A big beautiful roulette wheel is a signature piece at high-end casinos around the world. These draw in people with their smart design and enduring esthetic. Roulette games in our casino aim to recreate that experience online with 3D graphics and quality soundtracks. You’ll be able to toss some money on your favourite number and watch with anticipation as the white ball is launched around the wheel.
One of the benefits of playing roulette online is that you can finetune your approach and test out betting systems at your own pace from the comfort of home. If you’re unsure about how to do this, sit back and enjoy this in-depth look at all things roulette.
Anatomy of the Roulette Wheel
Roulette has a perfect wheel design with just enough friction and drag to naturally lead a ball down to a winning pocket all from the spin of the wheel. The ball starts in the wheel’s outer rim and is shot in the opposite direction that the wheel spins. Since the wheel has an inward curve, the ball begins to make its way to the inner wheel as it gradually loses momentum.
To keep things interesting, a set of bumpers stand in the way and force the ball to shoot in unpredictable directions as it moves towards the centre. Lastly, the ball will hit the numbered pockets. In roulette, you’ll see numbers 1-36, coloured black or red. There’s also a green zero (0), and sometimes a green double-zero (00) included on the wheel, which contribute to the game’s house edge. The number the ball settles into is the winner.
Variations of Roulette Wheels
Not all roulette wheels are the same. The more you play, the more you’ll discover roulette game variations. Some casinos have multiple games to choose from, so it’s important to know what to look for. We’ll discuss the three most common roulette variations—European Roulette, American Roulette and French Roulette—and go over their unique traits.
European Roulette Wheel
European Roulette is one of the many roulette games available to play for real money in our casino. This classic has a big following for good reason. Numbers 1 to 36 are included and just one single zero is on the board for house edge. As a result, every number has a 1-in-37 chance of winning, creating a house edge of 2.7% for all European Roulette bets. Although the payouts are the same as in American Roulette with the double-zero, the European version offers higher win probabilities.
In our casino, European Roulette has extra bets included that appear when you select the “Racetrack” button. These are exclusive to European Roulette and are a lot of fun to bet on. You can bet on Tiers, Orphelins, and Voisins du Zero; each of these bets covers a unique series of numbers through split bets, and pay accordingly.
American Roulette Wheel
With American Roulette, you get numbers 1 to 36, a single zero and a double zero for a total of 38 possible outcomes per spin. That extra digit increases the house edge to 5.26% for all bets except for the First Five, which has a 7.89% house edge. The First Five is available only in American Roulette since it includes the double-zero.
The payouts in American Roulette are the same as in European Roulette. You get paid 35-to-1 for a single number, 17-to-1 for a split, 8-to-1 for a corner and 1-to-1 for even/odd and black/red, among the other betting options. With the extra double-zero included, the probability of an even-money bet (red/black/even/odd) winning is 47.37%; compare that to the 48.65% win probability in European Roulette, and you can see which game is superior—at least as far as the odds are concerned.
French Roulette Wheel
The French Roulette wheel is the same as European Roulette. Numbers 1 to 36 are available for betting in addition to a single zero for house edge. Where this game differs is with a special feature known as “la partage” (French for sharing) available to even-money bets, such as even/odd/red/black. With la partage, if you take an even-money bet and the ball lands on the green zero, instead of losing your bet, you get half of it back, or the option to put the bet “en prison” (French for in prison).
By “imprisoning” the bet, you give yourself a shot at getting your whole bet back the next round. In order to do that, you need to win the bet next spin.
The Roulette Table Layout
Accompanying the roulette wheel is a roulette table, also known as the betting layout. This has all of the roulette betting options (other than the French call bets that are tucked away in the Racetrack). Three columns make up numbers 1 to 36, and starting with red, they interchange between red and black. Above the columns is the green zero and double zero if applicable. Betting happens both inside and outside the betting layout, which is why these bets are called inside bets and outside bets.
Inside Bets
Inside bets are on numbers that are either single, double, a line of three, a corner of four, or two lines of six numbers in total. You can bet on them by placing your chips on the appropriate sections on the board.
For a single bet, better known as a straight-up bet, place the chip in the centre of the number you want. A split bet, meanwhile, involves placing the bet on the line that connects the two numbers you want. For a corner bet, select the corner that connects four numbers. And lastly, for street bet and six line, select the line at the end of the row you want.
Outside Bets
The betting sections for outside bets are outside of the betting layout; these bets cover wide ranges of numbers (between 12 and 18). This is where you’ll find even/odd, red/black, high/low, and first, second and third dozen as well as the columns bets.
These roulette betting options win more frequently than the inside bets but pay less. Odd/even, high/low (19-36 and 1-18) and red/black pay 1-to-1 while the dozens and column bet pay 2-to-1.
Differences Between American and European Roulette Layouts
Many people wonder what’s the difference between American vs. European Roulette. Both have the same bets for the most part and offer the same payouts for those bets. At first glance, the wheels look similar too. You get numbers 1 to 36 in red or black. But there is a key difference between these games that leads to a difference in roulette odds and house edge: the inclusion of zero (0) and double zero (00).
The zeroes are where the house edge comes from in roulette. If they weren’t there, you’d have a perfect 50-50 shot of winning the red/black, even/odd and high/low outside bets. By including the zero(es), the win probability is actually 48.6% in European Roulette and 47.4% in American Roulette.
So, why does American Roulette have a slightly lower win probability in this example? American Roulette has a double-zero on top of the single-zero, which contributes to the game’s 5.26% house edge. On the European Roulette wheel, you’ll find just the single zero and a lower house edge of 2.7%.
Strategies Influenced by Wheel and Table Layout
Some players gravitate to roulette to test different betting systems. Since roulette has bets that are close to 50/50, it’s a good candidate for popular betting progressions. Just be sure to go with the variant with odds closer to 50-50.
Choosing the Right Roulette Variant
Picking roulette games with lower house edge is a good approach for those wanting maximum value, and you’ll get just that with European Roulette. Having just one zero instead of two means each bet has a slightly higher win probability and overall lower house edge.
Since roulette is a game of chance, most strategy comes in the game selection phase. Put a little time and effort into comparing every roulette variant and you’ll improve your chances of coming out ahead at game time.
Bet Placement Strategies depending on the roulette wheel
Many betting strategies are trialed at the roulette tables since you need a game with betting outcomes that are close to 50-50 to make them work. That makes the red/black and even/odd bets prime candidates for roulette betting strategies.
These progressive betting systems have been around for a long time and despite their risks, they continue to circulate amongst casino crowds. One of the most well-known ones is the Martingale system, which advises doubling your bet after every loss.
The Fibonacci system isn’t as aggressive as the Martingale; in it, you base bets on the Fibonacci sequence found in mathematics and nature. Starting with 1, you add to the sequence by adding the two prior numbers and placing the sum at end of the sequence. For example:
0,1
1+0=1
0,1,1
1+1=2
0,1,1,2
1+2=3
0,1,1,2,3
Lastly, the Labouchere system has roulette players generate a list of numbers and has them cross off two after winning and add one after losing.
Common Misconceptions About the Roulette Wheel and Table
Being a game of chance, roulette can attract superstitious players with misconceptions about how the wheel works. The most common misconception is one that’s not exclusive to roulette, and is about the connection (or lack thereof) between outcomes. Each outcome in roulette is 100% independent from the previous one. That means if you have 10 straight black outcomes, in the 11th round, there’s still a 50-50 chance of black coming up as the winner. The under-represented outcome doesn’t become “due” over time.
One of the more popular roulette myths is that there are hot and cold numbers on the wheel. In theory hot numbers win more frequently, and cold numbers don’t win at all. These numbers are established by keeping track of the past outcomes and finding repetitions, but you should keep in mind that past outcomes don’t predict future outcomes on the roulette wheel.
Tips for Playing Roulette Online
Being able to play roulette for real money from the comfort of home is a real treat. The easiest way to do it is by signing up for an account at Bodog Casino. We’ve been an industry leader since 1994 and continue to set the bar for innovation in online casino gaming.
Sign up for a free account by using the “Join” button and you’ll have access to hundreds of online casino games, online roulette included. They can all be played with real money or free of charge, depending on how you launch the session.
Sign-up match bonuses are available to new players and help boost bankrolls in the early stages, but they’re best suited for players looking to play online slots. Roulette is available as a classic (American Roulette, European Roulette) and innovative twists (Dragon Roulette, Vulcano Roulette, etc.). Pick the one that suits your gaming style.
How to Improve Your Roulette Experience
The best way to make sure you have a good time playing roulette is to set betting limits and stay within them. Before launching a session, decide how much of your bankroll you want to dedicate to it, and then divide it into betting units, the size of which determines how long you want the session to last. For example, you could divide $200 into 40 $5 units or 20 $10 units. This is Bankroll Management 101.
Understanding the roulette payout structures also helps you get the playing experience you want. With roulette, there’s a wide spectrum of bets with ‘win big’ on one side and ‘win frequently’ on the other. Lots of bets fill in that range, making the game suitable for every gambling style out there, yours included. The best roulette strategies are our forte at Bodog Casino. Learn how to play European Roulette and the difference between inside bets and outside bets. After that, you’ll be full of confidence to take a seat at the table.