Online Roulette Guide

Roulette has enthralled players in casinos around the world and now you get the chance to play from the comfort of your living room.

This incredibly compelling game just keeps the excitement coming from the moment the ball drops to the minute your number comes up. Fun and relatively easy to play, it’s a game that’s loved by beginners and pros alike.

So, if you’ve always fancied taking a spin on the Roulette wheel, read on.

History of Roulette

Did you know the Roulette wheel was an attempt to create a perpetual motion machine? Or that it’s known as ‘the devil’s game’ because all the numbers add up to 666? French mathematician Blaise Pascal was said to have invented Roulette in 1657 but other similar games were already popular across Europe. With its name meaning ‘little wheel,’ Roulette grew incredibly popular, finally appearing as the game we know and love in Paris in 1796 with its red and black numbered pockets and the green 0.

The Roulette Basics

Like every Live Casino game of chance, the basics of Roulette are simple. You’re trying to predict the outcome of every spin by betting on the number of the pocket you think the ball will land in.

Here’s how to get started:

Pick your numbers: you can stick with one or a spread, reds or blacks, evens or odds

Place your bets: make your selection from the bets available and place your virtual chips. If you’re playing at a live dealer table the dealer will announce ‘place your bets’ and then ‘no more bets’

Play: Either click the Spin button to play RNG roulette or wait for the live dealer to spin the wheel

Collect your winnings: the dealer will announce the winning number or they’ll be displayed on screen. if you’ve made a winning bet your profits is automatically added to your balance. If you lost you may have the opportunity to re-bet and spin again

Types of Roulette Wheel

Now you know the basics, it’s time to take a closer look at the roulette wheel.

A European/French Roulette wheel has 37 pockets including one zero, 18 red and 18 black pockets. This wheel offers players the best chance of winning with a house edge of 2.7%.

An American Roulette wheel has 38 pockets with a single zero and a double zero. This tips the odds in favour of the casino with a house edge of 5.3%.

Understanding the Odds

You don’t have to be a maths genius to play Roulette but understanding the odds makes the whole player experience more fun. You’ll be able to keep better track of what you’ll potentially win or lose and place more educated bets with a statistically higher chance of success.

Remember this is a game of chance so there’s no guarantee you’ll win. Always check out the demo version of any Roulette game you’re thinking of playing and study the various odds in the paytable.

Place your Bets

Roulette bets are split into inside and outside bets with some specialty bets that involve betting a certain number of chips on a certain combination of numbers.

Outside bets offer a lower payout but a higher chance of winning. They’re the best choice if you’re new to the game, prefer to play conservatively or enjoy a longer playing session.

The La Partage and En Prison rules apply to these bets so you can get back some or all of a lost wager when the ball lands on zero.

Column Bets: cover 12 numbers in a column without the zero. Wins pay 2:1
Dozen Bet: bet on 1-12, 13-24 or 25-36. Wins pay 2:1
Red/Black: bet on all the black or all the red pockets, this basic bet is ideal for new players and pays 1:1
Odd/Even: bet on all the odds or all the even numbers, another good starter bet that pays 1:1
Low/high: bet on all the low numbers from 1-18 or all the high numbers from 19-36. Wins payout 1:1

Inside bets are best for players who like to take a risk. These bets are located on the inner side of the table and offer a higher payout but a lower chance of winning.

Straight Up or Single Bet: the ball must land on your number to earn a payout of 35:1
Split Bet: the chip is placed between two numbers for example 15 and 16. Winning numbers pay 17:1
Street Bet: place your chip at the end of a row to bet on all three numbers in the row. Pays 11:1
Corner Bet: place the chip where the corners of 4 numbers meet to bet on them all. Pays out 8:1
Line Bet: this covers six numbers over two rows and pays out 5:1
Five Bet: only available in American Roulette, this bet involves the numbers 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 and pays players 6:1

Types of Roulette

Online casinos and developers are always finding new ways to engage players and create an even better Roulette experience. If you want to experiment beyond French/European and American Roulette here are some variants you’ll love to try:

Live VIP Roulette can be played anywhere on mobile or desktop and offers a real bricks and mortar casino experience.

Immersive Roulette is almost like being there with incredible camerawork for the full cinematic experience.

Auto Roulette is the fast and exciting way to enjoy live Roulette without a dealer. Built for the risk takers this version offers 60-80 games an hour, 24 hours a day.

Best Roulette Strategy

You may have heard of some of the most popular Roulette betting strategies like Martingale and Paroli. Find out which one suits you best by reading our Roulette strategy guide. Roulette may be the easiest casino game to play but it’s based on pure chance so no strategy can ever guarantee a win.

Tips for Playing Roulette Online

Always play the demo version of any Roulette game before you commit to playing with real money

Opt for outside bets if you want to enjoy a longer and more immersive playing experience

Make sure you read the rules before you play so you know what to expect

Remember that European and French Roulette offer a lower house edge

Always practice great bankroll management and never bet with money you can’t afford to lose

Set a session budget and time limit each time you play and have frequent time outs so you stay in control