You've probably heard roulette referred to as the Casino Queen. Any regular at land-based casinos will agree that it is impossible to imagine a solid gambling club without a spinning wheel and the buzzing of the ball running along the smooth track. And the exclamations of visitors hovering over the table waiting for the winning number create a unique atmosphere in the hall.
In online casinos, roulette somewhat lost the competition to video slots, which conquered customers with various features and spectacular gameplay. However, the Queen still has many fans. An unquestionable advantage of online roulette is the variety of its versions.
Soft manufacturers periodically release new games with realistic graphics and unusual options. Some developers' portfolios include several versions of roulette, including unique variations that can easily confuse a beginner and even an experienced player.
We recommend that novice roulette fans get their hands on the basic types. According to Casinoz, there are three of them:
- European roulette,
- French roulette,
- American roulette.
Of course, during the development of gambling, many of the original features of these varieties were mixed. Nevertheless, each has certain characteristics that can be considered fundamental. These features allow you to attribute almost every (except for very unusual varieties) roulette to one of the above categories.
We will not focus readers' attention on the differences between roulettes in online and offline casinos. Most of them are related solely to the functional features of the game in the virtual and real worlds but are not directly related to the rules.
Here are some quality online roulette games from famous software providers.
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97.3% |
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Basic Roulette Rules
Before we discuss the main types of the game in detail, let's highlight a few common rules that are characteristic of all versions.
- The goal of a roulette player is to guess the winning number and make one or more bets on it.
- The winning number is determined by the ball running along the track and landing in one of the pockets with numbers from 0 to 36.
- The numbers on the wheel are arranged in the strict order established by the rules.
- Numbers from the wheel are duplicated in the betting fields on the table layout.
- All roulettes offer internal bets on numbers and external bets on color, even/odd numbers, big/small numbers, columns, and dozens.
- A combination of different types of bets is allowed, provided that the table limits are not exceeded for any of the positions.
The uniform rules of roulette are described in detail in a special article on Casinoz.
European Roulette
This type of game is the most popular in the world.
The sequence of numbers:
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
Inside bets:
- Straight Up (one number) - 35:1,
- Split (two numbers) - 17:1,
- Street (three numbers) - 11:1,
- Trio (0-1-2 or 0-2-3) - 11:1,
- Corner (four numbers) - 8:1,
- First Four (0-1-2-3) - 8:1,
- Six Line (six numbers) - 5:1.
Outside bets:
- Column bet - 2:1,
- Dozen bet - 2:1,
- Red or Black - 1:1,
- Even or Odd - 1:1,
- Low or High (1-18 or 19-36) - 1:1.
Some types of announced bets may be available in the European roulette.
French Roulette
This version differs from the European version by traditional terms in French and a special table layout.
Advantage gamblers like French roulette because of the La Partage rule. It reduces the house edge twice. The rule means that players lose just half of their outside bets if the ball lands on the zero.
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The arrangement of numbers:
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
Inside Bets:
- En Plein (one number) - 35 to 1
- Cheval (two numbers) - 17:1
- Transversale Pleine (three numbers) - 11:1
- Carre (four numbers) - 8:1
- Transversale Simple (six numbers) - 5:1
Outside bets:
- Colonne (columns) - 2:1
- Douzaine (dozens) - 2:1
- Noir/Rouge (red or black) - 1:1
- Pair/Impair (even or odd) - 1:1
- Manque/Passe (1-18 or 19-36) - 1:1
Many casinos offer French roulette with a track for announced bets.
American Roulette
This one differs from the aforementioned varieties in the order of numbers and the presence of a double zero, which causes additional types of bets to appear.
The arrangement of numbers:
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
Inside bets:
- Straight Up (one number) - 35:1
- Split (two numbers) - 17:1
- Row (0 and 00) - 17:1
- Street (three numbers) - 11:1
- Trio (0-1-2, 0-2-3, 0-00-2 or 00-2-3) - 11:1
- Corner (four numbers) - 8:1
- Top Line (0-00-1-2-3) - 6:1
- Six Line (six numbers) - 5:1
Outside bets:
- Columns - 2:1
- Dozens - 2:1
- Red/Black - 1:1
- Even/Odd - 1:1
- Low/High (1-18 or 19-36) - 1:1
In American roulette, there is usually no track for announced bets.
Land-based casinos in the USA rarely offer special rules in this game variation, but they are more common on gambling websites.
Additional Roulette Rules
Also, roulette can have special rules. Let's highlight the most famous ones:
- La Partage - This rule is almost universally available on French roulette (less often on European roulette) and applies to outside bets, such as even/odd, red/black, etc. Half of outside bets are returned to the player when the zero is the winning number. Accordingly, the house edge reduces to 1.35% from 2.7%.
- En Prison - This can be considered a variation of La Partage. If a zero falls, the dealer places a marker on the outside bet chips on the table, as if locking them in a prison (hence the name). If that bet wins on the next round, the customer gets it back without a payout. En Prison also halves the house edge. This rule happens in numerous variations. You should clarify the details in the casino where you play roulette.
Unique rules, inherent only in the specific games from some providers, are explained in game reviews.
Special Roulette Bets
Many customers are happy to make additional bets, commonly known as announced or called bets because, in offline casinos, they are placed by the dealer at the player's request.
Let's take a look at the most common variants:
- The Voisins du zéro (neighbors of zero) bet covers the sequence of the following 17 numbers on the single-zero wheel: 22-18-29-7-28-12-35-3-26-0-32-15-19-4-21-2-25. The bet is divisible by 9. Two chips are on 0-2-3; one is on 4-7; one is on 12-15; one is on 18-21; one is on 19–22; two are on 25-26-28-29; and one is on 32–35.
- The Jeu zéro (zero spiel) bet covers the numbers near the zero on the wheel: 12-35-3-26-0-32-15. The bet must be divisible by 4. One chip is on 0–3; one is on 12–15; one is on 32–35; one is on 26.
- The Le tiers du cylinder (tiers or small series) bet covers 12 numbers: 27-13-36-11-30-8-23-10-5-24-16-33. The bet is divisible by 6. One chip is on each of these splits: 5–8, 10–11, 13–16, 23–24, 27–30, and 33–36.
- The Orphelins (orphans) bet covers 8 numbers in two groups on the opposite sides of the wheel, including 17-34-6 and 1-20-14-31-9. One chip is on 1; one chip is on each of these splits: 6–9, 14–17, 17–20, and 31–34.
In many casinos, roulette players may also place other bets, such as neighbors, finals, full completes, and maximums.
- The Finales en Plein is a bet on all numbers ending in one specific number.
- The Finales a Cheval is a bet on all numbers ending in two specific numbers. For example, a bet of 3/6 covers 3-6-13-16-23-23-26-33-36.
- The Full Complete is a bet on all positions of a single number.
- The Snake bet covers the numbers 1-5-9-9-12-14-16-19-23-23-27-30-32-34 arranged in a snake, hence its name. It pays out like a dozens or columns bet.
Other types of oral bets are offered in some casinos. They overlap a series of numbers selected according to a single criterion, such as numbers, location, etc.
Dealers help gamblers understand all roulette bets in brick-and-mortar casinos. You can study them in online casinos by using the Help section while playing in the free demo version.
Roulettes with Mixed Rules
Often, developers of software for online casinos and owners of offline clubs, trying to attract customers, combine roulette rules from different versions. We will not cite all such variants in this article. It will be enough to warn you about this possibility so that you are not surprised by the presence of atypical classic versions of gameplay features.
Unique Roulettes
In addition to the French, European, and American varieties of the game, unusual versions of roulette with surprising features are available in online casinos (and even in some offline clubs).
Let's highlight a few of the most interesting finds of developers:
- Several wheels - Imagine a roulette in which two or even three wheels rotate inside each other. In particular, IGT offers a game called 3-Wreed Roulette. This structure makes engaging various bonuses, unusual bets, and other original features possible.
- Multiple balls - The use of two balls means that two winning numbers are determined in each spin. Naturally, the payout multipliers are significantly reduced. For example, the straight-up is paid 17:1. It is also possible to bet on paired numbers, which makes the gameplay more diverse.
- No numbers - Some developers offer roulette without numbers. Here are some of them: Astro Roulette, Chinese Roulette, etc.
- Bonuses and jackpots - In some versions of roulette, you can make side bets to compete for progressive jackpots and some prizes. Such games are reviewed in the thematic section on Casinoz.
- Small sizes - Roulettes with the prefix mini or even micro in the name are found in many online casinos. They utilize small wheels with fewer numbers and special multipliers.
- Extra sectors - Some unique games have unusual betting spots. For example, Mystery Roulette x38 has an x38 site on the wheel. You can bet on it separately or in combination with other bets.
In fact, there are many original features in online roulettes. We remembered the most common, and you will learn more about this topic from the section with reviews.
Also, a separate article on Casinoz is devoted to unusual types of roulette.
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Which Roulette Should You Play for Money?
For advantage gamblers, the main criterion when choosing roulette is the house edge. In the classic varieties, they are as follows:
- American roulette - 5.4%,
- European roulette - 2.7%,
- French roulette - 1.35% (for outside bets, if the La Partage rule is available).
As you realize, the higher the house edge, the faster the casino will get your money. Therefore, the choice is obvious. But remember that special rules affect the payback, so they should always be considered.
Is Roulette Worth Playing at All?
Roulette is a wonderful game that decorates any casino. If you perceive the process correctly, it can give you an endless ocean of positive emotions.
The main advice is as follows:
Enjoy playing roulette and choose the most profitable varieties and bets.
You cannot beat roulette in the long run. Thousands of mathematicians and programmers, not to mention professional gamblers, have tried to do it before you. All of them have concluded that the only way is through fraud of one kind or another.
Therefore, allocate the amount you are not sorry to lose and rely on the fortune. It often favors players.
If you are going to make a living playing in casinos, you better prefer blackjack, video poker, and other gambling games with minimal house edge.
Where Can You Play Roulettes?
Here are trustworthy online casinos with numerous roulette games.
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