Roulette
Meaning “Little Wheel”, Roulette has been around for many centuries and in many forms. The most common and popular versions played today are American Roulette and European Roulette, and we will go over the slight differences in each a little later in this article. The game of Roulette is played on a table that is divided into several wagering sections and marked with numbers 0 to 36 and in some cases a double 00 spot (depending on the variety of the game you are playing). The Croupier (a.k.a. the Dealer) spins the wheel and releases a small ball in the opposite direction that the wheel is spinning. The number that the ball lands in is the winning number.
Roulette Betting
The object of Roulette is basically to guess or predict where the ball will end up when it comes to a stop on the wheel. There are lots of different bets to be placed that are based on things such as the color slot the ball lands on, the group of numbers, the specific number, etc. These bets are shown in detail in the following list:
Inside Bets – Bets made on the inside layout of the table
Straight Up Bet – Placing a bet on a single number. To make this bet, place the chip in the center of the number.
Split Bet – Placing a bet on two adjacent numbers, also known as a two-number bet. To make this bet, place the chip on the line that separates the two numbers.
Street Bet – Placing a bet on any three numbers in a row. A.K.A. a 3 number bet. To make this bet, Place the chip on the outside line at the beginning of the row.
Square Bet – Placing a bet on a block of four numbers. A.K.A. a 4 number bet. To make this bet, place the chip on the spot in the center of the four numbers.
Five-Number Line Bet – Placing a bet on five numbers, consisting of 00, 0, 1, 2 and 3. To make this bet, place the chip on the intersection of the dividing lines between 0 and 1.
Six-Number Line Bet – Placing a bet on six numbers, in two adjacent rows. To make this bet, place the chip on the line above Dozen bets so that it rests between the two rows that you want to wager on.
Outside Bets – Bets made outside the inner number bets
Column Bet – Placing a bet on one of the three vertical columns. To make this bet, place the chip at the bottom of the column corresponding to the numbers you wish to bet on.
Dozen Bet – Placing a bet on twelve numbers – either High, Middle or Low. To make this bet, place the chip on the First 12, Second 12 or Third 12.
After all players have placed their wagers, the Croupier will call, “No More Bets” and then spin the wheel putting the ball in action. Once the ball has come to a stop, all winners are paid. The payouts in Roulette offer chances to win a lot of money with one spin of the wheel and this is the biggest draw to this game, for many gamblers.
American & European Payouts
Although the payouts can vary slightly from casino to casino, the following table is a wonderful general guideline to follow:
European Roulette Bet Name Odds | American Roulette Bet Name Odds |
Now, as promised, we will go over the differences between American Roulette and European Roulette. The difference is really quite subtle, being that the single major difference between American Roulette and European Roulette is that the American Roulette has both a single zero and a double zero on the Roulette Wheel, whereas the European Roulette has only the single zero. There are also minor differences on the layout of the table and the number order on the wheel. The actual game play is exactly the same in both versions of Roulette and normal rules of betting and playing the game apply to both.
As you can see by the payout table above, the payout possibilities are huge with a single number or straight up bet paying 35 to 1. For instance, if you made a $200 bet on a single number and the ball landed on that number you would be paid $7,000!
