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How to play roulette

Whether you’re playing in Vegas or at an online casino, the rules of roulette are much the same. Follow our how to play roulette guide and you’ll be a pro in no time.

How to play Roulette | Getting started
How to play Roulette | Getting started

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How to play online roulette: 4 steps

1. Place your bet

If you’re playing online, select your chip size to bet with. Then place your chips on the bet that you’d like to make.

How to play roulette step 1

2. Spin the wheel

With online roulette, there’s no time limit. So whenever you’re ready, hit the ‘Spin’ button. This will release the ball into the virtual wheel.

How to play roulette - step 2

3. The outcome

The wheel will come to a stop and the ball will settle into a pocket. Online roulette games use a random number generator (or RNG for short) to determine the outcome.

How to play roulette - step 3

4. The result

Hold your breath. If you’re in luck, you’ll receive a payout. The next round begins after the result.

How to play roulette - step 4

Practice how to play roulette

Think you've mastered the rules? Play one of our free roulette games below to test out your skills.

Roulette table explained

The roulette table is arranged into two sections: the inside and the outside. The inside area has 36 numbered squares which are either red or black. The outside area has boxes that cover a broader range of numbers – like odd or even. At the top of the table, there’s also a large zero or double zero depending on the game.

You can bet on any of the squares on the table or even a combination of them. To learn more about placing bets, check out our roulette bet types guide.

US Roulette Table Layout

Roulette wheel explained

European roulette wheel with ball

Roulette wheels are numbered from 0 to 36. On European wheels, there are 18 red pockets, 18 black pockets, and a single green 0. American roulette wheels are the same, but with an additional green 00 pocket.

However, the numbers don’t run in order around the wheel. The sequence is designed to balance high, low, odd, and even numbers. And on top of that, the wheels are different for European and American roulette. It’s not as complicated as it sounds though – take a look at the two variations you’ll come across below.

Roulette variants

There are three main types of roulette to play: European, American and French, with live roulette versions available at many online casinos.

What is European roulette?

European roulette is the most common roulette game at online casinos. The European wheel has 37 pockets numbered from 0 to 36. The single zero brings the house edge, also known as the casino’s advantage, down to just 2.7%. The low house edge is one of the reasons European roulette is a favorite among players.

You can learn the full ins and outs of the game with our European roulette guide.

Table - European roulette with icons
What do we mean by house edge?The ‘house edge’ is the advantage that a casino has over a player. For each casino game, the house edge is written as a percentage. The higher the percentage, the larger the advantage for the house.

Comparing roulette variants

FeatureAmerican rouletteEuropean rouletteFrench roulette
Pockets383737
ZerosDouble zeroSingle zeroSingle zero
House edge5.26%2.7%1.35%
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How to play roulette guides

How to play online roulette FAQs