Roulette is a casino game in which a ball is spun around a numbered wheel, and you win by betting on where that ball will come to rest. You can bet on a single number, a group of numbers, a colour, or whether the result is odd or even. The rules themselves are simple, but the payout you receive and your chance of winning change with every bet you choose. This guide explains how the wheel works, every type of bet, the exact payouts and odds, and how the different wheel versions change the maths in the casino’s favour.
Key Points
- Goal: bet on where the ball lands on a spinning numbered wheel; each spin is independent and purely random.
- Bet families: inside bets (single numbers or small groups, high payouts) and outside bets (large groups, low payouts, frequent wins).
- Top payouts: straight up pays 35:1; red/black, odd/even and high/low pay 1:1; dozens and columns pay 2:1.
- Wheel versions: European (37 pockets, 2.70% edge), American (38 pockets, 5.26% edge), French (single zero with La Partage/En Prison, 1.35% on even-money bets).
- Key rule to remember: no system changes the odds — the house keeps an edge on every version over the long run.
What is roulette and how does the game work?
Roulette is a game of pure chance built around a spinning wheel and a betting table. A round starts when you place one or more bets on the table layout, which is a grid printed with the numbers and betting areas. The dealer (called the croupier) then spins the wheel in one direction and rolls a small ball in the opposite direction around the rim. When the ball loses speed it drops into one of the numbered pockets, and that pocket decides every bet on the table at once.
No skill, system or memory of past spins changes where the ball lands. Each spin is independent, so the odds are the same on every single round. That is the single most important rule to understand before you place a chip: roulette results cannot be predicted or influenced, which is why the game is classed as pure luck rather than skill.
The wheel and the table layout
A standard European wheel has 37 pockets numbered 0 to 36. Eighteen numbers are red, eighteen are black, and the single zero is green. An American wheel adds a second green pocket, a double zero (00), for 38 pockets in total. The numbers are not arranged in order around the wheel; they are deliberately scattered so that high and low, and red and black, are spread evenly.
The betting table is separate from the wheel. It shows the numbers 0 to 36 (and 00 on American tables) in a grid of three columns, plus outer boxes for red/black, odd/even, high/low, the dozens and the columns. Where you place your chip on this grid tells the croupier exactly which bet you are making.
How a round of roulette plays out
Every round follows the same sequence, whether you play at a land-based table or online:
- Place your bets. Put your chips on the numbers or outside areas you want to back. You can combine several bets in one round.
- Betting closes. The croupier spins the wheel, releases the ball, and announces “no more bets”. At that point you can no longer add or move chips.
- The ball settles. The ball drops into a numbered pocket, and the croupier marks the winning number with a small marker (the dolly).
- Losing bets are cleared and winners are paid. All losing chips are swept away first, then winning bets are paid out at their fixed odds.
- The next round begins. Once the marker is removed, you can place bets again.
The roulette bet types explained
There are two broad families of roulette bet: inside bets, placed on specific numbers, and outside bets, placed on the large groups around the edge of the table. Inside bets pay more but win less often; outside bets pay less but win far more frequently. Learning which is which is the core of the rules, much like learning the hand values when you work out how to play blackjack.
Inside bets
Inside bets cover one number or a small cluster of neighbouring numbers on the grid. They carry the biggest payouts because they are the hardest to hit.
- Straight up: a bet on a single number. Place the chip directly on the number.
- Split: a bet on two numbers that touch on the grid. Place the chip on the line between them.
- Street: a bet on a row of three numbers. Place the chip on the outer edge of the row.
- Corner (or square): a bet on four numbers that meet at one point. Place the chip on the shared corner.
- Six line (or double street): a bet on six numbers across two rows. Place the chip where the two rows meet on the outer edge.
American tables add one extra inside bet: the five-number bet (0, 00, 1, 2 and 3), which pays 6:1 and carries the worst odds on the whole table.
Outside bets
Outside bets cover large groups of numbers and are the more conservative choice. They pay less, but you win close to half the time on the even-money bets.
- Red or black: bet on the colour of the winning number. Pays 1:1.
- Odd or even: bet on whether the number is odd or even. Pays 1:1.
- High or low: bet on the number falling in 1–18 (low) or 19–36 (high). Pays 1:1.
- Dozen: bet on the first (1–12), second (13–24) or third (25–36) group of twelve numbers. Pays 2:1.
- Column: bet on one of the three vertical columns of twelve numbers. Pays 2:1.
The green zero (and double zero) is not red, black, odd, even, high or low, so every even-money outside bet loses when the ball lands on zero. That single green pocket is where the casino’s advantage comes from.
Called and announced bets
French and some European tables offer “called” or “announced” bets that cover sections of the wheel rather than the table grid. The best known are Voisins du Zéro (neighbours of zero), Tiers du Cylindre (a third of the wheel opposite zero) and Orphelins (the numbers left over). These are combinations of straight-up and split bets placed in one go, aimed at players who want to cover a physical zone of the wheel. They do not change the underlying odds or payouts of the individual bets inside them.
Roulette payouts and odds
Roulette payouts are fixed: the fewer numbers a bet covers, the higher it pays. The table below shows every main bet on a single-zero (European) wheel, how many numbers it covers, what it pays, and your real chance of winning each spin. Notice that the payout is always slightly less than a mathematically fair payout would be — that gap is how the casino keeps its edge.
Bet Types and Payouts
| Bet | Numbers covered | Payout | Win chance (European wheel) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 1 | 35:1 | 2.70% |
| Split | 2 | 17:1 | 5.41% |
| Street | 3 | 11:1 | 8.11% |
| Corner | 4 | 8:1 | 10.81% |
| Six line | 6 | 5:1 | 16.22% |
| Column | 12 | 2:1 | 32.43% |
| Dozen | 12 | 2:1 | 32.43% |
| Red / Black | 18 | 1:1 | 48.65% |
| Odd / Even | 18 | 1:1 | 48.65% |
| High / Low | 18 | 1:1 | 48.65% |
A straight-up bet pays 35:1, yet there are 37 pockets on a European wheel, so a truly fair payout would be 36:1. The casino keeps the difference. The same pattern runs through every bet, which is why no combination of bets and no betting pattern can turn the odds in your favour over time.
European, American and French roulette: what is the difference?
The version of roulette you play matters more than any bet you make, because the number of green pockets sets the house edge. All three share the same bets and payouts; what changes is the zero.
| Version | Pockets | Zeros | House edge | Return to player |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| European | 37 | Single zero (0) | 2.70% | 97.30% |
| French | 37 | Single zero (0) with La Partage / En Prison | 1.35% on even-money bets | 98.65% on those bets |
| American | 38 | Double zero (0 and 00) | 5.26% | 94.74% |
European roulette, with one green pocket, is the standard version in New Zealand and across most of the world. American roulette adds a second green pocket, which nearly doubles the house edge to 5.26% and makes it the worst value of the three. French roulette uses the single-zero wheel but adds player-friendly rules that cut the edge on even-money bets in half, as explained below.
What is the house edge and what does it mean for you?
The house edge is the share of every bet the casino expects to keep over the long run. On European roulette it is 2.70%, which means that for every $100 wagered, the casino expects to keep about $2.70 on average and return $97.30. This is a long-run average across millions of spins, not a prediction of any single session — you can win or lose far more than that in the short term.
The edge exists because payouts are set slightly below the true odds. It is the same on almost every bet on a single-zero wheel, so switching between straight-up and red/black does not change your expected loss over time; it only changes how often you win and how much you win each time. The one clear exception is the American five-number bet, where the edge jumps to 7.89%.
La Partage and En Prison in French roulette
French roulette can cut the house edge on even-money bets from 2.70% to 1.35% through two rules that only apply to red/black, odd/even and high/low bets:
- La Partage: if the ball lands on zero, you get half of your even-money bet back immediately.
- En Prison: if the ball lands on zero, your even-money bet is held (“imprisoned”) for one more spin. If it wins the next spin, you get your original stake back with no winnings.
Both rules roughly halve the loss caused by the zero, which is why the edge on those bets drops to 1.35%. They apply only to even-money bets, so inside bets on a French wheel keep the standard 2.70% edge. These rules are not offered everywhere, so always check a table’s rules before you assume they apply.
How to start playing roulette
If you have never played, the game is quick to pick up. The steps are the same in a physical casino and at an online table:
- Choose a single-zero table. European or French roulette gives you better odds than American roulette, so pick one of those where you can.
- Set a budget first. Decide the amount you are willing to lose before you start, and treat it as the cost of entertainment, not an investment.
- Learn the minimum and maximum bets. Every table has limits posted; outside-bet and inside-bet limits are often listed separately.
- Start with outside bets. Red/black, odd/even and high/low win almost half the time, so they are the gentlest way to learn the flow of a round.
- Place your chips and wait for the result. Once the croupier calls “no more bets”, the round plays out on its own.
Many people first meet roulette at a live casino table, where a real dealer spins a physical wheel on a video stream. Before you play for real money anywhere online, it is worth understanding what makes an operator trustworthy — our guide on whether online casinos are safe covers the licensing and security checks to look for. If you play with a bonus, check how much roulette counts toward the wagering requirements, because table games like roulette often contribute far less than slots.
Common roulette mistakes to avoid
Most roulette mistakes come from misunderstanding the odds rather than from breaking any rule. These are the errors that cost players the most.
- Believing betting systems beat the house. Systems such as the Martingale (doubling after every loss) do not change the odds of any spin. They can produce small frequent wins but risk a large loss, and they never overcome the house edge.
- Falling for the gambler’s fallacy. If red comes up ten times in a row, black is not “due”. Each spin is independent, and the wheel has no memory, so the odds reset completely every time.
- Playing American roulette by default. The double zero almost doubles the house edge. If a single-zero table is available, there is no reason to play the 38-pocket version.
- Chasing losses. Increasing your stakes to win back money you have lost is the fastest way to lose more. Stick to the budget you set before you started.
- Treating roulette as income. Over time the maths favours the casino on every version of the game. Roulette, like a pokie machine, is entertainment with a cost, not a way to make money.
Is roulette a game of skill or luck?
Roulette is a game of pure luck, and no decision you make changes the long-run odds. Unlike blackjack or poker, there is no strategy that improves your expected result, because you cannot influence where the ball lands and past spins tell you nothing about the next one. The only choices that genuinely matter are which version you play (single-zero beats double-zero) and how you manage your money.
That makes roulette well suited to players who enjoy a simple, social game with clear rules and quick rounds, and who are comfortable playing for entertainment rather than profit. Players looking for games where their decisions affect the outcome are better served by skill-based card games. Either way, understanding the odds before you play is what keeps the game enjoyable and within your budget.
Responsible gambling
Roulette is designed so that the casino keeps a share of every bet over time; it cannot be beaten with any system and should never be relied on for income. Set a strict budget before you play, never bet money you cannot afford to lose, and stop when you reach your limit. In New Zealand, advertising offshore online casinos has been prohibited since 1 May 2026 under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026, and a regulated licensing system is being introduced — so take care to understand the legal position before playing online.
If gambling is causing you or someone you know harm, free and confidential help is available. You can read more about staying in control through our responsible gambling resources, or contact the New Zealand Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655, free and available 24 hours a day.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the basic rules of roulette?
You place chips on the betting table to predict where the ball will land on the spinning wheel. The croupier spins the wheel and rolls the ball, and once betting closes the ball settles in a numbered pocket. Every bet covering that number or group wins at fixed odds, and all other bets lose.
What is the best bet in roulette?
There is no single best bet, because the house edge is the same on almost every bet on a single-zero wheel. Even-money bets like red/black win close to half the time but pay only 1:1, while a straight-up bet pays 35:1 but rarely wins. The one bet to avoid is the American five-number bet, which has the worst odds at a 7.89% house edge.
Which roulette has the best odds?
French roulette offers the best odds thanks to the La Partage and En Prison rules, which cut the house edge on even-money bets to 1.35%. European roulette is next at 2.70%, and American roulette is the worst at 5.26% because of its extra double-zero pocket.
Can you win at roulette using a system?
No betting system can overcome the house edge, because every spin is independent and the odds never change. Systems such as the Martingale can create short streaks of small wins but carry the risk of large losses, and over time the maths always favours the casino.
How much does a straight-up bet pay in roulette?
A straight-up bet on a single number pays 35:1. On a European wheel the true odds of hitting one number are 36 to 1, so the gap between the 35:1 payout and the real odds is where the casino’s 2.70% edge comes from.
