Roulette, with its spinning wheel, grid layout and multitude of betting options, can seem difficult to navigate for beginners.
This guide will walk you through the basics of roulette, including the different variants, rules, strategies, and common questions. Keep reading this Wizard Slots blog post to learn more.
How To Play Roulette For Beginners
The main aim of roulette is to place a bet on where you think the small roulette ball will land on the spinning wheel. If your bet covers the correct pocket, you win.
The roulette wheel is divided into numbered pockets that are either red or black, as well as green zero pocket(s). You place your wager using the table layout, which is comprised of a numbered grid representing the numbers on the roulette wheel that is surrounded by other possible bets that cover groups of numbers in a single bet.
After placing your bet, the wheel is spun, and if the ball lands in a pocket covered by your bet - e.g. your chosen number, colour, or group - you win a payout depending on the type of bet you placed.
To summarise the basic steps:
- Choose the type and amount of your bet.
- Wait for the dealer to spin the wheel and release the ball.
- Watch as the ball lands in a numbered pocket.
- If the ball lands in a pocket covered by your bet, you win.
Types of Roulette
There are three primary versions of roulette: European, American, and French. There are slight differences that mean each has its own unique set of rules and house edges, making the choice between them largely a matter of personal preference.
European Roulette
European roulette is the most prevalent form of roulette in both online and land-based casinos. It has a wheel with 37 pockets: numbers 1-36 (half in red, half in black), and a single green zero pocket. This single zero gives European roulette a house edge of 2.7%.
American Roulette
American roulette closely resembles its European counterpart but with a significant difference: the wheel has an extra green pocket, labelled as '00'. This additional pocket increases the total number to 38 and raises the house edge to 5.26%.
French Roulette
French roulette has the same wheel layout as European roulette, but it introduces two unique rules: 'La Partage' and 'En Prison'. Both rules apply to even-money bets and can significantly reduce the house edge, making French roulette a popular choice for strategic players.
If the ball lands on zero and the La Partage rule is in place, players who placed an even-money bet receive half of the wager back.
If the same happens, but the En Prison rule is in place, the bet is held in place for the next spin. If the bet comes in this time, the player receives their wager back (but not the 1:1 payout). If it doesn't, the player loses their wager.
Roulette Rules
The rules of roulette are fundamentally simple, regardless of the variation you play. However, there are some specific rules in French roulette that are worth noting, such as the 'La Partage' and 'En Prison' rules.
Other than that, most roulette games follow the same steps we outlined above. There is a betting period where you place your bet on the table layout to cover numbers or a group of numbers that encompasses where you think the ball may land.
The dealer calls an end to the betting period, spins the wheel, and drops the ball in. If the ball lands in a pocket covered by your bet, you win. If it doesn't, you lose.
How To Win Roulette
Roulette is a game of chance, so there are no guaranteed ways to ensure victory. To win, the ball must land in a pocket covered by your bet. For instance, if you bet on red, and the ball lands on a red number, you win. If you wager on a specific number, the ball must land on that number for you to win.
Roulette Odds & Payouts
The potential payouts in roulette depend on the type of bet you make. Outside bets, such as red/black, odd/even, high/low, dozens and columns, have a higher probability of winning due to covering more numbers, but they offer lower payouts.
Most of the outside bets are even-money bets (1:1 payout), except for dozens and columns, which payout at 2:1.
On the other hand, inside bets, like straight, split, or street bets, have a lower chance of winning since they cover fewer numbers but offer higher payouts to balance this. Straight bets (single-number bets) have the lowest odds of winning but pay out the highest at 35:1.
Roulette Strategy: Is There a Strategy To Win?
As stated above, roulette is a random game of chance, so there is no strategy or trick to winning. The chances of the ball landing in any given pocket are the same in every spin.
That being said, there are various betting strategies players have devised over the years, but these are better described as bet management systems. They can help manage your bankroll or provide alternative ways to structure/place bets.
However, it's crucial to remember that these strategies do not guarantee a win or lower the house edge. They should also be used with caution, as many of them require increasing bets on losing spins, which could get expensive quickly. Be sure to look into a strategy in detail to understand how it works before implementing it.
How To Play Roulette Online
Playing roulette online is a straightforward process since it plays out exactly the same as other roulette games. The only difference is the game runs on a Random Number Generator (RNG) and has a virtual wheel that spins. The RNG produces a random outcome (i.e. a random pocket the ball lands in), and if the ball lands in a pocket covered by your bet, you win.
The house edges remain the same for the different roulette variations, even in online versions.
Online roulette also provides the option to play live roulette with a real dealer operating the game in real-time, and the footage live-streamed to your device. You can find online and live roulette games right here at Wizard Slots. Click the 'Join Now' button to create an account.
Roulette FAQs
Can You Bet On Red & Black at The Same Time?
Yes, you can bet on both red and black simultaneously in roulette. However, they both offer a 1:1 payout and only one can win in a given spin. So, even if you win, the loss on one cancels out the payout on the other.
Can You Bet On Every Number In Roulette?
Technically, you can bet on every number in roulette, but it's not a viable strategy. You would be spending more money on the bets than you would be winning. Say you bet £1 on every single number in European roulette; this would cost £37 to cover the 37 numbers. The winning bet would payout at 35:1 odds (for a straight bet), so you would win £35, putting your round as a net loss.
Is Roulette Rigged?
No, roulette is not rigged. Both online and in-person casinos are subject to stringent regulations to ensure fairness. Also, casinos have no need to rig roulette because of the house edge, which guarantees them profits in the long run.
Can You Predict Roulette Numbers?
No, it's impossible to predict roulette numbers. Whether in a physical casino or online, roulette outcomes are random and cannot be accurately predicted.
The RNG works at such a high rate and in such an unpredictable manner that there is no pattern to find. As for in-person roulette, there are too many uncontrollable variables, such as imperfections on the wheel and ball, the wheel speed, ball speed, air pressure, and more.
*All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Wins, etc.) mentioned in relation to this game are subject to change at any time.
