Playing roulette has been around for more than two centuries, and its name is derived from the French word “”little wheel.”” Roulette, along with blackjack, is among the most well-known table games, and live roulette is widely preferred by players. For those who are new to online roulette, don’t worry because we’ve got you covered with this helpful guide.

Get started in Playing the Live Roulette

If you are a beginner and have never seen a roulette table before, it may seem overwhelming at first. However, once you understand the rules, Live Roulette can be an easy game to play. The basic rules remain the same.

To start the game, you need to place your bets. You can choose from a range of options, such as single number, red or black, odd or even, high or low, a section, a column or dozen, and 0 or 00, depending on the type of online roulette game you select. Additionally, you can place multiple bets in one round. All of this might seem like a lot, but it will be explained in detail in the guide. So, whether you prefer high-risk big odds or lower-risk 1:1 bets, you have the freedom to choose.

Table, Wheel and Pay-outs in Live Roulette

In Live Roulette, the table layout consists of the betting area where you can place your bets and the wheel where the ball is spun. The numbers on the wheel range from 0 to 36, and they are colored in black and red alternatively. The green color represents the number 0.

Pay-outs in Live Roulette depend on the type of bet you place. Straight-up bets, which are placed on a single number, have the highest pay-out ratio of 35:1. Other types of bets, such as split bets or street bets, have lower pay-out ratios as they cover multiple numbers. Outside bets like red/black, odd/even or high/low, have the lowest pay-out ratio of 1:1, but they have higher chances of winning. Understanding the pay-outs is crucial when placing your bets and determining your strategy.

How to Bet

There are three types of bets on the roulette. The inside bet which are bets on the inside of the field (the numbers). The outside bets, which are the bets you find on the left side of the numbers. The third option is the racetrack, this is ideal if you want to bet on sections.

Inside bets

The inside bets are placed on the inner field of the table, on the numbers 0 up to 36. There are five types of inside bets: Straight up, Split, Street, Corner and Line.

Straight up: a bet on a single number, put your chip down on the number you want to play and hope for the best! This is a risky bet, but the pay-out is great, you get 35 to 1 if you hit a straight up bet. To increase your chances, you can always play multiple straight up bets in one round. 
Split: a bet on two adjacent numbers, horizontally or vertically, by placing a chip on the line between the two adjacent boxes. If you for example want to put a bet down on number 1 and 2, you place the chip on the line between the numbers. A split bet will pay out 17 to 1 if you hit one of the two numbers. 
Street: a bet on a row of three numbers on a single horizontal line by placing a chip on the outer line of the number on the far left of the three numbers. The street bet will give you a 11 to 1 pay-out. 
Corner: a bet on four numbers that form a square, by placing a chip on the cross between the four numbers. The corner bet has a 8 to 1 pay-out. 
Line: a bet on 6 adjacent numbers at the same time. If you want to bet on 1-6 for example, you place a chip on the T-junction on the far left between the 1 and the 4. The line bet pays-out 5 to 1. 

Outside bets

Outside bets are placed on the boxes around the inner field with the numbers 1 to 36. Basically there are five options to place an outside bet: Column, Dozen, High or Low, Red or Black and Odd or Even.

Column: a bet on one of the three vertical rows (left, middle, right) by placing a chip in the box at the bottom of the row, you then bet 12 numbers at the same time. If you win a column bet you get a 2 to 1 pay-out. 
Dozen: a bet on 12 numbers in three consecutive rows, by placing a chip in one of the following areas: 1ste 12, 2nd 12, 3rd 12. Betting on a dozen pays out 2 to 1. 
High or Low: a bet on the high numbers (19-36) or the low numbers (1-18). This is simple, if you win you double your money, so the pay-out is 1 to 1. 
Red or Black: a bet on a colour (red or black) instead of on a number. This is also a 1 to 1 pay-out bet.
Odd or Even: a bet on odd or even numbers. Here the pay-out is again 1 to 1.

Roulette cheat sheet

The Racetrack

The racetrack is popular with more advanced players. The racetrack is set up just like the wheel, the order of the numbers is the same as on the wheel, which makes it easy to bet on a section. A section in roulette is a serie of numbers right next to each other. They are ideal if you think the ball is going to fall between certain numbers. There are four sections you can play on, the Tiers du cylindre, Voisins du zero, the Zero Spiel section and the Orphelins section. Be careful, if you play a section, it is not a standard pay-out on each number.

Tiers du cylindre section: The Tiers du cylindre section goes from 27 to 33 on the wheel. If you play this section, you play with six chips divided over twelve numbers. You play six split bets, the chips are placed at 5-8, 10-11, 13-16, 23-24, 27-30 and 33-36*.

Voisins du Zero: This section is the biggest one, it covers a total of 17 numbers with seven chips. The section starts at the 22 and goes all the way to the 25 on the roulette wheel. The chips are divided the following: 0-2-3, 4-7, 12-15, 18-21, 25-26-28-29 and 32-35*.

The Zero Spiel section: The numbers surrounding the 0 are part of the Zero spiel section. The entire section is also part of the Voisins du zero section, so if a number of the zero spiel section is spun, it means the voisins du zero section will also win. This section consists of seven numbers going from 12 till 15. The section is played with four chips: 0-3, 12-15, 28, 32-35*.

Orphelin section: This section is divided over two places on the wheel, going from 17 to 6 and from 1 to 9. There is a total of eight numbers in the section covered by five chips. The chips are placed like this: 3, 6-9, 14-17, 17-20 and 31-34*.
*note: the – does not indicate from one number till a different, but it just shows the numbers that are actually played.

Different types of Online Roulette

One of the key decisions you need to make when playing online roulette is to decide on whether you want to try your hand at European or American Roulette. One major difference between the two is that the American roulette wheel has 2 zeroes on the cylinder which gives you a bigger advantage in online casino.

European Roulette

The European roulette wheel has on the other hand, a single 0 which makes it a great choice for those who want to offset the effect of variance. The zero slot is green here while the other 36 numbers are split in half, with 18 being black and the rest red.

American Roulette

One of the key differences between American and European Roulette is that the American roulette wheel has 2 zeroes on the cylinder which gives you a bigger advantage in online casino.

In total there are 38 pockets on the American roulette wheel, ranging from 0 to 36 plus the additional 00 number – 18 of these pockets are red while 18 are black and the two remaining slots with the numbers 0 and 00 are green.

What are the rules of roulette?

The ‘En Prison’ rule

The ‘En Prison’ rule is a popular rule in roulette that is offered by some online casinos. This rule applies to even-money bets, such as red or black, even or odd, or high or low. When the ball lands on the green zero, instead of losing the entire bet, the player has the option to leave the bet “”en prison”” for the next spin. If the next spin results in a win, the player will receive the original bet back. However, if the next spin also results in a loss, the entire bet is lost.

The ‘En Prison’ rule can be advantageous for players as it reduces the house edge by half. However, it is important to note that not all online casinos offer this rule, so it’s important to check the table before placing a bet. It’s also important to keep in mind that this rule only applies to even-money bets and not to other types of bets, such as straight up bets. Overall, while the ‘En Prison’ rule may offer some benefits to players, it’s always a good idea to understand the rules and strategies before placing any bets in roulette.

The ‘La Partage’ rule

One rule in roulette that is different from the ‘En Prison’ rule is the ‘La Partage’ rule. This rule is applicable when you lose half of your even money bet, but unlike the ‘En Prison’ rule, you cannot leave your bet in place for the next spin. Even money bets include reds and blacks, odds and evens, and highs and lows.

The ‘La Partage’ rule is also only valid when the winning number is a green 0. This rule, similar to the ‘En Prison’ rule, significantly decreases the house edge. With this rule, players can expect to receive back 50% of their even money bet if they lose on a green 0. However, not all online casinos offer this rule, so it is essential to check the table before placing a bet.

Understanding the terms used in roulette can help players make informed decisions when placing bets. Fortunately, there are not many rules to remember. Here are some important terms to know:

Single zero: This term refers to the roulette wheel used in European roulette. It has a single pocket marked with a ‘o’.

Double zero: This term is used in American roulette and refers to the extra pocket on the wheel marked with ’00’.

Line betting: This is when a player places a bet on a line that separates two numbers on the table.

Block betting: This is when a player wagers on a block of numbers on the table.

By familiarizing themselves with these terms, players can develop a deeper understanding of the game and improve their chances of winning.

Practice Roulette online for free

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