Roulette Rules: How to Play, Bets and Payouts
Roulette is a game of pure chance: a ball is spun around a numbered wheel, and you bet on where it will land. There are no decisions after the spin, so the only choices that affect your long-run cost are which wheel you play and which bets you make. This page explains the wheel, the layout, every standard bet and how a round is played online and live. It is part of our roulette guide within the casino game guides.
The Wheel
| Wheel | Pockets | Zeros | House edge (standard bets) |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (single zero) | 37: 1–36 and 0 | 1 | 2.70% |
| French (single zero + La Partage) | 37 | 1 | 2.70%, or 1.35% on even-money bets |
| American (double zero) | 38: 1–36, 0 and 00 | 2 | 5.26% (7.89% on the five-number bet) |
Numbers 1–36 are split into 18 red and 18 black. The zero (and double zero) is green. On the European wheel the numbers are ordered so that reds and blacks alternate and high/low and odd/even numbers are spread around the wheel: 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25, 17, 34, 6, 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33, 1, 20, 14, 31, 9, 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26.
The differences between wheels are explained on European vs American roulette.
The Table Layout
The betting table shows numbers 1–36 in three columns of twelve rows, with 0 (and 00) at the top. Around it are the outside betting areas: three dozens, three columns, red/black, odd/even and 1–18/19–36.
How a Round Works
- The betting window opens. Online RNG games wait for you; live tables show a countdown (often 10–20 seconds).
- Place chips on the layout. Each bet has a table minimum and maximum, shown in the game’s limits panel.
- “No more bets” is called; the ball is spun (live) or the RNG produces a result.
- The winning number is marked. Winning bets are paid; losing chips are removed.
- Results are added to the history board (often called the “statistics” or “hot and cold numbers” panel). Past results do not affect future spins.
Inside Bets
| Bet | Covers | Payout | Win chance (European) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 1 number | 35:1 | 2.70% |
| Split | 2 adjacent numbers | 17:1 | 5.41% |
| Street | 3 numbers in a row | 11:1 | 8.11% |
| Corner | 4 numbers in a square | 8:1 | 10.81% |
| Six line | 6 numbers (two rows) | 5:1 | 16.22% |
| Trio / basket (European) | 0-1-2 or 0-2-3 | 11:1 | 8.11% |
| Five-number (American only) | 0-00-1-2-3 | 6:1 | 13.16% |
Outside Bets
| Bet | Covers | Payout | Win chance (European) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dozen | 1–12, 13–24 or 25–36 | 2:1 | 32.43% |
| Column | 12 numbers in a column | 2:1 | 32.43% |
| Red or black | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 48.65% |
| Odd or even | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 48.65% |
| Low (1–18) or high (19–36) | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 48.65% |
Zero is not red, black, odd, even, low or high, and is not in any dozen or column. When zero lands, every outside bet loses, unless the table uses La Partage or En Prison (see below). The full probability tables for both wheels are on our odds and payouts page, and the two bet types are compared in inside vs outside bets.
Why Every Bet Has the Same House Edge
Each payout is set as if the zero did not exist. A straight-up bet pays 35:1, which would be fair on a 36-number wheel. With 37 pockets, a A$1 straight-up bet returns on average 36/37 = A$0.973, a loss of 2.70%. The same calculation holds for every standard European bet. On the American wheel the return is 36/38, a loss of 5.26%, except the five-number bet, which pays 6:1 on 5 numbers: 35/38 return, a loss of 7.89%.
Zero Rules: La Partage and En Prison
- La Partage: when zero lands, even-money bets lose only half the stake. The house edge on those bets drops to 1.35%.
- En Prison: when zero lands, the even-money bet is held (“imprisoned”) for the next spin. If it then wins, the stake is returned without profit. The edge is about 1.35%–1.39%, depending on the rule for a second zero.
These rules are standard on French roulette and appear on some European tables. They apply only to even-money bets. See La Partage and En Prison and French roulette.
Example Round
You place A$10 on red, A$5 on the 13–24 dozen and A$2 straight up on 17 (total A$17). The ball lands on 19 (red, in the second dozen).
- Red wins 1:1: +A$10
- Second dozen wins 2:1: +A$10
- 17 loses: −A$2
Net result: +A$18. Had the ball landed on 0, all three bets would lose (A$17), or A$12 with La Partage on the red bet.
Online Controls and Terms
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Chip selector | Sets the value placed with each click |
| Repeat / Rebet | Places the same bets as the previous round |
| Double | Doubles every bet currently on the layout |
| Undo / Clear | Removes the last chip or all chips before betting closes |
| Racetrack | Oval view of the wheel order for neighbour bets and French call bets |
| Favourite bets | Saves a bet pattern for one-click placement |
The racetrack places chips on numbers by wheel position rather than layout position, for example “Voisins du Zéro” or “5 neighbours of 17”. It does not change any payout or probability.
Before You Play Online
- Choose a single-zero wheel; avoid 00 wheels unless nothing else is available.
- Check the table limits and whether La Partage applies.
- Ignore “hot numbers” panels: each spin is independent (see gambler’s fallacy).
- Check bonus terms: many casinos count roulette at 0%–10% towards wagering (see game weighting).
- Casinos with live and RNG roulette are compared on our roulette sites list.
Frequently Asked Questions
You bet on which pocket the ball will land in. Bets range from single numbers (35:1) to red/black (1:1). After the spin, winning bets are paid and losing bets are collected.
Neither. Zero is green and loses for all outside bets, except where La Partage or En Prison returns part of even-money stakes.
2.70% on a single-zero European wheel and 5.26% on a double-zero American wheel. La Partage reduces even-money bets to 1.35%.
35:1. A A$2 bet returns A$72 including the stake.
No. Bets close at “no more bets”, before the result.
18+ only. If you need support, call Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858.