Roulette is one of the most recognisable games on the planet. It has been the backbone of casino gambling for more than 200 years and continues to thrive well into the 21st century.
The purpose of this guide is to provide you with a thorough understanding of roulette. If you think that all roulette games are the same, you’ll soon discover otherwise. Furthermore, we will explore some of the best roulette strategies and find out if they work and share some tips to help improve your gameplay.
Finally, this page will also showcase a range of the best live roulette games you can enjoy, and we’ll offer a selection of handpicked top-rated online casinos that provide a first-class live roulette experience.
How to play roulette
PLAY REAL Play Fun. Immersive Roulette. French Roulette Gold. American Roulette. Live European Roulette is our core Live Roulette game for players in Europe and beyond. Offering the largest number of standard and VIP tables available from a single source, it’s the ultimate world-class Live Roulette experience for players to enjoy across the widest range of devices.
Part of the attraction of this game is its simplicity. In essence, at a very basic level, how to play roulette is self-explanatory. The player places a bet on a number (or series of numbers) or a colour (or both). The croupier then sets the roulette wheel in motion and puts the ball in. The slot or pocket where the ball finishes is the winning number and colour.
While roulette rules are fairly standard, as a player, it’s crucial that you know about the different variants of this game. Each version has its own RTP value. The RTP highlights the advantage the casino has, and some games are far more player-friendly than others. Many internet casinos offer a plethora of online roulette titles. Therefore, your ability to select the right one will have a direct impact on your bankroll.
Roulette Wheel
To the untrained eye, you may think that all roulette wheels are identical. This isn’t the case. There are two types: one is the European roulette wheel, and the other is known as the American roulette wheel.
The European wheel is also called a single-zero roulette wheel. There is a total of 37 slots on this wheel. Below is the number sequence starting from zero and going in a clockwise direction:
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
Its American counterpart is also called a double-zero roulette wheel. It has 38 slots, and this is its number sequence starting with the single zero.
0-28-9-26-30-11-7-20-32-17-5-22-34-15-3-24-36-13-1-00-27-10-25-29-12-8-19-31-18-6-21-33-16-4-23-35-14-2
The extra double zero increases the casino’s advantage considerably. This is why knowledge of the different roulette wheels is vital. In short, always try to avoid playing American roulette, or any game that uses the double-zero wheel.
Quick tip: Although we didn’t mention it above because it is quite rare, there is a triple-zero roulette wheel as well. This stacks the odds even more in the casino’s favour, so don’t even consider playing this type of roulette.
Roulette Table
The roulette table refers to the area where you place your bets. The main body has three columns and twelve rows, which are numbered 1 – 36 in ascending order from left to right. Above the first row of numbers is the zero, or zero and double-zero on an American roulette table.
To the side of the main body, there are more betting options. These include first 12, second 12 and third 12 – also known as dozens. Plus all the even money bets: 1 – 18 (low), 19 – 36 (high), odd, even, and red and black.
Several online roulette tables also display a racetrack. This contains a selection of special roulette bets such as Voisins du Zero, Jeu Zero, Le Tiers du Cylindre and Orphelins. These are pre-determined multi-chip bets. If you’re just starting out playing live roulette, we would advise sticking with more simple bets at first.
Roulette Odds
The payouts and roulette odds depend on the bet(s) you place. There are inside bets and outside bets. The inside ones have longer odds but higher payouts as opposed to the outside bets which have shorter odds with lower payouts.
Roulette Inside Bets
Inside bets simply relate to the wagers you can place on the main body of the roulette table. They are:
Straight-up bet is a single number. For example, you bet on ‘12’. The payout is 35 to 1, which is the highest on the table, but the roulette odds against winning are 36 to 1. This is due to the zero on the wheel. Effectively, that is the house edge.
Split bet is where you cover two numbers that are adjoining. For instance, 2 and 3 or 10 and 13. The payout on this bet is 17 to 1.
Street bet covers any three numbers in a single row, such as 1, 2, and 3 or 34, 35, and 36. Its payout is 11 to 1, with the roulette odds against winning being 11.33 to 1.
Corner bet is any four adjoining numbers. An example is 1, 2, 4, and 5. If you land this bet, the payout is 8 to 1.
Double street bet is two rows that are adjoined. For example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This bet has a payout of 5 to 1.
Roulette Outside Bets
Most players tend to play the outside bets. These have lower roulette odds, but the payouts reflect that. Let’s have a look at them.
Column bet consists of twelve numbers. This wager covers nearly one-third of the table, and it pays out 2 to 1 when you win it.
Dozen bet also covers twelve numbers. You can bet on the first dozen (1 – 12), the second dozen (13 – 24), or the third dozen (25 – 36). It pays 2 to 1.
Colour bet is probably the most popular roulette bet. Simply choose red or black. The payout is 1 to 1.
Odd or even is another even money (1 to 1) bet. To win, you just need to guess if the ball will finish on an odd or even number.
Low or high also pays out at 1 to 1. The low numbers are 1 – 18, and the high numbers are 19 – 36.
There is a perfect symmetry to European roulette in that every bet has exactly the same house edge, which is 2.70%. To put that in monetary terms, for every €100 bet, the game pays €97.30. This is on average, over an infinite number of spins.
As a note, the house edge (i.e. the casino’s advantage) for American roulette is 5.26%. This is a big difference, which is why we urge you to by-pass this type of roulette.
Live Roulette
In addition to European and American roulette, the third type is French roulette. This uses the single-zero wheel just like European games. French roulette is the best game you can play if you bet on even-money (1 to 1) wagers.
This is because of the ‘la partage’ and ‘en prison’ rules. Under French roulette rules, players can get some of their stakes back if the ball lands on zero. That reduces the house edge to 1.35%, so it’s very favourable. For this reason, many experienced live roulette players will only play with French rules.
There are many other variants of live roulette available to players. These are a few of the most common games that you’ll find at our recommended best live casinos.
Live Speed Roulette
Although many players like watching the ball spin round the roulette wheel, others simply want to get on with the action. As the name implies, this variant of live roulette is played at a super-fast pace. Each game takes between 25 – 30 seconds to complete with the bets placed while the ball is in motion. The roulette odds and payouts are the same, but the gameplay is fast and furious.
Mini Live Roulette
This is another popular live roulette game. Mini roulette is no different to European roulette in regards to the rules, bets and gameplay. All the ‘mini’ stands for is the size of the window which holds the game. Many mobile roulette players prefer to play mini live roulette because of its more compact size.
Live Double Ball Roulette
With two winning numbers on every spin, double ball is one of the most exciting live roulette games around. A few live casino operators now provide this game, and some offer special side bets that payout up to 1,300 to 1. These can be won by betting on a number and both balls landing in that slot. It doesn’t happen too often, but when it does, you get a super win. Additionally, when playing double ball live roulette, check the paytable. These can vary a little so ensure you are playing on the tables that offer the most value.
Best Roulette Strategy
Let’s start by saying, it is mathematically impossible to beat roulette over the long term. Be aware of those who claim to have the best roulette strategy that is guaranteed to win every time. It simply is not true.
Essentially, a roulette strategy is a betting system. Most of these systems can be used on other casino games, such as live blackjack and live baccarat. We have nothing against betting systems. In fact, some offer a very effective way of managing your bankroll. However, the phrase ‘best roulette strategy’ is, in our opinion, rather misleading.
Here are some of the more popular roulette betting systems. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Some are high risk, whereas others take a more cautious approach. Any of the following can be used when playing live roulette.
Martingale
Also known as ‘doubling-down’, the classic Martingale is a negative progression betting system in which you double the size of your bet if it loses. For example,
You bet €10 on red.
The ball lands on a black number, so you lose.
Your next wager is €20. Let’s say on red again (although it could be on any even money bet).
This bet also loses.
For the third bet, you must stake €40.
This wager wins. You get 1 to 1, so that’s €40 for the win and your €40 stake is returned.
You are up €10 – the same value as your starting bet.
If you had an unlimited bankroll, and there were no maximum betting limits on the tables, the Martingale betting system would be the best roulette strategy of all time. However, no one has an infinite bankroll, and all live roulette tables impose maximum bet limits.
This is the Achilles’ heel of the Martingale system. It is based on the probability that you will win eventually, and when you do, you’ll be in profit. While it may seem unlikely, it is possible to go 10 or 15 rounds without landing a winner. Once you (1) run out of money, or (2) hit the max bet, you won’t get your profitable return. Hence the Martingale is thought to be extremely risky.
James Bond
British super-spy 007 even has his own roulette strategy. For this, you need 20 betting units. For the purpose of this example, we shall assume 1 betting unit is €1.00.
Bet €14 on high numbers (19 – 36)
Bet €5 on the double street (13 – 18)
Bet €1 on zero
Having covered 25 numbers out of a possible 37, you will win more often then you lose, but the wins are smaller than the losses. So, the casino wins in the long run.
Bet on high numbers (19 – 36) = €8 profit
Bet on the double street (13 – 18) = €10 profit
Bet on zero = €16 profit
Any number from 1 to 12 = €20 loss
This is still a fun betting system to use as it is not as risky as Martingale. The downside is that you need 20 betting units for each round.
Fibonacci
If you’re looking for a safe roulette strategy (compared to Martingale), Fibonacci is the answer. It’s based on the Fibonacci sequence of numbers, where the next number in the sequence is the sum of the previous two numbers, for example:
1 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 8 – 13 – 21 – 34 – 55 – 89 – 144 – 233 – and so on.
This is also a negative progression betting strategy. You start on the leftmost number and move one number to the right for each losing bet. When you win a bet, you jump back two places. For example, if you bet €13 and won, the next bet goes back to €5.
There is less chance of reaching the maximum bet limit of the table using the Fibonacci roulette strategy, and it’s softer on your bankroll, too. However, unlike Martingale, a winning bet doesn’t guarantee you return to profit.
Labouchere
Also known as the cancellation system, this is a favoured roulette strategy of many experienced players. It works best with the even money bets although it could be adapted to suit some of the other betting options on the roulette table.
To begin with, you must decide on your target win amount. For example, let’s imagine we want to win €100. You now split that into smaller amounts, as shown below:
€10 – €20 – €10 – €10 – €10 – €20 – €10 – €10 (total = €100)
When you bet, you take the leftmost number and the rightmost number, and you add these together. That is your total stake. In our example, that is equal to €20.
If your bet wins, you cross both of the numbers off and repeat the same process again for the next bet. I.e. €20 + €10 = €30 total bet.
€20 – €10 – €10 – €10 – €20 – €10
If that bet loses, you add the value of the stake to the right of your sequence.
Live Vip Roulette Game
€20 – €10 – €10 – €10 – €20 – €10 – €30
Continue with the same betting pattern throughout. When you reach the centre, if there is only one number left, simply stake that amount.
Ultimately, the house edge for roulette is constant. It never changes. With all betting systems, you will have good days and bad days. It’s not a case of one system being the best roulette strategy. The key is to use the one you like, and the one that suits the bankroll you are playing with.
Top Roulette Tips
Whether you play live roulette or virtual games, there are a few simple roulette tips you can adopt. Some players call these roulette tricks, but it’s more in-line with playing sensible and looking for the best value.
Play under French rules: As emphasised above, French roulette is the best game you can play. If you want to know how to win at roulette more often, this is the number one answer. Over the course of your roulette career, you will save nearly €4.00 out of every €100 gambled by going French instead of American.
Stick to the outside bets: For European roulette, the house edge is 2.70%. This is consistent for all bets if you stick to the same payout type. What you never want to do is bet on a straight-up number for a few rounds and then switch to a different bet. If you are new to live roulette, play the colours, odd and even, high and low bets.
Live Vip Roulette Poker
Set limits: This is another golden roulette tip. Some days, luck will not be on your side, and it’s tempting to go chasing wins to recoup your losses. This roulette trick is not a smart move. Savvy players know when to walk away. Therefore, set yourself win and loss limits. If you hit either of them; take a break.
Live Vip Roulette Sites
Casino bonuses: There are several exciting live roulette bonuses and promotions available. Utilise the information on this website to locate the best offers. Even rebate bonuses on losses reduce the house edge overall. Bet smart, and you can tip the odds in your favour a little.