How to Play Roulette: Bet Types and Payouts
Roulette is a classic casino game where you bet on which pocket the ball will land in on a spinning wheel. The rules are simple, but knowing the bet types and variants matters.
Roulette Variants
- European roulette: 37 pockets (0 and 1–36). House edge about 2.7%.
- American roulette: 38 pockets (0, 00 and 1–36). House edge about 5.26%.
- French roulette: Same wheel as European; on tables with the "La Partage" rule, half of even-money bets are returned when the ball lands on 0, cutting the edge on those bets to about 1.35%.
Where possible, choose European or French roulette over American.
Inside Bets
- Straight (one number): 35 to 1
- Split (two numbers): 17 to 1
- Street (three numbers): 11 to 1
- Corner (four numbers): 8 to 1
- Six Line (six numbers): 5 to 1
Outside Bets
- Red/Black, Odd/Even, 1–18/19–36: 1 to 1
- Dozens (1–12, 13–24, 25–36): 2 to 1
- Columns: 2 to 1
Outside bets win more often but pay less. If the ball lands on 0, outside bets lose (except under La Partage).
The Truth About Roulette Systems
Systems like the Martingale (doubling after every loss) may seem to work in the short run, but a long losing streak quickly pushes your stake into the table limit or the edge of your budget. No betting system beats the house edge; every spin is independent of the last.
For live roulette and other tables, read the Live Casino Guide.