How to Play Roulette

The familiar red and black sheen is one of the most recognisable casino games, and even if you've never played it before, you probably know the basics.

The good news is that you don’t need to trek to a casino to be able to play roulette, as it’s now available to play online. That means if you’ve always wanted to play but never had the opportunity, now is your big chance!

But before you dive right in and start the wheel spinning, take a moment to read the full roulette rules. The game is simple and easy to learn, but there are some different bets and strategies that you might want to be aware of before you begin.

The basics of roulette are as simple as it seems: before the wheel spins, you place your bet and try to predict where it might land. If you guess correctly, you'll win a prize - get it wrong, and you lose your stake.

At its core, roulette is no more complicated than that; it's a straightforward game of predicting where the ball will finish when the wheel stops spinning. However, there are several different types of bets that can be placed, and each carries its own specific prize. 

We’ll have a look at the different roulette bets in more detail a bit further below.

The roulette wheel may look the same wherever you play, but there are actually different versions. Modern online roulette offers a vast number of variations, but they are all based on the main three types of roulette: American, European and French.

European and French roulette are both played on the European roulette wheel. The American wheel is used for American roulette.

Roulette Wheel Numbers are laid out differently on the two wheels, with many describing the European wheel as being more balanced due to the even distribution. But the most significant difference between the two wheels - and one that will affect your betting - is the number of pockets.

Both wheels have pockets numbered 1-36, which are split evenly between red and black. The European wheel has a single 0 green pocket, but the American wheel has two green pockets: 0 and 00.

This makes a difference to the house edge and means that it's more difficult to win on American roulette. Most online sites use the European roulette wheel, but it's advisable to check before you start.

In films, playing roulette is often depicted as betting on a single number but in practice, that's incredibly hard to do. Predicting the number correctly takes an enormous amount of luck, especially as there are another 35 pockets on the wheel!

Thankfully it doesn't have to be an all or nothing bet as there are lots of other types of wagers that you can place in roulette. Some are harder than others, and these carry the bigger prizes. The bets which are easier to win will have a lower payout - but you could collect more frequently…choices, choices!

The main types of bets and their payouts are as follows: 

• Straight (a single number) - 35:1
• Split (two numbers which lie next to each other on the board) - 17:1
• Street (three numbers which lie in a horizontal line) - 11:1
• Five number ( a group of five numbers) - 8:1
• Six number (a group of six numbers that typically involves a double street) - 6:1
• Square (a single corner on the board with four numbers) - 5:1
• Column (12 numbers in a column on the board) - 2:1
• Dozen (one of the three sets of numbers 1-12, 13-24, 25-36) - 2:1
• Red/black (one of the two colours) - 1:1
• Odds/evens (choose whether the winner will be odd or even) - 1:1
• Low/high 1:1

All of the above bets can be placed on either the European or American wheel. If playing French roulette, there are some additional bets that can be placed.

And that's it! There is nothing else you need to know about playing. The wheel has the same probability of winning with every spin, so you'll need to come up with a strategy that spreads your money as necessary, depending on how you are betting.