covers all 12 numbers in that vertical line. Payout: 2 to 1.
Dozen: Wager on one of the boxes labeled "1st 12," "2nd 12," or "3rd 12," each covering a dozen sequential numbers. Payout: 2 to 1.
Red/Black: Position chips within the large Red or Black diamond-shaped areas. Payout: 1 to 1.
Odd/Even: Place chips on the box marked "Odd" or "Even." Payout: 1 to 1.
Low/High (1-18/19-36): Bet on the boxes designated for each of these 18-number groups. Payout: 1 to 1.

After the ball lands and the result is announced, the croupier will use a marker (a dolly) to indicate the winning number. They will first clear all losing wagers from the layout and then pay the winning bets. Do not touch your winning chips until the croupier has finished paying everyone and removed the dolly from the number.

Understanding the Wheel and Table Layout: European vs. American Roulette

Always select the European variant for a statistically better chance of winning. The European wheel contains 37 pockets: numbers 1-36 and a single green zero (0). The American wheel has 38 pockets: numbers 1-36, a single zero (0), and a double zero (00). This additional double-zero pocket significantly alters the odds.

The house edge in European-style games is 2.7%. This figure is calculated as 1/37. For American-style games, the presence of the second zero pocket increases the house edge to 5.26%, calculated as 2/38. This means for every $100 wagered, the establishment's expected profit is $2.70 on a European table versus $5.26 on an American one.

Number sequences on the wheels differ intentionally to ensure a random distribution of high, low, odd, and even numbers. The European sequence 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. The American sequence is: 0, 28, 9, 26, 30, 11, 7, 20, 32, 17, 5, 22, 34, 15, 3, 24, 36, 13, 1, 00, 27, 10, 25, 29, 12, 8, 19, 31, 18, 6, 21, 33, 16, 4, 23, 35, 14, 2.

The betting grids, or layouts, appear similar but reflect the wheel differences. The American layout features an additional space for the 00 wager, typically located next to the 0. Some European tables offer "racetrack" or "call bet" sections. These are oval-shaped areas on the felt that allow for quick placement of wagers on specific number groupings as they appear on the wheel, such as Voisins du Zéro (Neighbors of Zero) or Tiers du Cylindre (Third of the Wheel). These options are absent from standard American layouts.

A rule specific to many single-zero games, "En Prison" or "La Partage," further reduces the house edge on even-money bets (Red/Black, Odd/Even, 1-18/19-36). With " https://flabet.cloud ," if the ball lands on zero, you receive half of your even-money stake back. With "En Prison," your stake is "imprisoned" for another spin; you win it back if your bet hits on the next turn. These rules lower the house advantage on these specific wagers to just 1.35%, making the European format the mathematically superior choice for the player.

Payouts and Probabilities for Common Bet Types

To maximize returns, focus on outside bets like Red/Black or Odd/Even. These offer the highest probability of winning, at 48.65% in the European version and 47.37% in the American one, although they provide the lowest payout of 1:1.

Inside wagers present higher payouts but with significantly lower success rates. A Straight Up wager on a single number pays 35:1. The probability of hitting this is only 2.70% on a European wheel and 2.63% on an American wheel. Placing a Split wager, covering two adjacent numbers, pays 17:1. Your chance of winning is 5.41% (European) or 5.26% (American).

The Street bet, covering three numbers in a row, provides an 8.11% (European) or 7.89% (American) probability and pays 11:1. A Corner or Square bet, which covers four numbers, has a payout of 8:1 with a 10.81% (European) or 10.53% (American) chance of success.

A Six Line wager covers two adjacent rows of three numbers each, for a total of six numbers. This position pays 5:1. The likelihood of winning this wager is 16.22% for the European setup and 15.79% for the American one.

Column and Dozen wagers both cover 12 numbers on the layout. These pay 2:1. Your winning probability for either is 32.43% on a single-zero wheel and 31.58% on a double-zero wheel. The house edge remains consistent across most wagers: 2.70% for European-style play and 5.26% for the American variant. The exception in the American version is the five-number bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3), which carries a higher house advantage of 7.89% and should be avoided.