How to Play Roulette
Roulette is one of the most iconic casino games — a spinning wheel, a bouncing ball, and dozens of ways to bet. Once you understand the bets and odds, roulette is simple to play and surprisingly strategic in your choice of game version.
Play French and European roulette at our recommended casinos — all offer La Partage rules and live dealer tables.
Claim Your Welcome Bonus →18+ · Play responsibly · T&Cs apply
European vs. American Roulette — Always Choose European
This is the single most important decision in roulette:
- European roulette: 37 pockets (0–36). House edge: 2.7%
- American roulette: 38 pockets (0, 00, 1–36). House edge: 5.26%
American roulette's extra 00 pocket nearly doubles the house edge with no benefit to the player. There is no reason to play American roulette when European is available.
French roulette with La Partage or En Prison: This variant returns half your even-money bet if the ball lands on zero. House edge drops to 1.35% on those bets. Best roulette variant available.
All Roulette Bets Explained
| Bet Name | Description | Payout | Odds (European) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Up | Single number | 35:1 | 2.7% |
| Split | Two adjacent numbers | 17:1 | 5.4% |
| Street | Three numbers in a row | 11:1 | 8.1% |
| Corner / Square | Four numbers sharing a corner | 8:1 | 10.8% |
| Six Line | Six numbers (two rows) | 5:1 | 16.2% |
| Column | 12 numbers (one column) | 2:1 | 32.4% |
| Dozen | Numbers 1–12, 13–24, or 25–36 | 2:1 | 32.4% |
| Red / Black | All red or all black numbers | 1:1 | 48.6% |
| Odd / Even | All odd or all even numbers | 1:1 | 48.6% |
| Low / High | 1–18 or 19–36 | 1:1 | 48.6% |
Inside Bets vs. Outside Bets
Inside bets (Straight Up, Split, Street, Corner, Six Line): Higher payouts but lower probability. Good for chasing large wins.
Outside bets (Column, Dozen, Red/Black, Odd/Even, High/Low): Lower payouts but win nearly half the time. Better for extending play and managing bankroll.
All bets in European roulette have the same house edge of 2.7% regardless of which bet you choose. The difference is variance — inside bets swing more wildly.
Ready to play Roulette? Our recommended casinos offer fair games and great bonuses.
Claim Your Welcome Bonus →18+ · Play responsibly · T&Cs apply
Popular Betting Systems (And Why They Don't Work)
No betting system changes the house edge. They redistribute your wins and losses but cannot overcome the 2.7% mathematical disadvantage over time.
Martingale: Double your bet after every loss. Risk: catastrophic loss when hitting the table maximum or running out of bankroll. Has wiped out many players chasing a single $5 win.
D'Alembert: Increase bet by 1 unit after a loss, decrease by 1 after a win. Slower Martingale. Same mathematical result.
Fibonacci: Follow the Fibonacci sequence for bet sizing after losses. Same problem — doesn't change the odds.
James Bond strategy: Bet 70% on high numbers (19–36), 25% on 13–18, and 5% on 0. Covers most of the table. Still loses 2.7% per spin on average.
The only genuine strategy: play French roulette with La Partage, bet even-money options, and set a session limit.
Playing Roulette Live
Live dealer roulette follows identical rules to the version described here — the wheel, bets, and payouts are exactly the same. The difference is that a real dealer spins a real wheel, streamed to your screen. For tips specific to the live format — including table etiquette, camera angles, and how to read live scoreboards — see Live Casino Guides' how to play live roulette.
Roulette Odds Explained Simply
In European roulette, there are 37 numbers (0–36). The casino pays as if there were only 36:
- A Straight Up bet covers 1 of 37 numbers and pays 35:1 (not 36:1). The missing 1 unit of payment is the house profit.
- An Even Money bet covers 18 of 37 numbers and pays 1:1. Zero is the 19th possibility that causes you to lose.
This 'missing' payout is where the 2.7% house edge comes from in every single bet.
Ready to play Roulette? Our recommended casinos offer fair games and great bonuses.
Claim Your Welcome Bonus →18+ · Play responsibly · T&Cs apply
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best bet in roulette?
French roulette with La Partage offers a 1.35% house edge on even-money bets — the best in roulette. In European roulette, all bets carry the same 2.7% edge, so even-money bets are preferred for lower variance.
Can you beat roulette?
Long-term, no. The house edge ensures the casino profits over millions of spins. Short-term, anything is possible. Some players have won using visual ballistics (predicting where the ball lands) but casinos counter this quickly.
What numbers come up most often in roulette?
Each number has exactly the same probability of appearing — 1 in 37 on a European wheel. No number is 'due' and past results don't affect future spins.
What is the maximum win on a single roulette spin?
A Straight Up bet pays 35:1. On a $100 bet, that's $3,500. Table maximums vary — typically $500–$5,000 on Straight Up bets.
Play French and European roulette at our recommended casinos — all offer La Partage rules and live dealer tables.
Claim Your Welcome Bonus →18+ · Play responsibly · T&Cs apply