Roulette is easily one of the most iconic casino games. Famous the world over, it’s a dynamic, exciting game that has players on the edge of their seats, often literally as they strain to see where the ball finally lands. It’s a staple in casinos all around the world. But for beginners, the sheer choice of betting options can be confusing. Let OnlineCasinos.co.uk guide you through the basics of roulette and turn you into a winning player.
There are three main variations on roulette that you will see in both real and online casinos around the world:
- American roulette
- European roulette
- French roulette
As well as the three above, you will also find other roulette variants in online casinos, including multiball and multiwheel roulette.
How do you play roulette?
The aim of roulette is to accurately predict the number that the ball lands on once the roulette wheel has stopped spinning. Players can bet on one or more outcomes, including:
- Single numbers or a range of numbers
- Red or black
- Odd or even numbers
- High numbers (19-36) or low numbers (1-18)
Bets are made by placing chips on the according spaces on the roulette table. Once all bets have been made, the croupier spins the roulette wheel in one direction and spins the ball in the opposite direction. The ball eventually lands in one of 37 numbered and coloured holes. The roulette wheel numbers are as below:
0 | |
1 | 2 |
3 | 4 |
5 | 6 |
7 | 8 |
9 | 10 |
11 | 12 |
13 | 14 |
15 | 16 |
17 | 18 |
19 | 20 |
21 | 22 |
23 | 24 |
25 | 26 |
27 | 28 |
29 | 30 |
31 | 32 |
33 | 34 |
35 | 36 |
Most roulette wheels use the layout above, although American roulette uses a double zero as well as a zero.
Once the ball has stopped spinning, players win payouts based on the bet they made.
What are the payouts on a roulette table?
In roulette, betting can be divided into two broad categories: outside bets and inside bets.
Roulette outside bets
The outside bets in roulette are literally all the bets which lie ‘outside’ the numbers on the table. These bets have better odds than inside bets, but they payouts are not as high. If the ball ends up on either the zero or double zero, the player loses. The outside bets cover:
- Odd or even numbers: this pays out even odds of 1 to 1 if it lands on the type of number you picked.
- Red or black: this bet pays out even odds of 1 to 1 if the ball ends up on the colour you chose.
- Low or high: this pays out even odds of 1 to 1 if you bet high (19-36) or low (1-18)
- Columns: every number on the roulette table is divided into three columns of 12 numbers. Bets are placed at the end of a column, and if the ball lands on a number in the chosen column, it pays out on odds of 2 to 1.
- Dozens: As well as columns, the numbers are also divided into three batches of 12, which all pay out on odds of 2 to 1.. Players can also bet on the first (1-12), second (13-24), and third (25-36) dozen numbers.
Roulette inside bets
Inside bets in roulette include particular numbers and groups of numbers. While these bets have worse odds than outside bets, their payout odds are much higher.
- Straight-up: this includes any individual number (0-36), and pays out on odds of 35 to 1.
- Split bet: this is a bet on any two numbers that are next to each other on the table that is made by placing a chip on the line that separates them. The odds on this bet are 17 to 1.
- Street bet: this bet spans three numbers that are in a row, and is made by leaving chips on the outside line of the row. The odds on a street bet are 11 to 1.
- Corner bet: this covers four numbers around the table, and is made by placing a chip so that it covers the corners of each number’s square. A corner bet, also known as a carré, quarter, quad, or square bet, pays out on odds of 8 to 1.
- Five-number bet: this bet is only available in American roulette, and covers the numbers 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. It is made by placing a chip between the 1 and 0 outside line on the corner. While the bet pays out 6 to 1, it is widely considered to be the worst bet you can make in roulette.
- Six-number bet: Also known as a line bet, this spans two adjacent rows of numbers. The odds on a line bet are 5 to 1.
What is the best bet in roulette?
New players to the game often ask: what is the best bet in roulette? Lots of factors come into play on this, but to help guide you, OnlineCasinos.co.uk breaks down some of the best bets a player can make.
- Odds/evens, red/black, low/high: the numbers covered by these bets cover almost half of the roulette table, and give the player good odds on scoring a win. However, these bets do come with lower payout rates to make up for it. If you want to slowly build up your chips on a low-risk bet, this is the choice for you.
- Columns: slightly riskier than bets above but with a higher payout rate, columns cover around a third of the table. As such, players have a fair (if not great) chance of winning at roulette, but the payout of 2 to 1 is better than the above.
- Split bet: this is a good halfway point between a straight-up and bets that cover more numbers but with less payout. Placing a split bet has lower payouts than a straight bet with 17 to 1, but gives you a little more security when that ball slowly stops spinning!
What are the top UK online casinos for playing roulette?
There are lots of incredible gambling sites that offer top roulette games – from online options to live dealer tables. We’ve reviewed the best online casinos for playing roulette and you can read all about them by following the links below:
Roulette is a thrilling game that is fun and easy to learn. Now you’ve read our guide, visit OnlineCasinos.co.uk and place your bets please!
