Roulette Rules: How to Play European, American and French Roulette
Roulette is simple to play: you bet on where a ball lands on a numbered wheel, the dealer spins, and winning bets are paid by fixed odds. Here is everything a beginner needs, plus the rule differences between the three main variants.
- European: single zero
- American: double zero
- French: La Partage rule
To play roulette you place chips on the betting layout for the numbers or groups you fancy, the dealer spins the wheel and rolls the ball, and once it settles in a numbered pocket all winning bets are paid at set odds. European roulette has 37 pockets (0-36), American adds a 00 for 38 pockets, and French roulette uses the European wheel with player-friendly rules like La Partage. The fewer zeros, the lower the house edge.
The wheel and the layout
The wheel holds numbered pockets coloured red, black and green (the zeros). The betting layout is a grid of the numbers 1-36 plus the zero(s), surrounded by outside betting areas. You bet by placing chips on numbers, on lines between them, or on the outside boxes. See the roulette wheel guide for the number sequence and sectors.
Inside bets and outside bets
Inside bets are on the numbers themselves - single numbers, or groups of 2, 3, 4 or 6 - and pay more because they are harder to hit. Outside bets cover large groups (red/black, odd/even, high/low, dozens, columns) and pay less but win more often. Full detail is on the roulette bets page.
Payouts
| Bet | Numbers | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 1 | 35:1 |
| Split | 2 | 17:1 |
| Street | 3 | 11:1 |
| Corner | 4 | 8:1 |
| Six line | 6 | 5:1 |
| Dozen / Column | 12 | 2:1 |
| Red/Black, Odd/Even, High/Low | 18 | 1:1 |
Use the odds calculator to turn any payout into probability, profit and expected value.
The spin process
- The dealer opens betting; players place chips on the layout.
- The dealer spins the wheel one way and rolls the ball the other.
- "No more bets" is called as the ball slows - betting closes.
- The ball settles; the dealer marks the winning number with a dolly.
- Losing bets are cleared, winning bets paid, then the next round opens.
Table limits
Every table posts a minimum and maximum bet. The maximum matters enormously for progression systems, because it caps how far you can escalate after losses - the wall that breaks Martingale. Check it with the survival calculator.
Dealer procedure
In land-based casinos, each player gets distinct coloured chips to avoid disputes, and you must not touch bets once "no more bets" is called or while the dolly marks the winning number. Cash out coloured chips for standard value chips before leaving the table.
Common beginner mistakes
- Playing American roulette when a European or French table is available.
- Touching chips after betting closes.
- Assuming past results affect the next spin - they do not.
- Chasing losses with bigger bets.
- Ignoring the table maximum when using a progression.
Related guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Place chips on the layout for the numbers or groups you choose, the dealer spins and rolls the ball, and winning bets are paid at fixed odds once the ball settles.
European has one zero (37 pockets, 2.70% edge); American adds a double zero (38 pockets, 5.26% edge). Always prefer European or French.
Inside bets are on the numbers and pay more; outside bets cover large groups like red/black and pay less but win more often.
The maximum bet caps how far a progression can escalate after losses, which is where systems like Martingale break.
No. Each spin is independent; past results have no influence on what comes next.