Roulette is one of the most famous and recognisable casino games, and a must for any fan of casino gaming.
Here we will take an overview of the rules of roulette, including how to play online as well as in a physical casino. This short guide will take you from beginner to expert in no time and allow you to approach the roulette wheel with confidence.
Casino gaming expert Steve Bourie has written a number of articles for us to share his gaming tips, and here is his take on the game of roulette:
As outlined in our History of Roulette chapter, this game has been around for hundreds of years, and although the technology has changed, the basic rules of the game have not.
Our guide on how to play roulette uses the online version of the game as an example, although the same principles apply when playing in a physical casino.
How to Play Roulette Online
1. Choose Your Roulette Wheel
European roulette wheels have 37 numbers in total, made up of a green Zero pocket and then numbers 1 to 36 are divided evenly between black and red. Note that the American roulette wheel has 38 pockets, because it also includes a green Double Zero pocket, making this a less player-friendly version of roulette. When playing roulette online you will have many options to choose from.
Our example uses images from the Classic Roulette game – a European version of the game by Playtech.
2. Place Your Bets
First click one of the chip icons to select your bet size, and then click on the portion of the board you wish to bet on. The ‘outside bets’ such as Red/Black offer low odds with a bigger probability of success. You can also place ‘inside bets’ on single numbers or groups of numbers, or ‘neighbours’ bets on groups of neighbouring numbers. Clicking the ‘x2 Double’ button doubles the size of your bet. This table has a minimum bet limit of $1, meaning each individual bet must be at least $1 and no greater than $100.
It is possible to place multiple bets on each spin of the wheel.
3. Spin the Wheel
Click the Spin button and the wheel will spin in one direction while the ball spins in the other. This replicates how the wheel is spun in a bricks-and-mortar casino. The difference is that rather than a croupier spinning the wheel, online roulette uses random number generating software to generate completely random spins of the wheel.
4. Collect Your Winnings
When the wheel stops spinning the ball will settle in one of the pockets. Winnings are paid out according to the pocket the ball finishes up in.
In our example the ball came to rest in pocket number 13, meaning the ‘3rd 12’ and ‘Corner’ bets lost but the bet on Black won.
Deciding How to Place Your Roulette Bets
This chart will give you an idea of where to place your bets, with the odds and probability of each:
Our article on Roulette Odds and Payouts will give you more information on placing bets as well as on the returns you can expect to earn from a successful bet. When playing online, it is simply a matter of choosing your betting chip value and clicking on the relevant section of the board. When visiting a bricks-and-mortar casino you will push your chips onto the section you wish to bet on.
Differences Between Online and Offline Roulette
While game play remains much the same whether you play in a casino or via your phone or laptop, there are some differences to take note of.
One important difference is that online players will have many more roulette gaming options than those in a traditional casino. For example, offline players may be forced to use American roulette tables with a higher house edge, whereas playing online allows you to choose your preferred table.
Another point of difference is the speed of games. While a croupier needs to calculate returns, spin the wheel and move chips around the table, this is all done much faster online, giving you more spins and less waiting time. Of course you can combine the two by playing at one of the Live Roulette games on offer at Casino.com.
And of course, experienced online players will know that online betting sites like Casino.com regularly offers bonuses and promotions to enhance the roulette gaming experience, offers which cannot be granted in brick-and-mortar casinos.
Make sure to check out our strategy guide to find out the approach recommended by experienced table game consultant Heather Ferris, a regular contributor to the Casino.com Blog.
The Penny Roulette online table allows you to place a bet for just once cent (or penny) while the Diamond Roulette game allows bets of from $/£1 to $/£100 with a table max limit of $/£25,000. These are just a couple of the many Roulette tables available at Casino.com right now where you can start spinning those reels!
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Next: Roulette Wheels
