My foray into the world of sports betting was as a punter, primarily following the ups and downs (well, mostly downs…) of my local team as they battled against the ever-present threat of relegation. Over time, I began to become more and more interested in the ins and outs of various strategies and became adept at spotting a good operator.
My day job was, at the time, writing and editing for a local newspaper, so turning my professional skills to my interest in sports betting followed naturally. I started writing about sports betting as a hobby initially with my own blog, analysing odds and providing betting tips where I thought I could find value. Eventually, I was headhunted to write the same content for a betting firm, which resulted in me leaving my local paper job behind and turning my professional interests solely to sports betting writing by 2017. Since then, I have been proud of the body of work I have been able to produce.
Using my interest in all aspects of the sports and gambling world to guide me, I now write for Betting.net, compiling operator reviews, bonus reviews, and sharing the tips and tricks across our various sports betting guides. When I’m not at my keyboard, I am an avid rock climber, with an ultimate goal of eventually ascending the Seven Peaks — if I can fit it in between penning the latest bookmaker review, that is!
Looking for the rules for roulette? We’ve got a great guide here that explains the roulette rules for beginners. Keep reading to see how to play roulette and make some decent wins from this legendary casino game!
Roulette is by far the most glamorous casino game you’ll see on your journey. This means that you won’t want to make a fool out of yourself when you turn up at the gaming tables. So take a look below to see what the roulette game rules are. The perfect way to start your roulette vacation in style!
The roulette game rules in simple points
Predict which numbered pocket the ball will fall in
Back up your predictions with a wagering stake
Outside bets are easier to win but pay out less
Inside bets are harder to win but pay out better
Play American, French or European roulette variants
Basic roulette rules for beginners
Roulette is a casino game where you get to put down bets on where the roulette ball will land on the roulette wheel. The roulette wheel was devised so as to give supposedly random results, and the dealer will be required to throw the ball in the wheel.
As a player, your task will be to guess which of the numbered pockets the roulette ball will land in. This could be a bet on a single numbered pocket, or you could bet that the ball will land in a range of different pockets. As roulette is a game of chance, there is no way that you will be able to make an informed prediction about which pocket the ball will land in.
You will then back up your bet with a stake. If you win your bet, you’ll get your stake returned along with a profit that is determined by how risky your roulette bet was. If your prediction is wrong, you’ll lose your wagering stake.
Here’s a quick overview of how to follow the rules for roulette:
Make a prediction of the numbered pocket/pockets that the ball might land in
Decide what kind of betting stake to put down
Place your bets before the dealer closes the betting session
Watch as the dealer spins the roulette wheel
You’ll win or lose your bet depending on which pocket the ball lands in
Rules for roulette variants – French, European and American roulette
It’s important to note that the rules for roulette vary according to which variant of the table game you are playing. You’ll probably come across three main varieties of roulette – French, European and American roulette. The rules of roulette for these games might not appear to vary too much, but they can have a big impact on what kinds of bets you can make and how much you can win.
European roulette: This is one of the most common roulette variants and it features 36 numbers and a single green zero. European roulette features a grid that displays the numbers horizontally. There are also separate sections on the side that feature outside bets such as odd/even, red/black, dozens and so on. Many people choose to play European roulette as it statistically gives you the best chance of winning your bets.
French roulette: You’ll find that French roulette uses the same roulette wheel and betting options as European roulette. The only differences are that the table layout is slightly different and that the rules for roulette are different in the French variant. This is because you can use the ‘la partage’ and ‘en prison’ rules that we’ll discuss elsewhere. These rules work to reduce the house edge, and French roulette is widely seen as one of the more generous variants of the game.
American roulette: This variant of the table game is notable due to the fact that the numbers are positioned differently on the roulette wheel, and there is an extra pocket for the green double zero. As a result, there are 38 pockets in American roulette which gives you a statistical disadvantage in terms of winning your bets. Beyond this, you’ll find that the table layout is roughly the same as what you’d get with European roulette.
Simple rules for roulette bets
Your success in playing roulette rests entirely on what kind of bets you put down. Roulette bets are divided into two categories – outside bets and inside bets.
Outside bets are generally considered easier to win. You’ll normally lose your stake if the ball lands on a zero. Here are the most common outside bets:
Red or black: You could bet that ball will land in either a red or black pocket.
Odd or even: This is where you bet on whether the ball lands in an odd or even numbered pocket.
High or low: Here you’re betting on whether the ball lands in a high pocket (19 to 36), or a low pocket (1 to 18)
Dozen bets: This means betting which dozen of numbers (1-12, 13-24 or 25-36) the ball will land in.
Column bet: Here you’re betting on whether the ball lands in one of the numbered pockets in one of the three vertical columns.
Inside bets are harder to win, but you enjoy better payouts. Here are some common inside bets:
Straight: This is where you bet on whether a ball lands on a single number such as 12 or 27.
Split: This is where you bet on two adjacent numbers on the grid such as five and six, or 23 and 26.
Understanding how roulette rules and odds affect payouts
Each bet that you make in roulette will have different chances of winning and this determines what kinds of payouts you can get should you win your bet. Here’s a look at how you can balance risk and profit with the different roulette bets:
Red or black: This bet pays even money which means that the amount money is the same as the stake. Your odds of winning are 1.11:1 for American roulette and 1.056:1 for European and French roulette.
Odd or even: This is another even money bet and again, your odds of winning are 1.11:1 for American roulette and 1.056:1 for the other two variants.
High or low: Again this is an even money bet with the same odds as above.
Dozen bet: This gives you a payout ratio of two to one. The odds of winning are 2.167:1 for American roulette and 2.083:1 for French and European roulette
Column bet: This features the same payout ratio and odds as a dozen bet.
Straight bet: This pays out at 35:1, and the odds for winning at American roulette are 37:1 compared to 36:1 for the other variants.
Split bet: You’d get a payout ratio of 17:1, and your odds for American roulette are 18:1 compared to 17.5:1 for European and French roulette.
Compare the best casinos with slots games
A quick look at the La Partage and En Prison rules for roulette
If you’re playing the French variant of the game, there are two further rules for roulette to be aware of. While you can’t apply these rules in most US casinos, they are still good to know:
En prison: This is applicable for when you’re betting on even money bets such as evens/odds and red/black. If you try this bet and the ball lands on the green zero, you’ll be given the option to leave the bet ‘in prison’ for the next round. If your next bet loses, you’ll lose your stake.
La partage: This is similar to the ‘en prison’ rule, only that you’ll get to keep half of your stakes if the even-odds bet lands on a zero in French roulette.
Tips for putting the rules for roulette into action
Now you know the rules of roulette, you’ll be ready to start betting on this legendary table game. But before you get carried away, here are some simple tips to try to make sure that your roulette bets don’t go to waste:
Set yourself a betting budget
Play the simplest roulette tables
Stick to the safest bets
Use any roulette bonuses you find
Casino guides beyond the rules for roulette
Once you’ve mastered the rules for roulette, you’ll probably be keen to see what other kinds of casino games we’ve covered. The good news is that we’ve got easy guides to understanding how to play slots, blackjack, baccarat, poker and so much more. So be sure to check out our casino guides to make sure that your vacation is a real success!
Conclusion – Get started putting the rules for roulette into action
After reading this guide, you’ll know that the rules for roulette are pretty simple. This means that you can walk up to just about any roulette table in the world and know that you have the power to put down a winning bet.
Once you’ve got the basics of roulette, you’ll be much better placed to know which bets to try and which to avoid. Plus you’ll even know which roulette variant offers you the best chance of winning your bets.
All of this is important as online casinos will constantly be promoting new roulette games to play and new roulette bonuses to check out. But now that you know the basic rules for roulette, you’ll know what the odds are of winning at any roulette game.
The best online casino bonuses
Roulette rules FAQ
👤What are the roulette rules for dummies?
Read our guide that shows you the rules for roulette in the simplest of terms. We do this for all casino games and we’re pretty sure that we can even make the rules of poker appear fairly understandable. So make sure that you check out our roulette rules guide so that you can see how to play this game and know which kind of bets to put down and which bets to avoid.
🏆What is the best roulette strategy?
It depends what you are looking to get back from your roulette gaming. Make sure that you read our overview of the rules of roulette that gives you a good grounding in the gameplay of the casino game. From here, you’ll be able to make sure that any roulette strategy is based on solid foundations. After all, you won’t be able to use a baccarat strategy unless you know the rules for baccarat.
👀Where can I get a guide for how to play roulette?
Make sure that you check out our guide that clearly explains the rules for roulette so that everyone can enjoy playing this iconic table game. Our guide will walk you through all of the basics of roulette gaming. From here, we’ll identify some of the more popular bets you can put down when you play roulette. We’ve also got guides for bingo rules so that you can give that game a try too.
❓What are the European roulette rules?
The European rules of roulette differ from French roulette and they are even more different from American roulette. We’ve prepared a handy casino guide that identifies the rules for roulette games from the European variant to French and American roulette. This means that you can make a great start in knowing which variant of roulette offers you the best chance of making a decent win.
💰What are the roulette rules for payouts?
Check out our guide to the rules for roulette that walks you through how much you’ll get paid for each of the most popular bets that you’re likely to put down when playing this table game. Here you’ll get to see why inside bets can be much more lucrative compared to outside bets. Be sure to read our guide to the rules of blackjack that does a similar job in showing how bets on that card game pay out.
