How To Play Roulette: Beginners Guide

The smartest bet for a novice is Red/Black in Roulette. Your odds are 47.4%. You win; you walk away. You lose, you walk away. It's the only smart casino bet. While the roulette wheel is one of the easiest, most enticing, popular, and payout-friendly casino games, you should learn how to play Roulette, the game variations, and the rules. Below is the only easy online roulette guide you need to start playing today.

Roulette History & Variations: Which Roulette Wheel Is Better?

Roulette has been a favorite casino game since the 1800s and its origins can be traced back to France. Some historians believe that the famous French mathematician Blaise Pascal developed a primitive form of Roulette in the 17th century during his pursuit of a perpetual motion machine.

The game is a unique blend of the gaming wheel invented in 1720 and the Italian game Biribi. It has been played in its current form since 1796 in Paris.

European Roulette Odds

European Roulette is the popular roulette variation known for its relatively favorable odds compared to its American counterpart. So, it is known to be the better roulette wheel among all variations.

The wheel contains 37 numbered pockets: numbers 1 to 36 and a single zero (0).

The house edge in European Roulette is 2.7%. The number means that, on average, the casino expects to make a profit of $2.70 for every $100 you wager. The advantage comes from the presence of a single zero (0). The game would be entirely in the players' favor if there were no zeros.

American Roulette Odds

American roulette

The American Roulette wheel has 38 numbered pockets: numbers 1 to 36, a single zero (0), and a double zero (00). The addition of the double zero is the crucial difference from European Roulette, making it less player-friendly. Because the additional zero increases the house edge by more than 5%. So, the odds are terribly against you!

The number sequence and betting options also differ from the European wheel.

French Roulette

French roulette

French roulette shares many similarities with European Roulette. The wheel features 37 pockets with numbers 1 to 36 and a single zero (0). While the house advantage, betting options and payouts, and roulette strategies remain the same, French Roulette features a different layout with French terms used for the bets (e.g., "Rouge" for red, "Noir" for black, "Pair" for even, "Impair" for odd).

Speed Roulette

As the name suggests, Speed Roulette is a fast-paced version of roulette available as a live dealer game in top online casinos. The game is ideal for those who love action and speed.

The main difference is the speed. Apart from this, the rules, odds, and payouts remain the same, depending on whether the wheel is a European or American Roulette wheel.

Rounds are significantly shorter than in traditional roulette due to the reduced betting time and faster wheel spins.

Roulette Gameplay Explained

The number of roulette guides on the internet is vast, and you can definitely learn a lot from each source and learn how to play Roulette as a business. However, the following is an easy and practical step-by-step guide designed for beginners to help you start playing and winning right after reading it.

Roulette Rules For Beginners

Roulette rules are insanely simple. It is a numbers game where you should bet on a number or set of numbers, red/black color, or even/odd number(s). The number(s) is where the spinning ball lands.

The roulette game setup consists of the famous colorful roulette wheel, a small white ball, and a layout or table that consists of the numbers and colors players bet on. In fact, you place your chips on the layout. Roulette players use chips with varying colors so the winner(s) can be easily distinguished.

Step 1: Understand Roulette Betting Options

Roulette is one of few casino games that offers many betting options with the opportunity to win life-changing payouts. Here is a breakdown of your betting options depending on the type of roulette wheel:

European & French Roulette Bets

While playing European Roulette, you can bet on:

1. Inside Bets: Inside bets are placed on specific numbers or small groups of numbers and consist of the following types of wagers:

Straight Up: A wager on a single number with a 35:1 payout.
Split: A wager on two adjacent numbers with a payout of 17:1.
Street: A wager on three numbers in a row and pays 11:1.
Corner: A bet on four numbers that form a square that pays 8:1.
Line: A bet on six numbers in two rows with a 5:1 payout.

2. Outside Bets: Outside bets are specific wagers on larger groups of numbers or characteristics of the numbers. Such bets include:

Red/Black: Bet on whether the ball lands on a red or black number and pays even money or $1 per $1 wager.
Odd/Even: Bet on whether the winning number will be odd or even and also pays even money.
High/Low: A wager on whether the winning number will be in the high range (19-36) or low range (1-18). This bet also pays an even money .
Dozens: A wager on one of the three dozens (1-12, 13-24, 25-36) with a payout of 2:1.
Columns: Bet on one of the three vertical columns of numbers and also pays 2:1.

American Roulette Bets

While the inside and outside bets are the same as those in European Roulette, due to the extra zero and different numbers arrangement, there is an additional betting type known as the Five Number Bet. It is a unique bet in American Roulette, covering 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. Five Number Bet has the worst odds of any bet in Roulette, 7.89%.

Remember, while the payouts for inside and outside bets are virtually the same as in European Roulette, the likelihood of hitting some bets decreases in the American version of the game. For example, straight bets still pay 35:1, but an extra zero makes you less likely to hit a single number. For this reason, the American roulette wheel is known as the least favorable wheel for casino players.

Step 2: Place Your Bets

Manage your bankroll, set a budget before joining a table, and place your bets. As mentioned in the beginning, red/black is one of the easiest and best roulette bets for beginners.

There isn’t a strict limit on the number of players who can participate at a roulette table as long as the dealer can manage the bets and payouts efficiently, the number of colored chips are enough to avoid confusion with bets, and the size of layout has enough room for the players to comfortably reach the betting area.

A typical physical roulette table can accommodate 6-8 players, while more players can simultaneously play at online roulette tables.

Depending on the table Min/Max betting limits, players can place as many bets as they want until the dealer says "No More Bet."

Step 3: The Spin

Once the dealer announces “No More Bets,” the betting time is up. The dealer throws the small white ball in the opposite direction of the wheel.

Step 4: Understand The European Roulette Betting Rules

In addition to the explained betting options and rules, some European Roulette tables at physical and online casinos offer the following additional rules that can further improve your odds:

En Prison: When the ball lands on zero, players who have placed even-money bets (red/black, odd/even, high/low) can choose to "imprison" their bet. This means your bet remains on the table for the next spin. You get your original stake back if the bet wins on the next spin.
La Partage: Similar to the previous one, but instead of imprisoning the bet, you lose half of your even-money bet when the ball lands on zero.

Step 5: Winners Get Paid

Once the ball falls into a pocket, the winners get paid according to the type of bet and its corresponding payout.

Roulette Winning Strategy & Tips

While the best and most advanced roulette strategies are beyond the scope of this article, I will review the best strategies and tips for beginners to start playing online casino roulette today and win.

Avoid American Roulette and triple zero wheels; such roulette wheels have terrible odds.
The best roulette strategy for a novice is Red/Black and Odd/Even. These bets are less risky than other bets and offer decent, even money payouts.
Always set a budget before joining a roulette table and stick to it, as the thrill of winning or the disappointment of losing could lead you to bet more than you can afford to lose. Never chase your losses or get the delusion of a lasting win by a winning streak.
If you choose to spice things up and go for a spin of American Roulette, stay away from Five Number Bets, as such bets can leave you broke!

Last Few Words

As a beginner, learning how to play Roulette correctly is the crucial first step towards becoming a professional casino player and actually making money playing the top live casino games. The basics and gameplay are pretty simple. All you need is to learn the different roulette bets, their payouts, stick to your gambling budget, and avoid sucker bets such as Five Number Bet in American Roulette.

FAQs

Which Roulette Wheel has the best odds?

Given the 2.7% house edge, European Roulette has the best odds among roulette variations. It is the most user-friendly roulette wheel.

Are there any strategies that guarantee a roulette win?

No. Roulette is a game of chance, and skill is also involved. While betting systems exist, they don't guarantee long-term and 100% profits.

What happens to my bet if the ball lands on zero?

In European and French Roulette, special rules like "La Partage" (half the bet is returned) or "En Prison" (the bet is held for the next spin) may apply to even-money bets. In American Roulette, all bets (except those on zero) lose.