Casino
How to Play Roulette: Complete Guide to Rules, Bets and Payouts
Roulette is a casino game where players bet on which numbered pocket a ball will land in on a spinning wheel and William Hill Vegas is the place to be to learn more – whether you’re a beginner or a professional player.
European roulette has 37 pockets (1-36 + single zero); American has 38 (with a double zero). The rules are simple, but the bet selection, table layout, and payout structure give the game far more depth than it first appears.
In this addition to our casino guides series, we’ll be showing you everything that you need to know about the game of roulette. This guide includes a review of the various roulette variants, how to play the game, and how the betting works at the table and online.
How Roulette Works
Roulette is a game of chance. You place chips on the table layout, the dealer spins the wheel and ball in opposite directions, and the winning number is the pocket where the ball comes to rest. Bets can be made on a single number, a small group of numbers, or broader outcomes like red, black, odd, even, high, or low.
A basic round follows the same pattern every time. You choose your stake, place your chips, wait for the dealer to call no more bets, and then watch the wheel decide the result. In live and land-based play, that sequence is what keeps roulette moving quickly without losing its simple appeal.
How to play a round
- Choose your chip value and total stake.
- Place your chips on the layout before the dealer says no more bets.
- Decide whether you want inside bets, outside bets, or a mix of both.
- Watch the wheel spin and the ball settle into a pocket.
- Collect winnings if your selection lands, or place your next bet for the following spin.
Is Roulette Purely Luck?
Yes, roulette is purely luck-based. The wheel does not respond to timing, betting patterns, or player skill, and no strategy can change where the ball lands.
That does not mean the game is random chaos without structure. The layout, bet types, and payout ratios are fixed, so while you cannot control the result, you can control the type of risk you take on each spin.
What Is the Best Roulette Bet?
The best roulette bet is red/black, odd/even, or high/low if your goal is to maximise your chance of landing a win on a single spin.
Those outside bets pay 1:1 – or even money, in other words – and cover 18 of the 37 pockets on a European wheel. They do not improve the house edge, but they give you the highest hit rate among the standard bets most players use.
Roulette Variants and House Edge
Different roulette variants change the maths by adding or removing zero pockets, or by adding rules that soften the impact of zero. That is why the version you choose matters more than many beginners realise.
| Variant | Pocket count | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| European roulette | 37 | 2.70% |
| American roulette | 38 | 5.26% |
| French roulette | 37 | 1.35% on even-money bets with La Partage or En Prison |
| Lightning Roulette | Varies by provider | Typically an enhanced-odds live game with random multipliers rather than a fixed house edge |
European roulette is the cleaner version for most players because it only uses one zero. American roulette adds the double zero, which increases the casino advantage and makes straight betting a little less forgiving. French roulette uses the same wheel as European roulette, but La Partage and En Prison reduce the sting on even-money bets when zero lands.
Lightning Roulette is a different kind of live game entirely. It keeps the roulette core, but adds randomly generated multipliers to selected winning numbers, so the appeal comes from bigger potential payouts rather than a lower edge.
Bet Types and Payouts
Roulette’s betting menu is easy to learn once you see how the table is split into inside and outside sections. Inside bets are tighter, riskier, and pay more. Outside bets are broader and pay less, but they give you a better chance of hitting something on a spin. Here’s a look at the roulette odds and payouts you can expect when you play.
| Bet Type | What you bet on | Typical payout |
|---|---|---|
| Straight up | One number | 35:1 |
| Split | Two adjacent numbers | 17:1 |
| Street | Three numbers in a row | 11:1 |
| Corner | Four numbers in a square | 8:1 |
| Dozens | 12 numbers, 1-12 / 13-24 / 25-36 | 2:1 |
| Columns | 12 numbers in one column | 2:1 |
| Red/Black | Any red or black number | 1:1 |
| Odd/Even | Any odd or even number | 1:1 |
| 1-18/19-36 | Any of the 18 lowest numbers or 18 highest numbers | 1:1 |
Inside bets
Straight up is the classic one-number bet. It offers the biggest payout on the standard layout, but the hit rate is low because you are backing a single pocket.
Split bets are a neat middle ground. They still sit in the inside section, but they give you two ways to win on the same chip, which makes them more forgiving than a straight up bet.
Street bets and corner bets widen your coverage again. They are useful if you want a balance between payout and probability without moving all the way out to the safer outside bets.
Outside bets
Red/black is the simplest outside bet and the one most players recognise first. Dozens and columns also sit in the outside section and pay 2 to 1, which makes them popular with players who want broader coverage without stepping into the more volatile inside area.
Even-money bets are particularly useful if you want a steadier rhythm to your play. They will not beat the house edge, but they do give you the most frequent wins in the standard game.
La Partage and En Prison
So, let’s get to the French Roulette additional rules and features, La Partage and En Prison. These side bets are only an option in French Roulette.
The dealer immediately divides all even-money bets in half, keeping half for the house and giving the other half back to the player when the La Partage rule is in place. Keep in mind that the European wheel only includes one zero. You would be right if you assumed that this would dramatically lower the house edge in roulette.
It actually reduces the house edge by half, from 2.70% with the La Partage rule to 1.35% without it. This means the ball landing on zero is slightly less painful if you’ve spread your chips and you see a flash of green.
The “En Prison” bet only covers even-money bets, just like the La Partage bet. If a zero appears on the wheel, the dealer will place a marker by the bet to indicate that it is En Prison. If you succeed on the subsequent spin, you’ll receive a full refund of the initial bet.
Roulette surrender
Similar to La Partage, American Roulette wheels have a rule that softens the blow of a zero or double zero, known as “surrender.” This reduces the house edge by giving you part of your bet back if the ball lands on green, but you’ll need to check the rule is in place before you begin – just check the online game rules or, if you’re in a real casino, ask your dealer.
European vs American Roulette
When it comes to European vs American roulette, at a glance, they may appear to be identical. However, the extra double zero pocket changes the whole feel of the game and the house edge.
European roulette has 37 pockets and one zero. American roulette has 38 pockets and both zero and double zero. That second green pocket pushes up the house edge and lowers the probability of winning on most standard bets.
| Feature | European roulette | American roulette |
|---|---|---|
| Zero pockets | 1 | 2 |
| Total pockets | 37 | 38 |
| House edge | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| Player-friendly option | Better for most bettors | Less favourable on standard bets |
If you are choosing between the two, European roulette is usually the cleaner option because the maths is kinder. American roulette is still popular, but the extra zero means every even-money and number bet has a slightly tougher job.
What Is the Roulette House Edge?
The house edge is the built-in long-term advantage the casino has on a game. In roulette, it exists because zero is not part of the regular red/black, odd/even, or high/low groups, and the payouts are set slightly below true odds.
That does not mean every spin is bad for the player. It means the game is calibrated so the casino retains a mathematical edge over time. European roulette’s 2.70% house edge is already lower than many beginners expect, while American roulette’s 5.26% is the more expensive version for players.
French roulette can reduce the edge to 1.35% on even-money bets when La Partage or En Prison applies. That is why French tables are often the preferred version for players who want the most efficient standard rules.
Common Roulette Myths
Roulette attracts more myths than almost any other table game. That is usually what happens when a simple game produces a lot of emotional swings.
- Myth: A number is “due” because it has not hit for a while.
- Debunk: each spin is independent, so past results do not affect the next ball drop.
- Myth: American roulette is only a little worse than European roulette.
- Debunk: the extra double zero more than doubles the standard house edge.
- Myth: Inside bets are always bad.
- Debunk: inside bets are riskier, but they can be useful if you want bigger payouts and accept a lower hit rate.
- Myth: The ball can be controlled by timing the spin.
- Debunk: roulette is a game of chance, not a skill game where timing changes the outcome.
- Myth: French roulette is a different wheel.
- Debunk: it uses the same 37-pocket wheel as European roulette, with the difference coming from the rules around zero.
- Myth: Higher stakes improve the odds.
- Debunk: bet size changes the amount you can win or lose, not the underlying probability.
- Myth: There’s skill to playing roulette.
- Debunk: unlike what we detail in our blackjack guide, where your decisions do amount to a degree of skill, in roulette, every outcome is wholly randomised and can’t be influenced by skill.
How to Choose Your Bets
The best roulette bet depends on what you want from the game. If you want the highest chance of a hit, use outside bets. If you want a bigger return from a smaller stake, use inside bets.
A sensible approach is to mix bet types only if you understand the difference between them. Many players prefer one or two favourite bets rather than scattering chips across the layout with no plan. That keeps the game cleaner and makes it easier to track results.
The table minimum matters as much as the bet type. A good roulette session starts with a stake level you are comfortable with, not one chosen to chase results. So, it’s also wise to select your roulette betting systems very carefully. Some, like the Martingale, increase your bet size very quickly and should be considered with caution.
Tips for Playing Roulette Responsibly
Roulette should always stay in the entertainment lane. It is not a way to earn money, solve financial problems, or improve your social standing.
Set a budget before you start, and stick to it. If you reach your limit, stop. Take breaks, do not chase losses, and do not keep playing just because you feel a run is around the corner. If gambling stops being fun, step away and use the Safer Gambling tools available, including the support made available at www.begambleaware.org.
If you are trying live roulette, keep the same discipline as you would use at a physical table. The live dealer format adds atmosphere, but it does not change the underlying maths.
Play Live Roulette with the Right Expectations
Live roulette is best enjoyed for the pace, the social feel and the excitement of watching every spin unfold in real time. If you want a version of the game that feels close to a casino floor, live roulette is the natural place to start.
