Roulette
In spite of the fact that it is a comparatively easy game at its heart; a jam-packed, loud roulette table with all those bets, colors and numbers strewn across it can be quite a daunting vision if you are not geared up for it. That is why we are here to direct you through the entertaining and stimulating world of roulette!
In order to play roulette, you must pick out a set of numbers on which to bet. The dealer (or "croupier") spins the roulette wheel and drops a ball into the wheel. The ball whirls around the wheel and falls in pocket labeled with a number on the wheel. If this number matches one of the numbers you chose, you'll win the bet!
Roulette wheels come in two styles: European and American. To find the determining factor, look at the number of zeroes on each wheel. Each wheel has the numbers 1 through 36. The difference is that the European roulette wheel has only one zero, while the American-style roulette wheel has both 0 and 00. You may ask, why does this matter?
The extra 00 slot on the American wheel gives the casino an extra house edge. With an American wheel, the house edge on roulette is 5.26%; with a European wheel, with only thirty-seven slots, the house edge is only 2.7%.
“Inside bets” are bets where the player places their chips within the grid layout that features the various numbers. Here is a list of the different basic Roulette “inside” bets:
A "straight-up" bet is a bet on a single number. A winning bet pays 35 to 1. While a straight-up bet has the best payout in the game, it also has the worst odds.
A “split bet” is a bet placed between two numbers. A winning bet pays 17 to 1.
A “row bet” is a bet placed on a row of three numbers. A winning bet pays 11 to 1.
A “corner bet” is a bet placed on the intersection of four numbers. A winning bet pays 8 to 1.
A “six-number bet” is a bet placed the line between two rows, covering six numbers. A winning bet pays 6 to 1.
A "five-number bet" is a bet on 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 and is only available on American-style wheels. It is also the worst bet available in roulette and is known as a "sucker bet". While the payout on this bet is 6 to 1, you can get the same payout when you bet on six numbers instead of only five. You would have better odds betting on those five numbers one by one.
“Outside bets” are bets where the player places their chips outside the grid layout. Outside bets typically have better odds and lower payouts. Here is a list of the different basic Roulette “outside” bets:
A “column bet” is a bet placed at the base of one of the columns on the layout, covering twelve numbers. A winning bet pays 2 to 1.
A “dozens bet” is a bet placed in a box featuring one section of twelve numbers, 1-12, 13-24, 25-36. A winning bet pays 2 to 1.
A “high/low bet” is a bet placed in a box labeled “Low” for the numbers 1-18 or “High” for the numbers 19-36. A winning bet pays even money.
An “odd/even bet” is a bet placed in a box labeled “Odd” for odd numbers or “Even” for even numbers. A winning bet pays even money.
A “red/black bet” is a bet placed in a box colored red for the red numbers or black for the black numbers. A winning bet pays even money.
0 and 00 are colored green and do not count as winning the “low” or “even” bets.
