How to Play Roulette?
Roulette is a game almost everybody will be familiar with, whichever country they happen to reside in. Roulette is a Western game that originated in France in the Eighteenth Century. However, roulette is also popular amongst Asian and Indian players. It can be a very basic or exceedingly complicated betting game, depending on how you want to play it.
We’re happy to walk you through the ins and outs of the famous table game, though. Join us as we explore how roulette works, the variants you can play and where to find it. Betting in India also cover strategies, additional ways to play and live casino games. Let’s begin, though, by explaining how it works.
What Is Roulette?
As you will be aware, this game is a wheel-based game common in online casinos. The basic premise of the game is to predict which pocket a ball will land in. Of course, the wheel will be spinning when the ball is dropped into it by the croupier. This makes it a lot more challenging to predict the pocket correctly. However, you don’t necessarily have to predict the “correct pocket”, as such. As long as that pocket is “related” to your bet, you’ll bag a cash prize. Confused? Don’t be. Join us as we explain how online roulette works below.
The Basic Rules of Playing Roulette for Real Money
Roulette is available in many versions at the best betting sites in India. To begin with, you should know that a game of roulette consists of multiple tables and screens. Firstly, you have the main wheel. This is where the action will take place that determines your bet’s fate. Secondly, there is a betting board. This displays all the bets you can make, and where you put your chips. Finally, some roulette games may also have a racetrack. This is where you can find an added array of bets in games like European or French Roulette. We’re not going to go overboard and discuss the racetrack much here. That’s a whole different ball game (in a manner of speaking).
Instead, let us focus on the most basic ways to bet on roulette. The first thing you must do is learn what type of roulette game you are playing. While there are dozens of variants, most typically feature one of three reels. They include:
- American: This wheel is notable for featuring two zero pockets, zero (0) and double zero (00).
- European: The European version has just a single zero pocket.
- French: The French version utilises the same wheel as European Roulette, but it offers added features.
American Roulette is not as advantageous as European or French roulette. The main reason why is those zero pockets. If the ball winds up in a zero pocket, you will instantly lose your bet. Because American Roulette has two of these, the house edge is set to an unappealing 5.25%. Because European Roulette features just one zero pocket, its house edge is half that of the American version, at just 2.7%.
French Roulette uses an identical wheel to European Roulette but has special rules regarding the zero pocket. In short, you can potentially get half your bet back. This gives the French version the lowest house edge of the trio, at just 1.35%. At new casino sites they offer both versions of the game, in many variants.
Live Roulette at Online Casino
Roulette Bets Explained
To place your bet in roulette, you must move your chips onto the betting board. This consists of several columns and betting options. When betting on multiple numbers, you need to place your chops on intersections between the numbers. This may be at the end of a row, between two columns, and so on.
You can use the chips on the screen to place a wager. It must fall between the minimum and maximum table limits. When all bets have been made, the roulette wheel is spun by the croupier (dealer). They will then drop the ball into the spinning wheel.
There are two main types of conventional bets you can place in roulette and a set of racetrack bets. We’re not going to go into too much detail on the racetrack bets, but we will touch on them. Let’s start with the first of the two main types of bets – inside bets. Not into roulette? Check Slotmachines or read about Teen Patti.
Inside Bets
Inside bets get their name because they occupy the inside of the betting board. They are the least likely to occur, having the lowest probability, but therefore offer the best payouts. They include:
- Straight-Up: A bet on a single number that pays 35:1.
- Split: A bet on two adjoining numbers on the board that pays 17:1.
- Street: A bet on a row of numbers on the board that pays 11:1.
- Corner/Square: A bet on four adjoining numbers on the board that pays 8:1.
- Six-Line: A bet on six numbers (two rows) on the board that pays 5:1.
- Trio: A bet on either 0-1-2, 0-2-3 in any game, or 00-2-3 in American Roulette that pays 11:1.
- Basket: A bet on 0-00-1-2 and 3, only found in American Roulette that pays 6:1.
Outside Bets
Outside bets are named because they appear on the outside of the betting board. They have the best probability of success in the game and, therefore, offer smaller payouts. They include:
- Low or High: A bet on the number being between 1-18 (Low) or 19-36 (High), which pays out at 1:1.
- Red or Black: A bet that the pocket will be either red or black that pays even money (1:1).
- Odd or Even: A bet that the chosen pocket will be either an odd or even number. It is one that also pays even money (1:1).
- Dozen: A stake on the first dozen (1-12), second dozen (13-24) or third dozen (25-36) that pays 2:1.
- Column: A bet on one entire column of numbers on the board. If correct, a column bet will pay 2:1.
Racetrack Bets
If you want to tinker with racetrack bets and “cover the wheel”, we recommend that you read more about strategies. We will briefly discuss these French roulette options for here, though. They include:
- Voisins du Zéro: A bet on seventeen numbers that are closest to zero. It means “neighbours of zero”, with payouts ranging from 8:1 to 17:1.
- Tiers du Cylindre: Meaning “thirds of the wheel”, this bet approximately covers the twelve numbers opposite the Voisuns du Zéro. As it covers a third of the wheel, it pays 17:1.
- Orphelins: Meaning “orphans”, this bet covers the final eight numbers that are neither Voisins du Zéro or Tiers du Cylindre bets. Payouts can range from 17:1 to 35:1.
- Jeu du Zéro: Known as “neighbours of zero”, this bet features the two numbers on both sides of the zero (and zero itself). It has a 13.5% chance of success.
How to Win at Roulette
Winning at this game is a lot easier to explain than figuring out the bets. As long as the ball lands in a pocket that is favourable to your bet, you will win. If the ball lands in a pocket that isn’t attached to your bet, you will lose. In European Roulette, you will always lose if the ball lands in the zero. Similarly, you’ll lose if it lands in the zero (0) or double zero (00) pockets in American Roulette. French Roulette can be different, though.
French Roulette can feature the La Partage and En Prison Rules. If the ball lands in these, you may get half your money back. Alternatively, you may get to keep half your money for the next stake. Here’s how it works:
- La Partage: Effective if you’ve placed an even money bet, and the ball lands in the zero. La Partage sees you recoup half your bet.
- En Prison: Effective if you’ve placed an even money bet and the balls in the zero. En Prison sees half your stake retained for the next spin. You will bet again. If you win, you’ll pocket your winnings plus your half-stake back. If you lose the next spin, the half-stake and your second bet are lost.
Each roulette game may have different rules for what happens if the ball lands in the zero several times in a row.
Irrespective of which roulette game you play, you’ll always win a payout if the ball lands in a good pocket. If the pocket is favourable to your bet, you’ll win a prize based on the figures listed above. It is rare for casinos to deviate from those tried and tested payouts.
Live Roulette Online
Roulette is one of many top live casino games that you can play online. In fact, there are more live variants out there than any other live dealer game. Lightning Roulette adds multipliers into the mix, while Immersive Roulette lets you tinker with the cameras. Double Ball and Multi-Wheel Roulette do exactly as they claim. We’ll look at some of these games in closer detail shortly.
Where to Play Roulette Online
Every online casino will support games based on roulette. Some casinos may only offer a handful, and others may have vast collections. You should already have an idea of the type of game you want to play before joining a casino. Once you know what you’re looking for and are ready to play, you can check out our reviews. Our team has an ample array of top sites to recommend to you. Each has been vetted and certified as fair and trustworthy. They also all carry a decent array of games. Our recommended Indian casinos include Parimatch, Casino Planet and CasinoDays.
Do Roulette Strategies Really Work?
You may have heard of people using roulette strategies to land a win. Unlike blackjack, where a basic strategy can be used, there are few strategies for roulette. There are, of course, betting strategies such as the Martingale and Labouchere. However, most of these tend to come undone if you ensure lengthy losing streaks. There is one strategy we would recommend, though.
“Covering the wheel”, as it is known, is an exceptionally tough thing to do. It involves using racetrack bets to improve your odds of success. The more of the wheel you cover, the more likely you are to win. Column betting is another clever way to win. You are essentially betting on just over half of the pocket at once. These strategies are far too complex to list in full here. We do recommend that you study them if you want to learn, though. You can find ample guides online that are prepared to help you with this.
Top Roulette Games You Can Play for Real Money
As hinted at, there are several roulette variants out there for you to have a crack at. Some are live casino games, and others are RNG (random number generator) releases. We’ve detailed some of the best ones out there below. They include:
- Lightning Roulette: Evolution Gaming’s live dealer release provides multipliers worth up to 500x on certain bets.
- Jackpot Roulette: This game can feature a progressive pocket, which pays out a top prize if you wager a side-bet. Other jackpot games may offer you a jackpot if you bet on the correct straight number with a side-bet.
- Double Ball Roulette: Double Ball offers you the chance to play with two balls. This naturally affects the value of the prizes in play.
- Speed Roulette: Speed is a fast-paced version of the game. It has very short betting windows to ensure that gameplay is rapid.
- Mini Roulette: This version only features twelve numbers and has modified payments, as you might expect.
- Auto Roulette: Commonly found at casinos, Auto sees new games taking place almost immediately and automatically.
- Multi-Wheel Roulette: A bizarre twist; Multi-Wheel allows you to wager on several roulette wheels at once for an increased stake.
- About the Author
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All articles and reviews on BettinginIndia.online are written by David. David holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a specialization in Online Gaming Management. Living and working in Bangalore for almost 12 years now and in love with this country! I am originally from the UK. I have more than 15+ years of experience working at various gambling companies.
Throughout my career, i worked with renowned online casinos and sports betting platforms, gaining valuable insights into the inner workings of these industries. My in-depth understanding of regulatory frameworks, player psychology, and the latest technological advancements allows me to offer valuable perspectives and strategic guidance to both industry professionals and enthusiasts alike.
David has successfully completed an array of gambling-related courses that have shaped his understanding of the industry even further, like:
Online Casino Management
UK Advertising Guidelines
Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism For Online Gaming
iGaming Foundations
I am playing casino games for over 20 years. At first i was mainly playing slots and later also got in to sports betting, mainly football and formula 1. My favourite slots are Raging Rhino (WMS) and Book of Dead (Play’n GO). Roulette and Blackjack are my favourite table games. Occasionally i like to play Jackpot Slots.
I have published numerous articles on various aspects of online gambling, casinos, and sports betting. My writings provide invaluable insights into topics such as strategic gameplay, risk management, odds analysis, and responsible gambling practices.
