Roulette is one of the most well-known and enjoyable casino gambling games around. It has long been a staple of any reputable gaming location or website. In today’s article, we will take a look at how to play roulette, along with some basic Roulette strategies and a few simple tips to help you hit it big (or at least not go broke in the first hour) of your next roulette session.

WHERE DID ROULETTE ORIGINATE?

The game is thought to have first been discovered by Blaise Pascal in France during the 17th century. He invented the first incarnation of the roulette wheel in his search for a perpetual motion machine. 

From there, the rules and style were combined with an Italian game known as Biribi. The evolution of the game has led to the inspiration for all variants of roulette today.

HOW DOES THE ROULETTE BOARD WORK?

One of the first things you need to learn is how to play the roulette wheel and the different types of wagers you can make. There are 38 total numbers on an American roulette wheel (1-36, 0, and 00), in addition to spots to place proposition wagers.

A roulette wheel is designed to provide numerous betting opportunities for players. Everything from wagering on a single number with huge odds to betting near-even odds on high or low or red or black is available. 

The way that a roulette table is set up offers two basic options for wagering. These are known as inside bets and outside bets. Inside bets consist of a single number or combinations of numbers. These include: 

• Straight Up (wagering on a single, individual number).
• Split Bet (two numbers that border on each other).
• Trio (a three-number bet).
• Square (a four-number bet in the shape of a square).
• Five Number Bet aka The Monster (five specific numbers: 0, 00, 1, 2, 3). This bet is only available on the American version with the double zero.
• Line Bet (a six-number bet).

Outside wagers are bets that do not involve individual numbers but rather sections or blocks of the board. You can also bet on color, columns, a high or low number, and several others. 

Roulette bets

Next thing you need to learn is how to play the roulette bets

• Column Bet (you place your chip at the bottom of the column you think will produce the winning number).
• Dozens Bet (this is a non-consecutive number wager where you select the first dozen, second dozen, or third dozen group of numbers. You can also bet two different dozens in the same spin if you choose).
• Odd or Even Bet (as the name implies, you simply choose whether the number landed on will be an even (2, 4, 6) or odd (1, 3, 5) number).
• High or Low Bet (this wager is placed in either the 1-18 or 19-36 section on the board).
• Red or Black Bet (another of the near-even odds bets (minus the zero/double zero), where a simple choice of landing on red or black can double your money).

WHAT ARE THE BASIC ROULETTE RULES?

The rules of this game are pretty simple – the only complexity comes in understanding the different betting options. Simply stated, players can place their bets prior to and even after the wheel is spinning, up until the point when the dealer states that there are “No more bets!” After that, it’s up to Lady Luck as to what number comes up.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF ROULETTE?

It is important to note that there are many different versions of the game, which have small and subtle (but sometimes lucrative) differences. Here are the most common roulette choices and a little bit about what distinguishes them from other versions.

American roulette

Although the European version is probably the most popular globally, this version is the standard game at any Las Vegas or Atlantic City casino. The main difference is that it adds a double zero, which increases the house edge from 2.7% to 5.26%.

European roulette 

This version is the standard in most casinos (real-world and online) outside of the US. With only one zero, the house edge of 2.7% is more manageable.

French roulette

This is extremely similar to the European version, except that it adds ‘La Partage’ and ‘En Prison’ bets. These wagers work as insurance against the wheel landing on zero.

Mini roulette 

Mini roulette takes all the excitement of the full-size game and shrinks it down into a fun-sized version. By reducing the size of the board, the individual numbers, and the outside bets, players who are intimidated by the sheer number of wagers in a regular game can learn to play on this one. It is very commonly offered online.

Multi-ball roulette

Multi-ball roulette is essentially roulette supercharged. By playing with up to 10 balls per spin, you can greatly increase the odds of winning and the chances of hitting a big bet.

Multi-wheel roulette

Multi-wheel roulette is the same concept as multi-ball roulette. In this variation, however, it is one ball spinning on multiple tables, rather than multiple balls spinning on one table. This is another variant that is more commonly found online than in brick-and-mortar casinos.

Live roulette 

Unlike other roulette casino games where you are simply playing a virtual version of the real thing, in live roulette, you can play with real dealers at real tables online.

HOW DOES ONLINE GAMBLING ROULETTE WORK?

Online roulette, as well as the rules of gameplay and the wagering options, works the same way as it does in physical gaming locations. Your chances of winning or losing do not increase or decrease in any way.

In fact, there are a number of advantages to playing virtually as opposed to in person. Many people like the idea of being able to play their favorite games for money from the comfort of their own home.

You also have the added advantages of not having to carry large sums of cash if you win, not having to worry about traveling, and you can play as much or as little as you want without feeling like you ‘wasted a trip’.

Find great Roulette games to play in our table games selection.