Online roulette is a popular game choice at casino sites in the USA and around the world. Whether you play online roulette for free or at a real money online casino, the game offers an exciting set of bets combined with the mesmerizing spin of a roulette wheel.
Players interested in learning how to play roulette can read the guide below for advice. We give an overview of the roulette bets, which doubles as a roulette glossary. Our online roulette guide features a chart with odds and payouts, plus a look at the main roulette variations. Let’s start with a look at the basic rules of roulette.
Roulette Rules: Fundamentals Of Gameplay
Roulette uses a spinning wheel that features number pockets or slots at intervals on the wheel. Each spin begins with a round of betting. Once players make bets, the dealer – called a croupier – spins a metal ball in the wheel. When the ball stops, it drops into a pocket and bets are resolved.
The number of pockets on a roulette wheel varies depending on the region. European Roulette is also known as single-zero roulette, because it only has one pocket with a zero. American Roulette is known as double-zero roulette, because it has two pockets with zeroes (one being the 00 pocket). This changes the odds of winning, so European Roulette has better odds than American Roulette.
Online roulette casinos feature games named for certain regions, so it’s easy to find the best set of rules. Most games have the same basic set of betting options. Keep in mind the different roulette versions when you’re choosing which roulette variation to play.
What Roulette Betting Options Are There?
Roulette has many betting options with payouts ranging from 1:1 to 35:1. The following are the types of bets that you can make during a game of roulette:
- Odd or Even Bet: A bet on whether the winning number is odd or even.
- Black or Red Bet: A bet on whether the winning number is red or black.
- High or Low Bet: Low is considered 1-18 and high is 19-36 wins this wager.
- Dozen Bet: Bet on either 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36.
- Straight Bet: Bet on a single number with the highest payout in the game.
- Split Bet: Two-number bet on a number connected to the betting layout.
- Street Bet: Three-number bet on numbers in one of the rows.
- Square Bet: Four-number bet on numbers that form a square on the layout. Corner bet.
- Top Line Bet: On the 1, 2, 3, 0, or 00 hit. Only available in American Roulette.
- Six Line Bet: Six-number bet on two horizontal rows on the layout.
- Trio Bet: In European Roulette, players wager on one of two trios: 0, 1, 2 or 0, 2, 3.
- Basket Bet: Wager on one of the three combinations: 0-00-2, 00-2-3 or 0-1-2.
- Row Bet: A bet on the 0 or 00. Offered in American Roulette.
- Column Bet: A wager on one of the three vertical rows of numbers on the layout.
- Snake Bet: A wager on a set of 12 numbers that snake across the layout.
Roulette Odds and Payouts
Here's a chart with the usual odds and payouts for each of the bets listed above. Take a look at the game's rules to make sure you receive the traditional roulette payouts. Keep in mind that European Roulette odds are better than American Roulette odds if no house rules are in place, so it's usually best to play European or French Roulette.
What Are Some Online Roulette Variations?
The roulette variations you'll find below are versions of games played in brick-and-mortar casinos. Most roulette games in US casinos don't use house rules, but you should be familiar with the versions below so you can take advantage of the favorable odds offered if you find them.
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American Roulette: Also known as double-zero roulette, this is the original version of the game. It has two zero slots (0, 00) on the wheel, so the house edge is almost twice that of European Roulette. Found in Las Vegas and most of North America.
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European Roulette: Also known as single-zero roulette, this is an improved version introduced by the Bloch Brothers in the mid-19th Century. It has a single zero slot on the wheel, giving it the best odds (2.70%) among the major roulette variants. Found in Monte Carlo and most of the rest of the world.
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Multi Wheel Roulette: Similar to multi-hand video poker, this version of online roulette features several roulette wheels spinning at once.
- Multi-Ball Roulette: Similar to multi-wheel roulette, except the game has two or more roulette balls spinning on the same wheel at one time.
- En Prison Rule: Often used in European Roulette. When the balls land on the 0 with an even-money bet, the player doesn't automatically lose the bet. Instead, the bet is "imprisoned" for another round. The outcome depends on the next spin. This halves the house edge from 2.70% to 1.35% in European Roulette.
- La Partage Rule: Often used in European Roulette. When the balls land on the 0 with an even-money bet, the player only loses half of their bet. Like En Prison rules, this halves the house edge from 2.70% to 1.35%.
- French Roulette: These bets use French names, such as Orphelins (orphan bet), Voisins du Zero (neighbors of zero), Jeu Zero (zero game) and Le Teirs du Cylindre (third of the wheel). The house edge is the same as European Roulette (2.70%), but gives players a novel set of wagers to play. Also, it's good for high rollers, because the full complete/maximum bet is 12 wagers in 1 – thus allowing high-stakes players to expand the max bet. French Roulette is the game with announced bets.
- California Roulette: Since 2004, a form of roulette played in California's tribal casinos using playing cards instead of a roulette wheel. The 2004 law allowed the casinos to skirt California's ban on spinning wheel games.
- Live Roulette: Live dealer casinos give players the chance to play live dealer roulette. When you play live roulette online, the game is live-streamed to your computer in real-time. Like bricks-and-mortar roulette, the croupier spins a real roulette ball in a real roulette wheel to produce results.
How To Play Roulette Online
To play roulette on the Internet, you'll want to find a trustworthy online casino with a reputation for fairness and safety. If possible, you'll want an online roulette casino that offers a table game bonus, live dealer bonus, or roulette-specific bonus. These aren't common in some regions, but might be wildly available in your homeland.
- Read Online Casino Reviews: Find the best roulette casino by reading honest reviews. Look for the number of roulette games, the variants available, whether live roulette is featured, and whether the site offers roulette bonuses.
- Try Free Online Roulette: Any legit casino site supports free play of their real money roulette games. Click "Practice" instead of "Real Money" and you'll be playing in an instant.
- Know The Roulette Variants: Pick the best version of roulette available. If the site offers European Roulette and American Roulette with standard rules, always play European Roulette. The house edge on single-zero roulette (European rules) is almost half of the house edge of double-zero roulette (American rules).
- Place Outside Bets: Most roulette bets have the same odds unless you use house rules like "en prison" or "la partage". Outside bets are placed on a group of numbers – either 12 numbers or 18 numbers at a time. This produces smaller payouts but wins at a much higher rate. New roulette players might get frustrated if they only win once every 30 hands or so.
- Play Live Roulette Online: Many roulette players find the spinning wheel relaxing. Others prefer the camaraderie of chatting with croupiers and other players, so they don't necessarily enjoy online roulette as much. Playing live roulette online allows you to watch the game in real-time while chatting with real people in real-time
Finding the Best Free Roulette Online
Players have multiple ways to play free online roulette without risking their cash or signing up for other deals. Free roulette is a great way to learn the rules of roulette without obligation. Each offers the same basic game, but major differences exist between each method. Only one of the methods below allows roulette players to test the software they'll play once they use their bankroll: online casino roulette played in practice mode.
Free Roulette Games Available Online
Roulette Strategy Advice
Roulette is a game of chance, so you won’t find many great roulette strategy tips. That’s an important takeaway because players should learn to avoid myths and misconceptions about the game. Playing online roulette sensibly and responsibly is the best way to enjoy the game, so follow the roulette tips below.
- Avoid Progressive Betting Systems: So-called roulette experts suggest progressive betting systems like the Martingale system, D’Alembert system, or Fibonacci system. Mathematical simulations have proven that flat betting is better than progressive betting in online roulette.
- Use Money Management Techniques: Money management won’t change the house edge in roulette. Still, money management makes you cognizant of your bankroll, avoid chasing bets, and lock in wins when you get lucky.
- Play Roulette for Fun and Thrills: Don’t expect to become a roulette pro. Online roulette is a form of entertainment. The house edge is the cost of that entertainment. The great thing about playing online roulette for real money is the fact you win almost half the time, so your entertainment is free that day.