Roulette starts with a simple question: which pocket will the ball land in? You can back one number, a small group or a wider category, with different payouts for each. Before placing chips, identify the wheel and read the settlement rules.
The important differences are easy to overlook. A single-zero wheel and a double-zero wheel do not offer the same probabilities, and a feature version may change the standard payout. This guide explains ordinary bets, worked returns and the checks that matter when a casino promotion is involved.
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European, American and French roulette
European roulette
A conventional wheel has the numbers 1–36 and one zero, giving 37 pockets. Check the actual layout and paytable rather than relying only on the European label.
American roulette
The conventional double-zero wheel has 1–36, zero and double zero: 38 pockets. Zero and double zero are separate outcomes.
French roulette
Often uses a single-zero wheel with special treatment for eligible even-money bets on zero. Confirm whether la partage or en prison is actually stated.
Wheel types describe outcomes, not just the language on the betting mat. French labels, a racetrack panel or a luxurious live studio do not establish a particular zero rule. Read the help screen, including any variant-specific exceptions.
What la partage changes
Under la partage, an eligible even-money bet loses only half its stake when zero lands. For example, a $10 red bet would return $5 after zero rather than lose all $10. That treatment is not the ordinary settlement for a number bet or a dozen.
En prison is a different arrangement that can hold an eligible stake for a later outcome. Check its release and repeated-zero rules. Evolution’s roulette product guide describes its French la partage rule; that provider example is not confirmation that the casinos below carry that table.
Roulette bets and conventional payouts
The following ratios are standard profit payouts for the listed ordinary bets. Your game’s paytable takes precedence, especially for multiplier games, extra-zero wheels and special wagers. A winning stake is returned in addition to the stated profit.
Straight-up: 35:1
One number. A $1 winning bet pays $35 profit, with $36 returned including the stake.
Split: 17:1
Two permitted adjacent numbers on the grid. A $1 winning bet pays $17 profit, with $18 returned.
Street: 11:1
A row of three numbers. A $1 winning bet pays $11 profit, with $12 returned.
Corner: 8:1
Four numbers sharing a permitted corner. A $1 winning bet pays $8 profit, with $9 returned.
Six-line: 5:1
Two adjoining rows covering six numbers. A $1 winning bet pays $5 profit, with $6 returned.
Dozen or column: 2:1
A specified group of 12 numbers. A $1 winning bet pays $2 profit, with $3 returned.
Even-money bets: 1:1
Red or black, odd or even, and low 1–18 or high 19–36 normally pay even money. A $1 winning bet earns $1 profit and returns $2 in total. Zero is not red, black, odd, even, low or high for these ordinary bets.
Inside bets are placed on numbered positions and boundaries in the main grid. Outside bets use the larger category areas. MGM’s roulette guide explains the distinction and the trade-off between coverage and payout.
Check permitted chip placements around zero separately. Special zero combinations and an American five-number wager should not be assumed to follow the ordinary street, corner or six-line rules.
Worked examples: track the whole layout
One bet is easier to price than several
If you place $2 on red, your round stake is $2. An ordinary winning result returns $4 in total; an ordinary losing result returns nothing on that bet. The profit is $2, not $4.
Several chips, one confirmed result
Suppose you place $1 straight-up on 7 and $2 on red. The total stake is $3. If 7 wins, the number bet returns $36 and the red bet returns $4, making $40 returned and $37 net profit. If another red number wins, only the $4 red return is paid, making $1 net profit across the layout. These examples assume standard payouts.
Coverage is not a free hedge
On a conventional single-zero wheel without a special zero rule, equal $5 bets on red and black commit $10. A red or black result returns $10 from the winning side, giving no profit across the two bets. Zero loses both, giving a $10 loss.
A layout can contain many separate wagers, each resolved according to the winning pocket. Add every chip before comparing the outcome with your stake. The minimum chip denomination is not necessarily the total round cost.
Profit and total returned
A 35:1 label means 35 units of profit plus the winning stake. It does not mean the total return is 35 units. Use the same convention when comparing bets, and remember that losing chips elsewhere on the layout reduce the overall net result.
How zero affects the odds
A conventional single-zero wheel has 18 red numbers, 18 black numbers and zero. A red bet therefore wins on 18 of 37 pockets, about 48.65%, rather than 50%. The even-money payout does not compensate for that extra losing outcome.
For a standard straight-up bet on a fair single-zero wheel, the chance of winning is 1 in 37. With 35:1 profit plus the stake returned, the theoretical return is 36 divided by 37, approximately 97.30%. The corresponding house advantage is about 2.70% of total wagers.
On a conventional double-zero wheel with the same straight-up payout, the calculation becomes 36 divided by 38: approximately 94.74% return and 5.26% house advantage. These calculations apply to the stated wheel and ordinary payout; they do not establish the return of every variant or special bet.
For an eligible even-money bet under single-zero la partage, half a stake is lost on zero instead of a full stake. That gives a theoretical house advantage of 1 divided by 74, approximately 1.35%. It does not change the straight-up payout or make every wager on the table a 1.35% bet.
All these percentages concern long-run mathematical expectations. They do not promise a particular session return. A result history is a record, not a forecast, and previous colours do not make an independent fair spin owe a different result.
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Read the Fair Go, Ozwin, Uptown Pokies and Ripper Casino reviews for individual promotion details. The bonus hub explains different offer formats.
Live roulette, RNG games and feature variants
Live tables
A streamed table presents the wheel and dealer or automated equipment, with digital chip placement. Check the betting deadline and the confirmed result shown in the game history. A slow video stream should not be used to infer whether a wager was accepted.
Software roulette
An RNG version presents a virtual game with software-generated outcomes. Inspect its wheel and payout rules as carefully as a live table. An animated wheel does not establish a different probability model from the one documented in the help screen.
Multipliers and special features
Feature games may alter ordinary returns, add charges or apply multipliers to selected outcomes. A large top multiplier is incomplete information without its trigger and the base payout. Compare the full cost and rules rather than carrying a standard 35:1 calculation into a different version.
For phone play, confirm the selected chip denomination, total stake and any repeat-bet control before submitting. A racetrack or neighbours button can place several chips at once. The mobile guide covers screen and connection considerations.
Roulette and bonus wagering
A casino can offer roulette for cash play while excluding it from a coupon. An allowed game may have a reduced wagering contribution, and covering opposing outcomes can be restricted. Read the current promotion’s exact conditions before claiming it.
If a hypothetical bonus required $500 of credited wagering and roulette counted at 10%, it would take $5,000 in eligible stakes to reach that target under the simplified rule. If roulette is prohibited, playing it may breach the conditions rather than merely fail to count.
Check maximum bets, expiry and withdrawal caps too. Our deposit-match guide explains the credit side of that calculation. Roulette’s game rules and the account’s promotional rules are separate requirements.
Betting systems and limits
Increasing a stake after losses does not change the wheel probabilities. It can quickly raise exposure and reach a table maximum or available-balance limit. Set a spending and time limit before playing, rather than building a plan around recovering earlier losses.
Use responsible gambling for account controls and support information. Return to the games hub to compare blackjack, baccarat, video poker and pokies.
Roulette FAQs
What is the aim of roulette?
You bet on the pocket, number group or category where the ball will finish. Winning bets are settled according to the table’s payout rules after the result is confirmed.
What is the difference between European and American roulette?
Conventional European roulette has 37 pockets: 1–36 and a single zero. Conventional American roulette has 38, adding double zero. With the same standard straight-up payout, the extra pocket increases the house advantage.
Is red or black a 50–50 bet?
No. A conventional single-zero wheel has 18 red, 18 black and one zero pocket. Red therefore covers 18 of 37 outcomes, while zero normally loses an ordinary red or black bet unless a special rule applies.
What does a 35:1 roulette payout mean?
It means $35 profit for each $1 staked on a winning bet, plus the $1 stake returned. The total returned is $36. It does not mean there are only 36 possible pockets on the wheel.
What are inside and outside bets?
Inside bets use numbered positions and boundaries on the main grid, such as a straight-up, split or corner. Outside bets cover categories such as red or black, odd or even, dozens and columns.
How does la partage work?
Where the table expressly offers la partage, an eligible even-money bet loses half its stake when zero is the result. It does not generally apply to straight-up numbers, dozens or columns. Check the exact rules.
Can recent results predict the next roulette spin?
A recent-results display records what happened; it is not a reliable forecast for an independent fair spin. A run of one colour does not make the opposite colour due.
Do roulette betting systems remove the house edge?
No. Altering the staking sequence does not change the wheel probabilities or payout schedule. Progressions can increase the money committed and encounter table or account limits.
Can I use a welcome bonus on roulette?
Only if its current rules permit the specific game and bets. Roulette may be excluded, contribute less to wagering or have restrictions on covering outcomes. Do not treat a general casino offer as a roulette-specific bonus.
Is live roulette the same as software roulette?
Both can use familiar roulette rules, but live roulette presents a streamed table while software roulette uses a virtual game. Confirm the wheel, payouts, settlement and interruption rules for the actual version rather than assuming they match.