Roulette remains one of the most beloved casino games among casino players. It’s a favorite among serious enthusiasts and beginners alike, and they love it because it is easy to learn and has good payoffs for the player. 

Learning roulette is about more than understanding the game and its rules. To be a real winner one has to know about the different types of bets that are possible in this game. 

Players who have good knowledge of how to place different types of bets in roulette see their bankrolls better spent, and they tend to take away bigger wins than those who don’t. 

There is much to learn about bets in roulette. What are inside and outside bets, and what does red or black, odd or even, high or low mean? 

It helps to know exactly what a called bet is in this casino game, as well as understand the meaning of terms like Fixed Call Bet, Neighbors of Zero, Thirds of the Wheel, Zero Game, The Orphans, Variable Call Bet, The Neighbors, Final Straight and Final Split. 

These may look like lots of terms for the beginner to memorize, but they are important. Those who have already mastered games like baccarat will find these easy to learn.

A good approach would be to learn a few of them at a time, understand how they work and how they affect the game. This way, the player avoids being overwhelmed and they can focus on improving their roulette skills. 

What are outside bets?

These are bets that are usually laid on the outer part of the roulette table, and they give the player higher odds of winning because they cover large sections of the wheel. 

A table has an outer edge that is inscribed with terms like red, black, odd and even, and this is where these bets are placed. 

Although the odds are improved somewhat for outside bets, it is important to remember that the payout is often lower. 

They are good bets for beginners to place so long as they are careful about how much they wager. Below are common examples of outside bets:

• Red or black — when the player opts for a red or black bet they choose a color, and if the ball should land on it they win at 1:1. 
• Odd or even — they can also choose to place their bets on odd or even numbers, and if the ball happens to land on their selected number the payout is once again 1:1.
• High or low — this one is a little bit different because the player bets on whether the winning number will be low (between 0 and 18) or whether it will be high (between 19 and 36). Either way, both are even money bets. 
• Column — there are three columns of a dozen numbers each that span the longest side of the roulette table, and this column means the player is betting that the outcome will be one of these numbers. The first column consists of 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31 and 34. The second one includes 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32 and 35, while the last one consists of 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33 and 36. Should the player win the payout is 2:1.
• Dozens — this type of bet also covers a dozen numbers, but instead of the numbers being random they are arranged in order. This means that the first column is 1–12, the second is 13–24 and the last is 25–36. The payout for this type of bet is also 2:1. 

What is an inside bet?

It is the opposite of an outside bet and it means that the player has made their wager on the inside section of the roulette table. 

Instead of covering columns of numbers like outside bets, these usually cover individual numbers or small groups of numbers. 

The other difference is that they tend to pay out more. Below are some common examples of inside bets:

• Straight-up — this, as the name suggests, is a bet on any number on the board, and the player wins if the ball lands on the number that they wagered on. The great thing about this type of bet is the payout — 35:1. 
• Split — rather than the player betting on just one number they place a bet on the line that separates two numbers. Should the ball land on either they win, and the payout is 17:1.
• Street — in this one, the player bets on a row of three numbers on the inside of the roulette table, and the payout is 11:1.
• Corner or square bets — this one is similar to a split, but the player bets on four numbers instead of two. The numbers have to touch and form a square, and the payout for this type of wager is 8:1.
• Six Line — this is a wager that is made on two adjacent rows of three numbers each. The player places a bet at the intersecting line on the two rows, and if the ball lands on any of the selected numbers they win 5:1.
• Basket — this is a wager where the player opts for a bet that covers a zero and the top line of numbers on the inside of the roulette table (1, 2 and 3). This type of wager has a payout of 5:1. 
• Top Line bet — this type of bet is only possible in American roulette which has two zeroes on the table rather than one. It is like a basket, only the player can place bets on both zero and double zero. It pays out at 6:1 and it is usually used when the house edge is higher than normal.

What is a called bet?

This is a special category of bet (also called a French bet) that is usually placed in high-stakes games in land casinos. 

Instead of the player placing their chips on the roulette table, they simply call out what they would like to bet, making it easier for them to wager on complex series of numbers. After the player calls the bet the croupier then places the chips for them. 

These sorts of bets are common when the roulette table is crowded and the players in the back lines cannot get close enough to the table to place their wagers. The player doesn’t have to have any chips, and they can call a bet without any proof that they can cover the wager. It is considered betting on credit, and it is prohibited in some countries. 

These bets are sometimes confused with announced bets but they are different. With called bets, the player doesn’t have any chips on the table, while in announced bets the player has chips to cover their wagers. These bets cover a series of numbers on the table, and the type of call the player makes depends on where their numbers are located on the table. 

There are certain variations of called bets that players should be aware of, especially the Fixed Call Bet.

Fixed Call Bet

These are called bets that always cover the same section of the roulette table. In contrast, Variable Call Bets can be placed on different parts of the table. 

There are several terminologies related to Fixed Call Bets that every experienced roulette player should know:

• Neighbors of Zero — these are bets on all the numbers that are closest to the zero on the wheel (22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2 and 25). This type of bet only works for European roulette because, on an American roulette wheel, the numbers are arranged a little differently.
• Thirds of the Wheel — this type of wager covers one-third of the wheel, and it is placed on the 12 numbers located between 33 and 27 (27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16 and 33). They have a payout of 17:1.
• Zero Game — this type of bet covers only seven numbers that are located closest to the zero on a European roulette wheel, including the zero itself (12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, and 15). This can be confusing because the Neighbors of Zero is also this type of bet, but the important difference is that the player only needs four chips to place a Zero Game bet. One chip is used for a split bet on 0–3, another for 12–15, one is placed as a straight-up bet on 26 and the last one as a split bet between 32 and 35.
• The Orphans — this one covers the two remaining sections of the wheel outside Thirds of the Wheel and Neighbors of Zero, and features eight numbers. 17, 34 and 6 are on the left side of the zero, and 1, 20, 14, 31 and 9 are on the right.

Variable Call Bet

Call bets can be fixed or variable, and in variable bets, the player chooses the numbers that they would like to bet on.

• The Neighbors — the player bets on a single number and the two numbers to the right and the left.
• Final Straight — this is a wager on individual numbers that end in the same digits, like 0, 10, 20 and 30.
• Final Split — this is a wager that covers all numbers based on the digits in a number. If the player chooses 0 and 1, for example, they bet on 0, 1, 10, 11, 20, 21, 30, and 31 for this type of wager.

All of this may sound pretty confusing, especially for players who are just learning roulette, but it doesn’t have to be. A good strategy would be to learn about the different types of bets and use them in different games until one finds a style of betting that they are comfortable with. Keep your wits about you and make sure to observe good etiquette at all times. A good place to practice and enjoy roulette in New Jersey is Resorts Casino. It is one of the oldest gambling establishments in the city, and it has a great reputation for paying out on time and providing assistance when players need it.