Welcome to my Roulette for Dummies section here at PlayRoulette.org.
Of course, I don't think you're actually a dummy – but you are obviously visiting here because you're new to Roulette, and you've came to the right place.
Throughout these articles I'm going to hold your hand and cover all of the basics for you when it comes to Roulette. From teaching you the terminology to actual etiquette. That way no matter whether you are playing at an online casino or at a live casino, you'll always feel comfortable thanks to this Roulette Players Starters Guide.
Important: The best thing you can do is sign up at an online casino where you can play for FREE. They give you play money chips and you can use them to really help you with roulette, try out various systems and strategies etc.
We recommend:
Roulette Rules: The first thing you need to learn is the rules of Roulette.What you can do, what you can't do and how it all works so that you can start playing Roulette immediately with no confusion.
Roulette Rules: The first thing you need to learn is the rules of Roulette. What you can do, what you can't do and how it all works so that you can start playing Roulette immediately with no confusion.
- Rules of Roulette. The American Casino Guide has over $1,000 in money-saving coupons from all over the country! The game of American Roulette is played on a wheel which consists of thirty-eight slots, each with its own number. The numbers on a Roulette wheel are 1-36, 0, and 00. The numbers alternate pairs of odd numbers with pairs.
- Of course, those odds are affected by the type of roulette you are playing and the extra rules that apply to it. As you probably already know, European roulette has better odds for the player than American roulette. Also, a European roulette game with the rules ‘la partage' and ‘en prison' will have a lower house edge than one without them.
- The roulette table contains lots of numbers, and each of them represents a betting option. Roulette rules on betting vary according to the variant you are playing, but there is some common roulette table betting rules too, which can be seen in every variant. These are: You can place a bet on a single number or a range of numbers.
Roulette Strategy for Dummies: We have a complete section on Roulette strategy covering all of the various betting systems, but this article deals with the most basic strategy that a new player should implement at the Roulette tables.
Bankroll Management in Roulette: One of the most important factors of Roulette is managing your bankroll. This article goes into detail about that and proper roulette bankroll management.
Roulette Bets: Next, you should understand all of the betting options that you have available for you when it comes to Roulette. When playing you should obviously start out with the basics, but for the fun aspect you really need to learn all about the different bets and what they mean.
Roulette Inside Bets: I covered all of the roulette bets above, but in this article I go into a lot more detail and a lot more in depth on all of the inside bets you can do in Roulette.
Roulette Outside Bets: In this article, I get all in-depth about all of the outside bets available to you when playing Roulette.
Inside Bets vs Outside Bets: I now discuss both of the above bets, compare them and decide what is better.
Roulette Odds: Different bets mean different odds, and different games also mean different odds. For example – the differences in odds between American Roulette and European Roulette. I cover that all for you within this article.
Double Zero and Single Green Roulette Odds: An article covering and going into depth about double zero and single green roulette odds.
Betting Dozens in Roulette: A guide to what dozens are in roulette and how to bet them and the optimal roulette dozens betting strategy.
Online vs Live: If you're wondering whether to play roulette online or play at a live casino – well, both are great. I've covered the pros and cons of both to help you see both sides of the argument.
Where To Play Roulette Online: In this article, I pick out the best online casinos to play Roulette online at, offering up different reasons to play at some such as no deposit bonuses or different variations on the game of Roulette beyond the norm.
5 Reasons People Lose: In this article I cover 5 basic reasons that people lose at Roulette. Don't make the same mistakes!
Basic Roulette Concepts: In this article I cover basic roulette concepts such as Gambler's Fallacy – any beginner roulette player should know these. Caesars benefits login.
Free Practice Roulette Wheel
Betting Columns in Roulette: Explaining what betting columns in roulette is and how it works and how to bet columns in roulette.
House Advantage: In this article I go into detail about the house advantage in the popular forms of roulette.
Common Misconceptions: There are many common misconceptions about Roulette that as a new player you may have heard, such as sleeping numbers or rigged wheels. I break all that down for you and list some you may not have heard.
More Common Misconceptions: My previous post got people talking and they brought up more misconceptions for me to cover.
Balls in Roulette Yo in craps. : A discussion and look into how many balls are in roulette or used in a game of roulette and how that affects online roulette.
Can a Roulette Dealer Steer the Ball?: A common thing you will hear from a roulette dealer is that they can steer the ball and put it in a particular section for you. Are they being legit? Or are they just seeking a tip. Let's go in-depth about that…
Chasing Roulette Losses: An article on the psychology behind chasing roulette losses.
Do Roulette Tables Have Magnets?: I get asked this question a lot so now to answer it and go into detail about it.
Roulette Probabilities: If you're a fan of math(and who isn't!) then you'll really like this article, as I go indepth about all of the probabilities within roulette.
Roulette Terminology: At the tables you'll hear a lot of slang and lingo that you may not be familiar with. My Roulette Terminology article has you covered from the basics to the most obscure terms.
Roulette Etiquette: Ah yes, my most popular article on here accessed by mobile devices. I can just picture people in Vegas, about to hit up the Roulette tables for the first time and googling 'Roulette Etiquette'. Don't worry – if it's your first time playing Roulette in a live casino I'll make sure you don't do anything wrong.
Roulette Superstitions: Like any casino games, when you're playing Roulette it's likely that you will make some plays based on superstitions. I cover some of the common as well as rare superstitions you will encounter in Roulette here.
Roulette Wheel Differences: With so many variations in Roulette games, there are quite a few differences in the wheels. You probably know about American Roulette and European Roulette – but what about French Roulette, or Triple Bonus Spin Roulette? What are the wheel differences there? I go through all of the differences in Roulette wheels.
How to Win At Roulette: Of course there is no magic secret when it comes to winning at Roulette. But there are methods you can do to make yourself a 'winner' in the sense you don't make the mistakes the average gambler does. I cover that in this article.
Roulette Facts & Trivia: I've learned a lot of interesting Roulette trivia, facts and interesting tidbits over the years. I've listed them all within this article.
Roulette Psychology: Interested in the Psychology behind Roulette? From Mystery to Lucky Numbers to Confidence, I talk about and go-indepth about Roulette psychology.
Most Frequent Roulette Numbers: I'm always asked what are the most frequent roulette numbers to come up and if there's a system based on that. Here's my thoughts on the topic.
Physics in Roulette: In this article I discuss the physics involved in roulette.
Roulette at Home: Wanting to set up Roulette in your own house? From building your own table to purchasing the chips I've got you covered. The sickest addition to any man cave!
History of Roulette: Interested in some further reading? Want to read about the beginnings and then evolution of Roulette? I've written all that in my History of Roulette article.
Biased Roulette Wheels: I get asked a lot about biased roulette wheels. In this article I go into detail about what they are and how they work.
Are Roulette Tables Rigged?: Similar to the above I get asked a lot if roulette tables are rigged at live casinos. I talk about that in this article.
Best Roulette Books: In this article I go over the best roulette books that you can by to learn more about the game, and for strategies etc.
Safest Roulette Bet: Discussing the safest bets to make in roulette.
Standard Deviation in Roulette: In this article I discuss standard deviation in roulette.
How Many Players At A Roulette Table?: Details on how many players can play at a roulette table.
How Many Numbers on a Roulette Wheel: Explanation as to how many numbers are on specific roulette wheels and why.
Roulette was first played in France back in the 17th century. It is now one of the most popular European gambling games and Monte Carlo in Monaco is a well known and famous casino centre for playing roulette.
The Basics
Players, usually up to eight, play against the House represented by the croupier also called the dealer, who spins the roulette wheel and handles the wagers and payouts. In the European roulette and French roulette version, the wheel has 37 slots representing 36 numbers and one zero. In the USA most roulette wheels have two zeros and therefore 38 slots.
Each player buys-in a different coloured chips so their bets don't get mixed up. At the end of play, if you won, you exchange back the colorued chips with cash chips. These are special chips with the value amount imprinted on them. There are several denominations in various colours. You then take these chips to the cash desk where they will give you actual cash money in exchange.
To play roulette, you place your bet or bets on numbers (any number including the zero) in the table layout or on the outside, and when everybody at the table had a chance to place their bets, the croupier starts the spin and launches the ball. Just a few moments before the ball is about to drop over the slots, the croupier says 'no more bets'. From that moment no one is allowed to place - or change - their bets until the ball drops on a slot. Only after the croupier places the dolly on the winning number on the roulette table and clears all the losing bets you can then start placing your new bets while the croupier pays the winners. The winners are those bets that are on or around the number that comes up. Also the bets on the outside of the layout win if the winning number is represented.
The House advantage
On a single zero roulette table the House advantage is 2.7%. On a double zero roulette table it is 5.26% (7.9% on the five-number bet, 0-00-1-2-3). The House advantage is gained by paying the winners a chip or two (or a proportion of it) less than what it should have been if there was no advantage. (See Roulette Quiz - The Casino Advantage.)
The 'En Prison' rule
A roulette rule applied to even-money bets only, and by some casinos (not all). When the outcome is zero, some casinos will allow the player to either take back half his/her bet or leave the bet (en prison = in prison) for another roulette spin. In the second case, if the following spin the outcome is again zero, then the whole bet is lost.
The 'La Partage' rule
The la partage roulette rule is similar to the en prison rule, only in this case the player loses half the bet and does not have the option of leaving the bet en prison for another spin. This refers to the 'outside' even-money bets Red/Black, High/Low, Odd/Even and applies when the outcome is zero. Both the La Partage and the En Prison roulette rules essentially cut the casino edge on the 'even-money bets' in half. So a bet on Red on a single-zero roulette table with the la partage rule or the en prison rule has a 1.35% House edge and one on a double-zero roulette table has a House edge of 2.63%.
The payouts
A bet on one number only, called a straight-up bet, pays 35 to 1. (You collect 36. With no House advantage you should collect 37 (38 in the USA on double zero roulette wheels).
A two-number bet, called split bet, pays 17 to 1.
A three-number bet, called street bet, pays 11 to 1.
A four-number bet, called corner bet, pays 8 to 1.
A six-number bet, pays 5 to 1.
A bet on the outside dozen or column, pays 2 to 1.
A bet on the outside even money bets, pays 1 to 1.
Object of the game
To win at roulette the player needs to predict where the ball will land after each spin. This is by no means easy. In fact, luck plays an important part in this game. Some players go with the winning numbers calling them 'hot' numbers and therefore likely to come up more times. Others see which numbers did not come up for some time and bet on them believing that their turn is now due. Some players bet on many numbers to increase their chances of winning at every spin, but this way the payout is considerably reduced. Other methodical players use specific roulette systems or methods, money management systems, or both.
French roulette rules
Rules For Roulette Wheel
The French roulette rules are very much like the European roulette rules. It has the same 37 numbered wheel with one zero but a different table layout for the outside bets. See Table layout(Link opens new window).
The player odds in French roulette are the same as in European roulette (only one zero) and better than the odds in American roulette (two zeros). The players loose only 50% of their even-money bets when the outcome is zero, known as the 'La Partage' rule.
The object of the game is still the same - to predict which number out of possible 37 the ball will land on. And of course, they speak French. Below are the English and equivalent French terms for the various roulette bets:
Inside bets
- One number Straight up = En plein
- Two numbers Split Bet = Cheval
- Three numbers Street Bet = Transversale
- Four numbers Corner = Carre
- Six numbers Line Bet = Sixainne
Outside bets
- Twelve numbers Column = Colonne
- Twelve numbers Dozen = Douzaine
- Red or Black = Rouge, Noir
- Even or Odd = Pair, Impair
- Low or High numbers = Manque, Passe
Canasta Roulette
In Costa Rica some casino table games have different names, others have different names and different rules. Roulette in Costa Rica casinos is called 'Canasta' and is played with a double-zero layout. However, instead of using a roulette wheel the winning number is selected from a circular wire cage with numbered balls similar to the one used in bingo halls.
California Roulette
The difference between California casinos and Vegas (and other) casinos is the way roulette and craps are played.
In California it is against the rules and regulations to have a roulette wheel that is spun and to have a ball drop decide which number is the winning number on the wheel. It is also against the state rules and regulations to throw dice to decide the outcome of a game.
In 2004, California legalized a form of roulette known as California Roulette. By law, the game must use cards and not slots on the roulette wheel to pick the winning number.
There are at least two variations. In some casinos, the dealer spins a wheel containing 38 cards from 1 to 36, plus 0 and 00, and after betting is closed, stops the wheel; a pointer identifies the winning card, which the dealer removes and shows to the players.
In the Cache Creek casino in northern California, a wheel resembling a traditional roulette wheel is used, but it has only alternating red and black slots with no numbers. As the ball is spinning, the dealer takes cards from a shoe and places two of them face down on the table in red and black rectangles. When the ball lands in a red or black slot, the card in the corresponding rectangle is turned over to reveal the winning number.
(Source: Wikipedia.org)
Did you know?
In every casino it is customary that the croupier starts the first round/spin of the day with the ball lying in the number slot of the date of that day. This obviously excludes the numbers 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 0.
Roulette * Rules . Table layout . Single zero wheel . Double zero wheel . Electronic roulette . Glossary . Tips . Strategy . Books . Links . Extras
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Use the 'Main Menu' on the right margin to explore this site. This is a comprehensive great gambling information site with advice on winning, how to gamble, betting strategy, listing the best online casinos and world land-based casinos directory.
In every casino it is customary that the croupier starts the first round/spin of the day with the ball lying in the number slot of the date of that day. This obviously excludes the numbers 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 0.
Roulette * Rules . Table layout . Single zero wheel . Double zero wheel . Electronic roulette . Glossary . Tips . Strategy . Books . Links . Extras
Great gambling information site
Use the 'Main Menu' on the right margin to explore this site. This is a comprehensive great gambling information site with advice on winning, how to gamble, betting strategy, listing the best online casinos and world land-based casinos directory.
Topics covered include game summary, rules, how to play, how to win, game strategy, betting systems, gambling tips, on: Blackjack, Roulette, Poker classic and variants such as Texas Hold'em poker, Craps/Dice, Slots and Videopoker, Baccarat, Keno, Lottery, Powerball, Bingo, Sports betting, Horse racing and Greyhound racing.
