Roulette is a favourite of players around the globe for its simplicity and variety of betting options. There’s many different forms of Roulette—from the classic versions of European, French and American, to enhanced and unique versions that can only be played online. All Roulette games use the same basic play style that is simple to learn, and easy to understand. However, Roulette also offers a surprising level of depth for the really serious players out there.
The earliest form of Roulette is said to have been invented in a monastery in France in the 17th century. In an attempt to build a perpetual motion machine, a that would revolve endlessly without a need for energy from an outside source. However, the physicist failed, but luckily the Roulette wheel was born. The word Roulette means “small wheel” in French.
In order to win at Roulette all you have to do is bet on where you think the ball will end up within the wheel. There are two main bet categories – outside bets and inside bets. Outside bets, such as red or black, are generally safer; whereas Inside bets, like a single number, are riskier, but have much higher payouts.
Outside bets
Colour bet
Choose the colour of the final number and place a bet—will it be red or black? But, if the ball lands on green, the bet loses. Pays 1 to 1.
Even or odd bet
Place a bet on whether the final number is ODD or EVEN. Pays 1 to 1.
Column bets
By placing your bet in a 2:1 space, you are betting that the ball will land on one of the numbers in that long column. Pays 2 to 1.
Dozen bets
Below the black and red columns you can place your bet on groupings of twelve numbers. Choose from the 1st 12 numbers, the 2nd 12 numbers or the 3rd 12 numbers. This pays 2 to 1.
High or low bet
Place bets on whether the number will be in the top half of the board (1 – 18), or in the lower half of the board (19 – 36). Pays 1 to 1.
Inside bets
Straight up bet
Betting on a single number gives the biggest payout of all. Pays 35 to 1.
Split betting
Place a chip on the line between two numbers to split a bet between two numbers. Pays 17 to 1.
Street bet
Place a chip on the end of any “street” or row of three numbers to bet on all three numbers in that row. Pays 11 to 1.
Corner bet
Place a chip on the intersection of four numbers to split a bet between all four. Pays 8 to 1.
Six line bet
Bet on six numbers by placing the chip on the edge of two adjoining streets. This is like a double street bet. Pays 5 to 1.
Over time, the game of Roulette has evolved in many ways. New forms of gameplay were introduced by the Americans, bringing the advent of American Roulette. It’s important to understand the core differences so you can choose the online Roulette game that’s right for you.
European Roulette
Since Roulette originated in France, European Roulette is potentially the most authentic version of the game you can play. On a European Roulette wheel, the numbers range from 0 to 36 and are distributed randomly around the wheel. With the 37 numbers, the odds of winning on a are 1 in 37 on a straight up bet. The house edge in European Roulette is small, at 2.7%. That means losing in European Roulette brings smaller loses than American Roulette, where the house edge is 5.27%.
American Roulette
The biggest difference in American Roulette is the wheel itself. In addition to the 0 on European Roulette, there is also a 00 pocket. If you study an American Roulette wheel, you’ll notice that the numbers are arranged in a logical order, but placed opposite one another. For example, 1 is placed across the wheel from 2. With the additional 00, the chances of winning on a single number bet are 1 in 38.
There are many variants of the standard roulette ruleset that have been created to give players more options to play, and more ways to enjoy this casino classic. Head over to the Roulette section to find out what games we have to offer.