Roulette
Roulette is one of the oldest and most iconic casino games in the world, played on a spinning wheel divided into numbered pockets. Players bet on where a small ball will land after the wheel is spun. Two main variants exist: European Roulette (37 pockets, numbered 0–36, house edge 2.70%) and American Roulette (38 pockets with an additional double-zero pocket, house edge 5.26%). A third variant, French Roulette, uses the European wheel with additional player-friendly rules. Roulette requires no skill to play — the outcome is entirely random — but the choice of wheel and bet type significantly affects the house edge a player faces.
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Players place chips on a betting layout before the croupier spins the wheel and releases the ball in the opposite direction. Bets close when the croupier announces 'no more bets'. Inside bets are placed on specific numbers or small groups: Straight Up (single number, pays 35:1), Split (two numbers, pays 17:1), Street (three numbers in a row, pays 11:1), Corner (four numbers, pays 8:1), Line (six numbers, pays 5:1). Outside bets cover larger groups: Dozens (12 numbers, pays 2:1), Columns (12 numbers, pays 2:1), Red/Black (pays 1:1), Odd/Even (pays 1:1), High/Low (1–18 or 19–36, pays 1:1). On European wheels, the single zero causes outside bets to lose unless La Partage or En Prison rules apply. On American wheels, both zero and double-zero are losses for all outside bets.
Basic Strategy
The single most impactful decision in roulette is choosing the wheel. Always play European or French single-zero roulette over American double-zero roulette — the house edge drops from 5.26% to 2.70%. If French roulette with La Partage is available, even-money outside bets carry just 1.35% house edge, placing it among the best bets in the casino. For bankroll longevity, focus on even-money outside bets (Red/Black, Odd/Even, High/Low) — they offer the highest win frequency at 48.6% on a European wheel. Straight-up single-number bets pay 35:1 but have only a 2.7% win chance per spin. No betting system can overcome the mathematical house edge over the long run.
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The Wheel Sequence
The 37 pockets read clockwise from the green zero in this fixed, non-sequential order:
Bets, Payouts & Odds
| Bet Type | Payout | Win Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Straight Up (1 number) | 35:1 | 2.70% |
| Split (2 numbers) | 17:1 | 5.41% |
| Street (3 numbers) | 11:1 | 8.11% |
| Corner (4 numbers) | 8:1 | 10.81% |
| Six Line (6 numbers) | 5:1 | 16.22% |
| Column (12 numbers) | 2:1 | 32.43% |
| Dozen (12 numbers) | 2:1 | 32.43% |
| Red / Black (18 numbers) | 1:1 | 48.65% |
| Odd / Even (18 numbers) | 1:1 | 48.65% |
| High / Low (18 numbers) | 1:1 | 48.65% |
European vs American vs French
| Variant | House Edge | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| European | 2.70% | 37 pockets with a single green zero. The standard wheel in Macau and most of Europe. |
| American | 5.26% | Adds a second 00 pocket (38 total), which nearly doubles the house edge. Avoid where possible. |
| French | 1.35% | Same single-zero wheel, but La Partage and En Prison apply to even-money bets by default. |
How Roulette Works
Roulette is a game of pure chance built around a spinning wheel and a betting layout. The dealer spins the wheel one way and rolls a small ball the other; when the ball settles into a numbered pocket, every bet covering that number wins and the rest lose. On a single-zero wheel there are 37 pockets — 0 through 36 — with 18 red, 18 black and one green zero.
You place chips on the layout before the ball drops. Bets fall into two families: inside bets on individual numbers or small groups, which pay more but hit rarely, and outside bets on large groups like red/black or the dozens, which pay less but win far more often. That simple split is the whole strategic core of the game.
Roulette Bets & Payouts
Inside bets sit on the numbers: straight-up on one number pays 35:1, a split on two pays 17:1, a street of three pays 11:1, a corner of four pays 8:1, and a six-line pays 5:1. The fewer numbers you cover, the bigger the payout and the rarer the win.
Outside bets sit around the grid: red/black, odd/even and high/low each pay 1:1 and cover 18 numbers, while columns and dozens pay 2:1 and cover 12. The payout table on this page lists every bet with its true probability, so you can see exactly what each wager is worth before you place it.
House Edge by Variant
Roulette comes in three main variants, and the difference between them is entirely in the zero pockets. European Roulette has a single zero and a house edge of 2.70%. American Roulette adds a second green 00 pocket, raising the edge to 5.26% — nearly double, and the worst deal for the player.
French Roulette uses the same single-zero wheel as European but adds the La Partage or En Prison rule, which halves the edge on even-money bets to just 1.35%. Whenever you can choose, a single-zero table — French first, European second — is always the better seat.
Odds, Probability & Payouts Explained
Every roulette payout is set as if the wheel had no zero. A straight-up number pays 35:1, but on a 37-pocket wheel the true odds against you are 36:1 — that one-pocket gap is the house edge, and it is identical across almost every bet on the layout.
That is why no single bet is mathematically 'better' than another on the same wheel: straight-ups and red/black carry the same 2.70% edge, they just deliver it with very different swings. Inside bets mean rare, large wins; outside bets mean frequent, small ones. Choose based on the experience you want, not on a payout you can beat.
Can You Beat Roulette? Systems & Reality
Betting systems like the Martingale, the D'Alembert and the Fibonacci promise to turn roulette's near-even bets into steady profit. They cannot. Each spin is independent — the wheel has no memory — so a run of reds does nothing to make black 'due', and no staking pattern changes the fixed house edge on the next bet.
What systems actually do is reshape your risk: the Martingale trades many small wins for the occasional catastrophic loss when a losing streak meets the table limit. Roulette is entertainment with a known cost, not an investment. Set a budget, pick a low-edge single-zero table, and play for fun rather than for a system that math has already ruled out.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you play roulette?
Place chips on the layout for the numbers or groups you want, then the dealer spins the wheel and rolls the ball. If the ball lands in a pocket your bet covers, you win at the listed payout; otherwise the bet loses. You can play it free above to learn the flow.
Which roulette variant has the best odds?
French Roulette has the best odds: its La Partage or En Prison rule cuts the even-money house edge to 1.35%. European Roulette (single zero) is next at 2.70%, and American Roulette (with 0 and 00) is the worst at 5.26%.
What are the roulette payouts?
Inside bets pay from 35:1 (straight-up) down to 5:1 (six-line); outside bets pay 2:1 (columns and dozens) or 1:1 (red/black, odd/even, high/low). The full payout table with true probabilities is shown on this page.
What is the house edge in roulette?
On a single-zero wheel the house edge is 2.70% on almost every bet; a double-zero American wheel is 5.26%. French rules lower the even-money edge to 1.35%. The edge comes from payouts being set as if there were no zero pockets.
What is the best bet in roulette?
On the same wheel no bet lowers the house edge, so there is no single best bet. Even-money bets on a French table (1.35% with La Partage) are the best value overall; otherwise choose inside or outside bets based on the risk profile you prefer.
Can you win consistently at roulette?
No. Every spin is independent and the house edge applies to each bet, so no betting system beats roulette over the long run. Short-term wins happen through variance, but they are not consistent or reliable.
What is the difference between European and American roulette?
European Roulette has 37 pockets with one zero (2.70% edge); American Roulette has 38 with both 0 and 00 (5.26% edge). The extra pocket nearly doubles the house edge, so European is the better game.
Is this roulette game free to play?
Yes. The roulette game above runs free in your browser with no signup and no download, so you can practise the bets and see how the wheel and payouts work with no money at stake.
Explore Roulette Variants
The house edge changes dramatically between roulette variants. Compare and play each one:
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