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Quick answer: To play roulette, you place chips on the numbers or groups of numbers you think the ball will land on, the dealer spins the wheel, and winning bets are paid according to how many numbers they cover. A single number pays 35:1; red/black, odd/even and high/low pay 1:1. Choose a single-zero European (or French) wheel: its house edge is 2.70%, about half the 5.26% of a double-zero American wheel.
| Roulette at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Wheels | European: 37 pockets (0–36). American: 38 (0, 00, 1–36). Some casinos also run triple-zero wheels |
| Colours | 18 red, 18 black, zero(s) green |
| Best wheel | European or French (single zero) |
| House edge | 2.70% European, 5.26% American, 7.69% triple zero |
| Biggest payout | 35:1 on a single number |
How do you play roulette, step by step?
- Buy chips. At a live table you get coloured chips that only work at that table; online you just pick a chip value.
- Place your bets. Put chips on the layout: on a number, on the lines between numbers, or in the outside boxes (red, odd, 1–18 and so on).
- “No more bets.” The dealer spins the wheel one way and the ball the other, then closes betting as the ball slows.
- The result. The ball drops into a pocket. The dealer marks the winning number, clears losing bets and pays winners.
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What bets can you make in roulette?
Bets come in two families. Inside bets go on specific numbers and pay more; outside bets cover big groups and pay less but win more often.
| Bet | What it covers | Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Straight up | One number | 35:1 |
| Split | Two neighbouring numbers | 17:1 |
| Street | A row of three numbers | 11:1 |
| Corner | A block of four numbers | 8:1 |
| Six line | Two rows, six numbers | 5:1 |
| Dozen / column | 12 numbers | 2:1 |
| Red/black, odd/even, 1–18/19–36 | 18 numbers | 1:1 |
Zero is not red or black, odd or even, high or low, so every outside bet loses when the ball lands on zero (unless French rules apply, below). That zero is where the casino’s edge comes from. For the probability of every bet, see our roulette odds and payouts guide.
Where does roulette’s 2.70% house edge come from?
It comes from the zero, and you can count it yourself. We worked it out from the 37 pockets of a European wheel, using a €1 straight-up bet on one number:
- 1 pocket wins, and pays €35 profit.
- 36 pockets lose, costing €1 each.
- Over 37 average spins, that is +€35 − €36 = −€1.
- Spread over 37 bets of €1, you lose €1 ÷ 37 = 2.70% of each bet.
The same count works for every bet, because each payout is set as if the zero did not exist. Red wins on 18 pockets and loses on 19, so (18 − 19) ÷ 37 = 2.70% again. Each extra zero adds one more losing pocket without changing the payout:
| Wheel and bet | Winning pockets | Losing pockets | Our working | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| European, single number (35:1) | 1 | 36 | (35 − 36) ÷ 37 | 2.70% |
| European, red (1:1) | 18 | 19 | (18 − 19) ÷ 37 | 2.70% |
| French, red with La Partage | 18 | 18, plus zero returns half | (18 − 18 − 0.5) ÷ 37 | 1.35% |
| American, single number (35:1) | 1 | 37 | (35 − 37) ÷ 38 | 5.26% |
| American, 0-00-1-2-3 (6:1) | 5 | 33 | (5 × 6 − 33) ÷ 38 | 7.89% |
| Triple zero, single number (35:1) | 1 | 38 | (35 − 38) ÷ 39 | 7.69% |
That is the whole difference between the wheels: more zeros, same payouts, bigger edge.
European, French and American roulette
| Version | Pockets | House edge | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| European | 37 (single zero) | 2.70% | The standard choice online |
| French | 37 (single zero) | 2.70%, but 1.35% on even-money bets | La Partage / En Prison return half (or hold) even-money bets when zero hits |
| American | 38 (0 and 00) | 5.26% | The 0-00-1-2-3 “top line” bet is worse still, at 7.89% |
| Triple zero | 39 (0, 00, 000) | 7.69% | Found in some Las Vegas casinos; avoid |
The main thing that changes between these wheels is the number of zeros, and each extra zero raises the house edge. If you can choose, play French roulette with La Partage on even-money bets, or European roulette for everything else. Our guide to how many numbers are on a roulette wheel covers the layouts in more detail. To try single-zero European rules for free, see our Sapphire Roulette and Premium Roulette game pages. For real-money practice on a tiny budget, our 1 cent casino games guide covers Penny Roulette, which takes €0.01 chips.
Call bets on the racetrack
European and French tables often have an oval “racetrack” for announced bets that cover sections of the wheel rather than the table layout. The three classics are Voisins du Zéro (the 17 numbers around zero), Tiers du Cylindre (the 12 numbers opposite zero) and Orphelins (the 8 numbers left over). They’re just bundles of normal bets, so they carry the same house edge.
Lightning and multiplier roulette
Live casinos also offer multiplier versions. In Evolution’s Lightning Roulette, launched in 2018, a few numbers each round get random multipliers between 50x and 500x on straight-up bets. To pay for them, an ordinary straight-up win pays 29:1 instead of 35:1. Check the rules screen of any multiplier game, because its payouts differ from standard roulette.
Does any roulette strategy work?
No betting system can beat roulette’s house edge. Each spin is independent, and almost every bet on a given wheel carries the same edge. Progressions such as the Martingale (doubling after each loss) eventually hit the table limit or your bankroll limit, and then one losing streak wipes out many small wins. We ran the popular systems through the maths in our roulette strategy guide.
What does help:
- Play single-zero wheels, and French rules on even-money bets when you can.
- Decide your budget and session length before you start.
- Treat big-payout inside bets as entertainment: they win rarely, and losing runs can be long.
- Ignore “hot” and “cold” number boards: past spins don’t affect the next one.
A short history
Roulette took its modern form in 18th-century France. A popular but unproven story credits the mathematician Blaise Pascal with an early version in the 1600s. In 1843 (some sources say the 1840s), François and Louis Blanc introduced the single-zero wheel at Bad Homburg, which is why European roulette has a lower house edge than the double-zero American game.
Where to play roulette online
Our top-rated casino, 1win (9.9/10), has RNG and live roulette, including European tables. Which games you see depends on your country. If you sign up, you can use the promo code Ultragambler. Online gambling isn’t legal everywhere, so check the laws where you live first, and only bet what you can afford to lose.
Prefer card games? Read our blackjack rules guide, or compare games in our low house edge games list.
How we checked this
- Payouts and house edges (2.70% European, 5.26% American, 7.69% triple zero, 7.89% on 0-00-1-2-3, 1.35% on French even-money bets): Wikipedia and Wizard of Odds.
- François and Louis Blanc brought the single-zero wheel to Bad Homburg in 1843: Wikipedia and American Casino Guide.
- Lightning Roulette (Evolution, launched 2018, 50x to 500x multipliers, 29:1 on ordinary straight-up wins): PokerListings and Live Casino Comparer.
- Our maths: the house edge table is our own count of the winning and losing pockets on 37, 38 and 39-pocket wheels.
Last checked: 13 October 2026, when we worked out the house edge of each wheel ourselves with every other figure confirmed by at least two independent sources.
Roulette FAQ
What are the odds of hitting a single number?
1 in 37 (about 2.7%) on a European wheel and 1 in 38 (about 2.6%) on an American wheel. A win pays 35:1 either way, which is where the house edge comes from.
Which roulette has the best odds?
French roulette with La Partage or En Prison, which cuts the house edge on even-money bets to about 1.35%. Standard European roulette is 2.70%, and American is 5.26%.
What happens to my red/black bet if zero comes up?
It loses on a standard table. On French tables with La Partage you get half your stake back, and with En Prison the bet is held for the next spin.
Is roulette pure luck?
Yes. The outcome of each spin is random, and no system changes the house edge. The only choices that matter are which wheel you play and how much you bet.
What is the best bet in roulette?
An even-money bet (red/black, odd/even, high/low) on a French table with La Partage or En Prison, at about 1.35%. Otherwise, choose a single-zero wheel: on European roulette every standard bet has the same 2.70% edge.
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Check your local laws before you play
Online gambling laws differ from country to country, and in some places it is restricted or not permitted at all. Before you sign up to any casino listed on UltraGambler, check that online gambling is legal where you live and that the casino accepts players from your country. You must be 18 or older (or the legal gambling age in your country, if higher) to play. Only gamble with money you can afford to lose, and use the deposit limits and self-exclusion tools your casino provides if gambling stops being fun.
