Roulette asks you one question — where will the ball land? — and offers around a dozen ways to answer it, each with a different payout and a different level of risk. This guide from the roulette academy covers the wheel, the layout, every bet with its true odds on both wheel types, how a round works from "place your bets" to "no more bets", and the details that only matter online.
Inside bets: payouts and true odds
Inside bets cover one to six numbers. The payout is the same on every wheel; only the probability changes, which is why the same bet costs 2.70% on a single-zero wheel and 5.26% on a double-zero wheel. "True odds" below is what a fair payout would be.
| Bet | Numbers covered | Payout | European: probability / true odds | American: probability / true odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 1 | 35 to 1 | 2.70% / 36 to 1 | 2.63% / 37 to 1 |
| Split | 2 adjacent | 17 to 1 | 5.41% / 17.5 to 1 | 5.26% / 18 to 1 |
| Street | 3 in a row | 11 to 1 | 8.11% / 11.33 to 1 | 7.89% / 11.67 to 1 |
| Corner (square) | 4 in a block | 8 to 1 | 10.81% / 8.25 to 1 | 10.53% / 8.5 to 1 |
| Six line (double street) | 6 in two rows | 5 to 1 | 16.22% / 5.17 to 1 | 15.79% / 5.33 to 1 |
| Trio (0-1-2 or 0-2-3) | 3 | 11 to 1 | 8.11% / 11.33 to 1 | n/a (uses 0-00-2 variants) |
| Basket / first four (0-1-2-3) | 4 | 8 to 1 | 10.81% / 8.25 to 1 | n/a |
| Five-number / top line (0-00-1-2-3) | 5 | 6 to 1 | n/a | 13.16% / 6.6 to 1 — house edge 7.89% |
The wheel and the table layout
A roulette wheel holds 36 numbered pockets, alternating red and black, plus one green zero (European and French wheels, 37 pockets) or a zero and a double zero (American wheel, 38 pockets). The numbers are not in sequence on the wheel; they are arranged so that high and low, red and black, odd and even alternate as evenly as the maths allows. The European sequence clockwise from zero begins 0-32-15-19-4-21-2-25-17-34-6-27-13-36-11-30-8-23-10-5-24-16-33-1-20-14-31-9-22-18-29-7-28-12-35-3-26.
The table layout (the felt) is where you bet. It shows the numbers 1–36 in three columns of twelve, in numerical order, with the zero(s) at the head. Around this grid sit the outside betting areas: three dozens, three columns, and the six even-money boxes for red, black, odd, even, 1–18 and 19–36. Bets placed on the numbered grid are inside bets; bets placed in the surrounding areas are outside bets.
Outside bets: payouts and true odds
Outside bets cover twelve or eighteen numbers. They win far more often, pay far less and produce the calmest sessions. On French tables the even-money bets also benefit from la partage or en prison, which halve the house edge to 1.35%.
| Bet | Numbers covered | Payout | European: probability / true odds | American: probability / true odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red or black | 18 | 1 to 1 | 48.65% / 1.056 to 1 | 47.37% / 1.111 to 1 |
| Odd or even | 18 | 1 to 1 | 48.65% / 1.056 to 1 | 47.37% / 1.111 to 1 |
| Low (1–18) or high (19–36) | 18 | 1 to 1 | 48.65% / 1.056 to 1 | 47.37% / 1.111 to 1 |
| Dozen (1–12, 13–24, 25–36) | 12 | 2 to 1 | 32.43% / 2.083 to 1 | 31.58% / 2.167 to 1 |
| Column | 12 | 2 to 1 | 32.43% / 2.083 to 1 | 31.58% / 2.167 to 1 |
| Even-money bet with la partage (French) | 18 | 1 to 1, half back on zero | 48.65% win, 2.70% half-loss — house edge 1.35% | rarely offered |
A useful sanity check: on a European wheel every standard bet loses exactly 1/37 of the stake on average, whatever its size or payout. Betting €10 on red and €10 straight up on 17 has the same expected loss — €0.27 per spin each — but very different swings. Choosing between them is a question of volatility, covered in the roulette strategy guide.
Chips and buying in
At a physical table each player receives colour chips — a colour unique to them, worth whatever value they choose at buy-in (the dealer marks it with a lammer on the wheel rim). This is how the croupier knows whose chips are whose when a dozen players are betting on the same numbers. Colour chips have no value away from that table; you exchange them for cash chips before leaving. Online, the software tracks ownership, so you simply pick a chip denomination from the tray and click the layout.
Tables post a minimum and a maximum. Inside and outside minimums often differ: a €5 table may require €5 on each outside bet but only €5 in total across inside bets (five €1 chips on five numbers is fine). Maximums are usually set per bet type, with straight-up limits lowest and even-money limits highest.
How a round of roulette works
Buy in and choose a chip value
Exchange cash (or select a denomination online) for chips. Check the table minimum and maximum on the placard before you commit. Decide your session budget now, not after the first loss.
Place your bets
The dealer announces "place your bets" and spins the wheel in one direction, then launches the ball in the other. You can place inside bets on the grid and outside bets around it, in any combination, until the ball begins to drop.
No more bets
A few seconds before the ball falls, the dealer waves a hand over the layout and calls "no more bets" (rien ne va plus). Any chip touched after this is void. Online, the betting window closes with a timer.
The ball lands
The dealer places a marker called the dolly on the winning number on the layout. Do not touch any chips while the dolly is on the table.
Losing bets are cleared
The croupier sweeps all losing chips into the well. On a French table, even-money bets on a zero result are halved (la partage) or imprisoned for the next spin (en prison).
Winning bets are paid
Outside bets are paid first, then inside bets, from the lowest-value to highest-value chip colours. Your original stake stays on the table; if you do not want to repeat the bet, pick it up once the dolly is removed.
Next spin
The dolly comes off, and the cycle restarts. A live table runs about 35–60 spins an hour; RNG roulette runs as fast as you click.
Call bets and the racetrack
French and most European tables offer call bets (also called announced bets) that cover sections of the physical wheel rather than the numerical layout. Online they are placed on an oval racetrack diagram. Each is a fixed bundle of splits and straight-ups placed in one move, so the house edge remains 2.70%: they are a convenience, not an edge.
| Call bet | Wheel section covered | Numbers | Chips used | How the chips are placed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voisins du zéro (neighbours of zero) | The 17 numbers from 22 to 25 on the wheel, around zero | 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25 | 9 | 2 on the 0-2-3 trio, 2 on the 25-26-28-29 corner, 1 each on splits 4/7, 12/15, 18/21, 19/22, 32/35 |
| Tiers du cylindre (third of the wheel) | The 12 numbers from 27 to 33, opposite zero | 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33 | 6 | 1 each on splits 5/8, 10/11, 13/16, 23/24, 27/30, 33/36 |
| Orphelins (orphans) | The two remaining segments | 17, 34, 6 and 1, 20, 14, 31, 9 | 5 | 1 straight up on 1; 1 each on splits 6/9, 14/17, 17/20, 31/34 |
| Jeu zéro (zero game) | The 7 numbers closest to zero | 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15 | 4 | 1 straight up on 26; 1 each on splits 0/3, 12/15, 32/35 |
| Neighbours (X and the neighbours) | Any number plus two on each side on the wheel | 5 numbers | 5 | 1 straight up on each |
Because call bets combine splits and straight-ups, the return depends on which number hits. A 9-chip voisins bet that lands on 0, 2 or 3 (the trio, 2 chips at 11 to 1) returns 24 chips for a net profit of 15; if it lands on 4 (a 1-chip split at 17 to 1) it returns 18 chips, net profit 9. Playing voisins every spin still loses 2.70% of 9 chips per spin on average.
Table etiquette
- Place bets yourself where you can reach; for far numbers, put chips on the table and tell the dealer the bet — never throw chips.
- Stop betting the instant "no more bets" is called. Late bets are refused and repeat offenders are asked to leave.
- Never touch chips while the dolly marker is on the layout, including your own winners.
- Keep only your own colour chips on the table. If you want to bet cash chips, place them and tell the dealer the amount.
- Tip the croupier if you wish by placing a chip and announcing "for the dealer" — it is customary in the US, less so in Europe.
- Don't ask the dealer for advice on where to bet. They cannot help and the numbers are random regardless.
Playing roulette online
RNG tables
Software roulette lets you set chip value, click bets, and press spin. Useful features: a rebet button to repeat the last layout, undo to remove the last chip, double to double every bet on the table, a racetrack tab for call bets and a favourites list for saved patterns. Turbo or quick-spin modes cut the animation and can run 600 spins an hour. Check the help screen for the wheel type and published RTP: 97.30% means a standard European game; 94.74% means American; anything lower means modified payouts or extra zeros.
Live dealer tables
Live roulette streams a real wheel and croupier. The betting window runs on a timer (typically 15–25 seconds), bets are placed on a digital layout overlaid on the video, and results are read by optical recognition and confirmed by the dealer. Most live studios offer European wheels; French tables with la partage exist but are fewer, and many studios label them "French" only for the layout language, so verify that la partage is actually applied by reading the rules panel. Minimums are higher than RNG, usually €0.50–€1, and VIP tables go into the hundreds.
Bonus terms
Casino welcome bonuses almost always exclude roulette from wagering or count it at 5–10% of stake. Some sites also ban covering more than a set share of the layout (for instance betting red and black together) while a bonus is active and will void winnings if you do. Read the bonus terms before playing roulette with bonus funds — or play with cash and skip the bonus entirely.
What to read next
Roulette strategies
Martingale, Fibonacci, D'Alembert, Labouchère and James Bond tested against the maths — and what actually helps.
Read the guideBankroll management
Stake sizing, stop-loss rules and why spins per hour matter more than any system.
Read the guideHow to play blackjack
A table game where your decisions move the house edge — compare it with roulette before you pick.
Learn blackjackCasino wiki
Definitions for every term on this page: la partage, dolly, racetrack, true odds and more.
Open the wikiFrequently asked questions
What is the safest bet in roulette?
Even-money bets — red/black, odd/even, low/high — win most often (48.65% on a European wheel) and have the smallest swings. On a French table with la partage they also carry the lowest house edge in the game, 1.35%. "Safest" means lowest variance, not positive expectation: you still lose in the long run.
What does 35 to 1 mean in roulette?
A winning straight-up bet pays 35 times your stake in profit and you keep the stake, so €1 on a number returns €36. The true odds against hitting one number are 36 to 1 on a European wheel and 37 to 1 on an American wheel; the gap between true odds and payout is the house edge.
Can you bet on both red and black at the same time?
Yes, but it gains nothing. On any non-zero result one bet wins and the other loses, so you break even; when zero hits you lose both (or half of each with la partage). You simply lose 2.70% of the combined stake on average while guaranteeing you cannot win. Some bonus terms also forbid it.
What is a call bet in roulette?
A call or announced bet covers a section of the physical wheel rather than the layout. Voisins du zéro covers 17 numbers around zero with 9 chips, tiers du cylindre covers 12 numbers opposite zero with 6 chips, and orphelins covers the remaining 8 numbers with 5 chips. Online they are placed on a racetrack diagram.
How many numbers are on a roulette wheel?
A European or French wheel has 37 pockets: the numbers 1 to 36 plus a single green zero. An American wheel has 38: the same numbers plus a green double zero. Some newer tables add a triple zero for 39 pockets, which raises the house edge to 7.69%.
Is roulette a good game for beginners?
It is the easiest casino table game to learn: there are no decisions after you place a bet and no strategy to memorise. The downside is that the house edge, 2.70% on a single-zero wheel, is higher than blackjack with basic strategy (about 0.5%) or the baccarat banker bet (1.06%).