How To Play Roulette and Win!

First things first: let’s master the roulette table layout and rules of the game. That way, we can figure out how to use them in our favor.

The Roulette Table Layout

The table includes a betting area and the roulette wheel itself. You predict where the ball will land, and lay your chips on various numbers, colors or sections of the betting area. Each table has their minimum and maximum stakes, so you’ll always find an online roulette table that fits your bankroll for the month or week.

How the Game Flows

Once you’ve joined a trustworthy platform, you’ll need to buy some roulette-specific chips. Real-life casinos offer chips with some unique color to them to avoid confusion on busy tables. Trust me, with enough players, it can get VERY busy and visually overwhelming.

Once you got your chips, you place them on the numbers (or combination of numbers) that you feel lucky about. Most beginners think you just choose a single number and that’s it, but in reality, there are a lot of number and color combinations you can choose from. Don’t worry, we’ll go through these later.

What About the Dealer?

The dealer is in charge of the action, basically. They spin the wheel and toss the ball in the opposite direction and once it starts decelerating, the dealer says “no more bets” to close the action. Once the ball settles in a numbered pocket, he’ll call out the winner and dispense payments to whoever won.

The game itself is very simple and straightforward, the “complex” part of the game is understanding all the possible bets and associated odds that the roulette table layout offers. We’ll have an entire section dedicated to this, but first, let’s look at the different roulette variations you can choose from.

The American roulette version features a wheel with 38 pockets, including the numbers 1 to 36, and slots for “0” and “00.” The house edge for this version totals to about  5.26%.

The European roulette, on the other hand, comes with 37 pockets (numbers 1 to 36 and just a single “0”). This layout takes down the house edge to a friendlier 2.70%. Risk-adverse players prefer the European version for this reason.

Great, now that we’ve covered the essentials, let’s take a closer look at all the possible bets you can place on the roulette table betting area.

Roulette is a game that offers a rich variety of betting options, each with distinct odds and payout structures. Understanding these options will not only enhance your gameplay but also sharpen your strategy. Let’s break down the two main categories of bets you’ll encounter at the roulette table: inside and outside bets.

Did you know that you can bet on more than one number at the roulette table? Each bet comes with distinct odds and payouts structures, of course. Betting on more numbers helps you tip the odds in your favor, but it also lowers your payouts.

Knowing how to balance this is essential to getting those big payouts. Let’s look at all the possible bets you can place:

Just a quick note here: we’re gonna go into Inside and Outside bets in roulette, so figured I’d clarify the difference between these two.

In fewer words, it’s a balance between risk and reward—inside bets for bigger risks, outside bets for safer wins!

Here’s also a table that outlines different roulette bets, their descriptions, payouts, and some quick practical examples:

Let’s also look at the differences between Inside and Outside bets:

Last but not least, lets also take a look at the Announced Bets (which are only available to you if you play at an European Roulette Table):

As you might’ve noticed, roulette primarily depends on luck, and there’s not really anything we can do to tip the odds in our favor. That being said, there are some strategies that can add structure and a lot of fun to your gaming experience. These systems are also great for effective bankroll management, which is incredibly important for anyone that wants to make money off of roulette.

As you can see, you can’t really use this system unless your bankroll can afford it. Many crack before they hit big and end up deep in the hole too, so beware.

As you can see, you can’t really use this system unless your bankroll can afford it. Many crack before they hit big and end up deep in the hole too, so beware.

As you can see, you’re minimizing risks during losing streaks, while capitalizing on winning streaks. As always, exercise discipline and don’t squander away all your gains.

 TLDR of the D’Alembert System

1. Start with a base bet (e.g., $20).
2. After a loss, increase your bet by 1 unit (in this case, $20).
3. After a win, decrease your bet by 1 unit.
4. In this example, you won on the third bet, breaking even.

This system manages risk better than the Martingale system, but it won’t generate profit quite as fast. You want to make small adjustments to your bets based on the wins and losses. Slow and steady as they come, so a good pick for risk-adverse folk.

 TLDR of the Fibonacci Strategy

1. Start with a base bet (e.g., $20) following the Fibonacci sequence.
2. After each loss, move to the next number in the sequence, increasing your bet accordingly.
3. After each win, move back two steps in the sequence.
4. In this example, you won on the third bet and broke even.

Again, not nearly as aggressive as the Martingale system so you’ll handle losing streaks substantially better. It does take longer to recover from losses, but hey, can’t have it all, right?

Bankroll management is an essential part of learning how to play roulette. You’ll want to extend your gaming sessions and maximize the number of bets you place over time, since it’ll typically lead to better outcomes.

The pillars behind effective bankroll management are:

1. Setting a budget: decide an amount you’re comfortable with losing, if worst comes to happens.
2. Respect your own limit: don’t get baited into losing streaks. Keep your bets consistent with your budget and stop when you have to.

You can’t really tip the odds in your favor with effective bankroll management, but you can make the most out of your money with it. I know it’s not glamorous, but trust me, this is just as important as learning the rules of any game.

Most people prefer the European roulette for the reduced house edge. It features only a single zero, giving it a lower house edge of 2.70%, in contrast to the American version, which includes both “0” and “00” and has a house edge of 5.26%.

• After that, all you have to do is select a table that offers a minimum and maximum betting limit that fits your bankroll and budget.

It’s better to choose a table with a lower minimum and maximum limit and extend your gaming sessions. If you’re playing online, you’ll notice tons of options at your disposal, so just choose something that works for you.

As we mentioned earlier, luck does play a big factor when it comes to winning at roulette. But you can implement strategies and insights to make better, smarter bets that can improve your chances at the table. If you’re a beginner, you’ll want to understand the House’s edge and how it impacts each roulette variant to improve your odds.

Every casino game is structured to give the house a built-in advantage, known as the house edge. This edge is in fact a percentage of the casino’s average profit from a player’s bet. Even if you get a big payout or a lucky streak, the casino benefits from all players combined over the long haul.

The European roulette has 37 pockets on the wheel (numbers 1 through 36, plus a single zero). If you bet on a single number, the odds of winning are 1 in 37 (because there are 37 possible outcomes) and the payout totals to 35 to 1. This totals to a house edge of about 2.7%

The American roulette, on the other hand, has an extra pocket (the double zero). Now, you got 38 possible outcomes, but the payout remains 35 to 1 for a single number, which increases the casino’s edge to 5.26%.

• In roulette, the “0” and “00” slots are not covered by most bets and tilt the odds in favor of the casino (at the end of the day, casinos are a business).

Now that you understand the house’s edge on roulette, you can choose the best game variant for you. Naturally, most choose the European version, especially online where there’s tons and tons of options from reputable platforms you can choose from.

Even money bets are very popular because of their associated odds. Even money bets such as red/black, odd/even, or high (19-36)/low (1-18). These bets offer nearly a 50% chance of winning, with the house edge slightly diminishing those odds due to the zero slots.

Outside bets are also worth your attention. Outside bets like red/black, even/odd, or high/low provide better winning chances, though the payouts are smaller.

When playing roulette, you might consider using a betting system to help manage your bets. We’ve outlined the best ones earlier in the article, however, keep in mind that implementing these strategies won’t guarantee wins, they’ll only help you manage your bankroll in a systematic, organized way.

• Choosing the right system ultimately comes down to your betting style and personality, so feel free to try them all out and then choosing one.

Casinos love it when you sit at their games for hours and hours on end. Why? because your focus tends to wane over time, as the brain has trouble maintaining a high level of focus and awareness over long periods of time.

The best thing you can do it limit your gaming sessions to a few hours at a time. This all comes down to personal preference and experience, but beginners shouldn’t play for more than a couple of hours a day, if that.

It’s sadly very easy to go deep in the hole during a losing streak. You’ll probably get mad and decide to break the rules and go for that big win that will redeem the day, but this is usually a big mistake.

It’s better to preserve your budget and try again when lady luck is smiling on you. Living to fight another day is a big part of being a successful gambler, but it involves tremendous discipline and a strong mind to keep emotions from flooding your decision-making process. Respect your budget and time and you’ll win over the long haul.

Play online roulette in demo mode, which doesn’t involve real money. This is a great way to get familiar with the rules and try out strategies without any financial risk. You get to try all the different betting systems we’ve outlined here in our guide without burning a hole through your wallet.

This is one of our favorite tips, and it’s especially useful for beginners. You can learn the ropes and get those dopamine hits without having to burn a hole through your wallet. Seriously, don’t rush this learning process, it’s essential to understanding all the different types of bets that roulette offers, and it’ll offer tremendous returns once you’re playing with real money.

Once you’ve familiarized yourself and racked up a few dozen hours at the demo mode, then feel free to jump into low-stake games.

Once money is involved, everything changes. You need to familiarize your brain real losses and real wins and it’s always best to make this a gradual process. Don’t gamble your lifesavings away, start with a very limited budget that you can afford to lose and test your limits.

Measure when you start to feel tired or lose focus. Can you do maybe 2 hours tops, before you start feeling tired? Maybe you can maintain your focus for 30 minutes after a long day at work. There’s no shame in admitting when the brain has hit its limits, and trust me, knowing this will help you prevent tremendous losses over time.

Not all days are equal, so you’ll also want to figure out at what time of the day your decision-making and odds calculating is at its best, and if there’s an overlap with your free time.

Also, measure the different gambling systems with an excel sheet and figure out what offers the best returns for you. The more data, the better, which is another reason why you need to start with free or low stake games.

Racetrack bets are often found in online and European roulette setups. We didn’t include them in our previous bet listing because they’re a bit more advanced and aren’t really present in American roulette. Here’s how they work:

What is the Racetrack?

The racetrack is a special betting area that mirrors the wheel’s sequence of numbers, not their layout on the main betting table. This makes it easier for players to place bets on sections of the wheel.

What is the house edge on roulette?

The house edge is the mathematical advantage that the casino has over the players. In American roulette, it is typically 5.26% due to the double zeros (0 and 00). European roulette offers a lower house edge of 2.70% because it only features a single zero.

What is the difference between the arrangement of numbers on the wheel and on the betting layout?

On the roulette wheel, numbers are arranged in a non-sequential order to ensure randomness and to balance red and black, even and odd numbers across the wheel. The betting layout is sequential to simplify the betting process for players.

Why is the five number bet also called “the beast”?

The five number bet, which covers 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 in American roulette, is nicknamed “the beast” because it has the highest house edge of all roulette bets at 7.89%.

What happens when a casino allows surrender?

If the option of surrender is offered, half of the bet on even-money outside bets (red/black, even/odd, high/low) is returned to the player if the ball lands on 0 or 00, effectively reducing the house edge on these bets.

What happens when the casino allows en prison?

The en prison rule applies to even-money bets. If the ball lands on zero, the bet is “imprisoned” and carried over to the next spin. If the next spin is a win, the original stake is returned to the player without winnings, further reducing the house edge.

Translated into money, what does a 2.70% and a 5.26% house edge actually mean?

A house edge of 2.70% means that on average, for every $100 bet at the roulette table, players are expected to lose $2.70. Similarly, with a 5.26% house edge, players would lose about $5.26 for every $100 bet.

What is an inside bet?

An inside bet is a wager placed on the numbers or the small number combinations on the inside of the layout. These bets typically have higher payouts but lower odds of winning.

What is an outside proposition bet?

Outside bets are wagers placed on larger groups of numbers or on the other properties of numbers (such as color or whether they are odd or even). These bets generally offer better odds of winning but smaller payouts.