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MARCH 2024

Roulette - Learn How to Play and Beat the Game in 2024

All about Roulette Online and the bets such as corner bet and the inside bet

Bonuses for Roulette



How to Play Roulette as a Beginner - 2024 Guide

All about Roulette Online and the bets such as corner bet and the inside bet

Written by: Stefano Rossi | The review was last updated: 11 July 2022 | Fact-check by: Kim Birch

CERTIFIED EXPERT CERTIFIED EXPERT
Stefano Rossi, a BETO™ expert in game theory and quantitative analysis, specializes in classic casino games like Roulette, drawing on considerable experience from Italian casinos. About Stefano Rossi

Whether you are a beginner, gambler or just interested in online roulette games, then you have landed just the right place, so bookmark this website. Our goal is to give players like you the ultimate toolbox with tips, tricks, and strategies for helping you beat the house edge.

Before long, you will have a Ph.D. in the popular casino games and leave your favourite casino as a winner whether you play Roulette games at a Live Casino or through your computer or other mobile devices.

Roulette is by far the most recognized table game and it gives you an authentic casino experience. Almost no matter what casino you enter, you will hear people cheering and dancing while making casino roulette bets.

The game allows for an adrenaline rush and many opportunities for big wins without betting large amounts of money. In addition, it's also allowed to simply observe how people play at the table. Roulette is so accessible and easy to learn, which is also why the game is a favorite among gamblers. In short, you can enter from the street without knowing the Roulette rules… Observe the other player's bet for a while, and then you are ready to make your first table minimum bets.

Another reason why the game is so fascinating is because of the large Roulette Wheel. Dive into the rest of our articles and get to know the game of Roulette much better. Although the table game is super easy to learn, the game is challenging to master.

Invest some time and educate yourself on Roulette Systems and Strategies and how statistics can be your friend in the battle to win over the dealer. Good winnings at the casino tables!

/ Team BETO.com

Learn everything about the game and have a fair chance against the Roulette Casinos

Learn everything about the game and have a fair chance against the Roulette Casinos

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What is Roulette - Complete Guide for New Players

Ever since French Roulette was invented in the 17th century, it has been a game surrounded by superstition and mystery. However, most experts believe that Roulette was invented by the French mathematics genius blaise pascal. Thanks to the brothers Francois and Louis Blanc, the game was spread and made famous in European casinos throughout the 19th century.

One of the frequently asked questions from people interested in Roulette is what the purpose of the wheel game is and what your goal as a player is. In short, your goal as a player is to predict where the ball will land on the wheel. If you succeed, you win. 

Whether you play Roulette online or in one of the many casinos in the real world, you will be presented with a game table where you play with a wheel that contains a series of numbers from 0-36 or 0-00-36. This depends on whether the casino offers you, european roulette or American Roulette.

These numbers change in different colours between red and black on the Roulette Wheel. Wheel features also offer players a large area to place their bets.

The payout of winning bets varies depending on the specific type of bets you have placed at the game table. You can choose to place high-risk bets on the individual numbers with high rewards or low-risk bets on colours that can either land on red or black but pay out smaller amounts.

In addition to colour betting, you can also play on other types of bets in Roulette games with different types of payouts. A lot of famous roulette players combines some of these bets as a way to spread the risk.

Before you start playing live or online roulette, you must understand the basic principles and rules of the game. Your main goal as a player is to make an intelligent prediction. Some Roulette players tend to choose what they call hot numbers. These are the numbers they often see the ball land on. You need to understand that winning at Roulette is a matter of chance.

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Play Roulette Online - The Basic Rules and Principles

If you are a new player or have never bet money in Roulette casinos, you will now get a crash course in the most critical aspects of playing real casino games online. The information you acquire here through the website can be used online or in Live Casinos, as the rules are the same.

When you bet money on Roulette, you are playing against the dealer. This is also called playing against the house. The person in charge of the battle is also called a croupier and is employed by the casino. This also applies to online casino. The dealer's responsibility is to swing the wheel around and handle the bets from you and the other players at the table.

In European and French Roulette, you have 37 numbers in total that the ball can land on. There are the numbers 1 to 36, where they alternate between being black and red numbers. In addition, European/French Roulette variants also have a green field with the number 0.

American Roulette is slightly different as casinos on the other side of the Atlantic have implemented a double zero (00). Hence, the game has 38 numbers instead of 37. This dirty trick gives the house greater odds against the players. So if you can, then always stick to French and European versions of the game.

Each player has their own casino chips in their own colour at the table. The dealer can always see who made a bet, so the other players do not get paid your winnings.

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American vs European Roulette

American version compared to the European variants

American version compared to the European variants

There is a slight difference in how the wheel looks depending on whether you play American Roulette or stick to the European version. But, of course, you, as a casino Roulette player, also have better odds on your side. 

The big difference is that the American Roulette wheel has 38 numbers on where the ball lands. Two of the total 38 numbered areas are green with the numbers 0 and 00, respectively.

The picture above of two Roulette wheels shows the slight differences between the 2 variations of European and American Roulette. The following picture shows the French version. As you can probably see, the same wheel is used for both European and French games. 

French Roulette compared to European Roulette

French Roulette compared to European Roulette

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French, European, and American Roulette

European & French Wheels

Layout: 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

American Roulette

Layout: 0,28,9,26,30,11,7,20,32,17,5,22,34,15,3, 24, 36, 13, 1,00,27,10,25,29, 12,8,19,31,18,6,21,33,16,4,23,35,14,2

The most significant difference in Roulette games is when we look at how it is played in an online casino and how the actual results from the small wheel are produced. Most other games online are controlled by an RNG (random number generator), a piece of software that must produce numbers that are 100% random without the possibility of manipulation.

Thankfully most casinos have implemented real live Roulette, whether you play European, French or american roulette games online. The results come from real Roulette games where you can see where the ball lands with your own eyes.

A good example is Aarhus casino in Denmark, which allows several of its European tables to be streamed to online casinos. So now you can play from your computer or telephone without visiting a land-based casino.

Many players prefer to see the actual live dealer results, and if it is indeed the red/black, even/odd bets that the roulette ball lands on. In addition, you can also see if the live dealer does his or her job well.

In addition, there is just something about hearing the authentic sounds when the ball lands on a number or dances around a bit on the wheel first. Most game enthusiasts will 100% recommend that if you want to play online Roulette, then the live dealer version is the best.

Roulette is a game often used in Hollywood movies and it is also one of James Bond's favorite games. Another benefit of playing from your home is that you avoid fumbling with your casino chips.

It is also super easy to make mistakes in what groups of numbers you would like to bet on.  So it is a solid strategy to use an online casino as an apprenticeship until you master the game.

The following picture shows a complete layout of both the American and European versions of the game and the areas you can bet your chips and money on. In addition, you can see the two types of wheels you will run into when you play online and in real live casino games.

American and European Roulette Wheel and Layout

American and European Roulette Wheel and Layout

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Tactics to Win More when playing Online Roulette

As I said, you can find everything about playing live and online Roulette here on our pages, but if you are a beginner, remember these 3 tips:

  1. Start with small amounts when you are at yourfavoritee casino.
  2. Set an amount aside that you can afford to lose.
  3. Starting with simple bets is a good beginner strategy.

Some of the more accessible and easy bets you can place are even/odd, and red/black. These ways of betting are easier to make until you have a greater understanding of the game.

It is a vital Roulette strategy to get a feel for the game before moving into straight-up bets or trying out a Roulette without having learned the odds. As a beginner, it is also impossible to predict where the ball will land.

Here is a picture of the area where you can place bets in Roulette:

The Image shows where to place a Bet in the game

The Image shows where to place a Bet in the game

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What is a Roulette Racetrack?

A racetrack in both live and online Roulette is an area where it is possible to make bets on everything from your favourite numbers to straight-up bets.

For example, look at the following image. You can see something resembling a racetrack:

Place a bet on the racetrack in Roulette

Place a bet on the racetrack in Roulette

This example is from European and French versions of the game. Like the other area on the table, this is intended to place a bet. Inside bets are a little easier to make if you use the racetrack. Outside bets are a little more manageable on the table itself, so no matter what version of the game is your favourite, you have several options as a player.

Voisins : Du Zero: This covers all numbers around the number 0. This means the numbers 22 to 25. (22, 18, 29. 7, 28, 12, 35, 3.26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25)

Orphelins : Covers all the numbers on the right and left sides of the wheel. (1, 20, 14, 31, 9, 6, 34, 17)

Tier : Here we play on the numbers placed opposite 0. (33, 16, 24, 5, 10, 23, 8, 30, 11, 36, 13, 27).

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Betting Rules in your Roulette Games

This section focuses on what kind of betting you can make in the game and what rules and odds apply.

Your game starts when the croupier throws the ball, and it "dances" around the wheel. As it rotates around, you can make a bet on the numbers or the other options such as a three number bet or a split bet.

Your option to place a bet ends when the dealer says "NO MORE BETTING".

The ball then stops on one of the wheel numbers. The numbers will always be red/black or even/odd. However, this does not apply when the numbers 0 and 00 are hit as these areas are green.

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The Various Bet Types in Roulette

Most types of betting you can make in your games apply to both American and European Roulette. The most significant differences come when we look at the numbers 0 and 00.

Here is a list of the different outside place bets in Roulette:

  • Red/Rouge: If you think the ball will land on a red number. Also known as a single bet.
  • Black/Noir: If you predict a black number will win.
  • Even/Pair: If you think the result will be an even number.
  • Odd/Impair: The odd numbers like, for example, 1 or 3.
  • Low/Manque: This applies to the numbers 1-18.
  • High/Passe: If the ball lands on roulette numbers 19-36.
  • Dozen 1: This dozen contains the numbers 1-12.
  • Dozen 2: Dozen bet option 2 contains the following numbers 13- 24.
  • Dozen 3: Here, you bet 25-36.
  • Column 1: You bet on 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34.
  • Column 2: The numbers 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 35.
  • Column 3: Column bet option 3 are the numbers 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36.
The Basket Bet is the worst of all your betting options at the table

The Basket Bet is the worst of all your betting options at the table

Here it should be mentioned that if you make a bet in your game on odd numbers, then the numbers 0 and 00 do not count in your bet. So the following bets you can make in Roulette are about inside bets

This type of betting are all about placing your casino chips on a single number or using your money on a specific combination of numbers:

Straight Up: This single number bet is when you choose to make your bet directly on the individual numbers. This also applies to 0 and 00. This type of betting gives payout odds of 35-1.

Square: Also known as a quarter or corner bet. Here you bet on 4 numbers which form a square.

Split: A split bet is also known by players as a Cheval. You bet your money on 2 numbers that are next to each other on the table. An example of this is 5 and 6 or 5/8. The payout odds are 17-1.

Street: The street bet covers three consecutive numbers. There are 12 street bets in total, and examples of this are 1, 2, 3 or 34, 35, and 36. This bet pays 11-1 odds when you win.

Six lines: This bet in Roulette is also known under the name 'double street' as it is basically 2 streets merged on the table. An example could be a game where you predict the ball will land on one of the following six numbers: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. The payout on this is 5-1.

Five-Number: Also called Basket Bet, and is the worst betting option that you can place your chips on as a player.

Some casinos offer special Roulette rules and bets. For the most part, these will be announced to all the players at the table.

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Roulette Chart/Cheat Sheet

To make betting in Roulette a little easier for you, we have made a roulette cheat sheet where you can see the different bets and entries you can make. Remember that you always get your original bet back from a winning wager.

An example could be when you bet 10 on a straight-up number. Here you'll get paid odds 35 to 1 for winning, so in our case, the payout is 35x10 = 350. In addition, you get your original chips of 10 back because you won.

Roulette Cheat Sheet:

Player Cheat Sheet for Roulette

Player Cheat Sheet for Roulette

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Roulette game Variations and Rules

When you as a player begin to understand the different types of games and bets you can make, then you will understand that the game is not that scary at all. The actual gameplay procedure does not take long to learn.

Each round, the croupier announces when to start and stop betting. First, the dealer spins the Roulette ball in the opposite direction of the wheel itself. Then the winners are called out, and all losing bets are removed.

However, some European casinos play with slightly different rules. Here are the most well-known variations.

The Rules for "En Prison" in Roulette:

This slightly different variation of the game only applies to bets where the payout odds are 1-1. This can be, for example, if you bet on red. Let's take the example from before with red and see how this changes the classic rules if a casino uses the "En Prison" rule.

If the ball stops on the green pocket on the wheel with zero (0), then you have two options:

  • Get half of your chips back and lose the other half.
  • Your last option is to put your bet in jail (prison) until the next round.

If you hit correctly and red wins in this round, you will get what you bet back. If 0 lands or you do not win, the amount is lost. So in the example, you have to hit red again to get your chips back from jail.

La Partage Rule in French Roulette:

This variation can be encountered at French Roulette venues. This rule is a bit like "En Prison".

La Partage means that if the ball lands on 0 and you are betting your money on an outside bet, you will lose half of your money. With La Partage, you do not get an extra spin to save your chips.

Announcing your bet:

If you ever set foot in an actual Live Casino establishment and stood and pondered over your game at the Roulette table to only get a scare over a loud-mouthed player? If yes, then the chances of you having experienced an announced bet are pretty big. Some casinos allow announced bets from time to time.

For example, you throw a 25 casino chip to the croupier with the message, let me play on number 15 plus neighbours with 5. Your live dealer will place 5 each on 32, 19, 15, 0, and 4. If one of them hits, you get a profit of 175.

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Roulette Probabilities and Payouts

In short, Roulette is all about probability. When we look at winning in Roulette, we look to calculate the chance for that event to happen. The probability will always be more significant the more numbers or combinations you have chosen to invest your money on.

Remember, if you win in your online Roulette games, you'll also get your wager on the winning number back in addition to your actual winnings.

Here is an illustration that shows the mathematical facts about the game:

Roulette Probability and Payouts

Roulette Probability and Payouts

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Cool Places to Play Live Roulette

Most of us live a busy life outside of gambling with either a wife/husband, children, and work or are in the process of comprehensive education. Therefore it can be difficult, yes almost impossible, to find time to visit the local casinos to play Roulette. 

Therefore, playing Live games either on your computer or smartphone is also an ingenious invention as the atmosphere of the casino is directly brought into your living room. One of the most amazing places to play online is LeoVegas which our users have named "Top of the Pop" when it comes to casino atmosphere and super fast payouts.

Checkout how Live Roulette feels for free:

Live Roulette from Evolution Gaming

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Live Roulette from Evolution Gaming

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Roulette Systems and Strategy

Ever since Roulette was invented, gamblers have been trying to discover the winning system that could defeat the casino. Gambling strategies have been developed with the intent to make the casinos go bankrupt.

However, it is often neither the players strategies nor the system that fails but simply the player who ends up being too greedy.  In some instances, gamblers forget to study the mathematics behind the game correctly.

Here is a small overview with an explanation of some of the most well-famous roulette systems and strategies of all time:

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The Martingale Roulette System

The casino system above them all when we look at the popularity this strategy has gained over the years. This system is known as the double-up method. It is used not only in Roulette but also by investment people. Martingale is often referenced in gambling articles, movies, and other pop culture.

The famous Martingale system is easy to learn. One can quickly feel invincible after making a significant monetary gain in a short amount of time. Martingale is super easy for beginners to learn, and the theoretical foundation behind the concept is solid.

In Martingale, we concentrate only on the bets at the table that pays us 1:1 for winning. Let's say you play with 1 unit of casino chips. This means that you bet 1 unit, and if you win the bet, you get one unit back in profit and your initial wager back.

Let us say that you bet one unit on black and win. You will now get your one unit in profit, plus the casino will repay your initial bet on black.

But what happens when you lose using the Martingale system? In such a case, you will bet again, but you will have to double the original bet. So in our case, you select black again bet two (2) units instead. If you see the ball land on black, you get paid 4 units total. Your initial bet of 2 units and the actual 2 units won.

All in all, your profit will be 1 unit. If you lose, the idea is that you double your bet again and again and again until you win.

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D’Alembert Roulette System

This is a modified and conservative version of the martingale gambling system. The D'Alembert system was invented by the French game theorist Jean le Rond D'Alembert back in the 18th century.

The idea is you place 1 unit on your even odds outside bets preferably in European Roulette. As long as you win, you keep betting the same amount. But when you lose, you add one unit next time and do it again and again until you win at the Roulette table.

The game theory behind this Roulette system is that the bad periods will cost you less money. The typical sessions will pocket you a decent but smaller profit. In short, you are betting on only equal chances. When you lose, you increase by 1, and when you win, you decrease by 1.

The Red Baron Roulette Strategy

A straightforward casino system that sometimes can surprise positively. You bet on both black and red at the Roulette table. You always double the amount you have on the Red field until it wins and constantly keep the original bet on the black field.

Your worst enemy is the green pocket on the wheel and double zeroes.

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Play Online Roulette for Free

One of the few ways you as a gambler are guaranteed an advantage against the house is when you take advantage of so-called Roulette bonuses. This only applies when you play online either from your computer, tablet, or mobile phone.

We spend a lot of time playing at various online casinos here at BETO.com, trying out online venues and their various online casino welcome bonuses. We do this to help players like yourself to test the different places to recommend you the absolute Best Roulette Offers.

It is not always evident whether a casino offer can be used on Roulette or not. If you want to test your game knowledge, then click on the picture with Roulette Pro. This is a Free Roulette game where you can test your skills:

Place your Casino Chips for Free on the Roulette board

Free game

Place your Casino Chips for Free on the Roulette board

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Different Types of Casino Bonus

  • Welcome Bonus - To play Roulette with this type of bonus requires you to deposit real money in the casino. In return, the venue matches the amount, so you have more money to play for.
  • No-Deposit Bonus - It happens that online casinos occasionally give free money to new players. When this happens, and it is a casino you can trust, we can guarantee you that you will find all the details on BETO.com!
  • Live Casino Bonus - Offers that can only be redeemed at the Live tables.
  • Roulette Promos - These offers are often given to existing customers. An example could be elevated odds on unique tables for an entire weekend.

Here at BETO, we do our very best to find the places that give Roulette players like yourself the absolute best opportunities and promotions.

Play Live Roulette from your Living Room

Play Live Roulette from your Living Room

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Lightning Roulette - New popular casino game

This is a brand new invented version of the Roulette game, which has become very popular in online casinos that offer this game.

The rules of Lightning Roulette differ from the regular and well-known classic Roulette but are still relatively easy to learn. As in European games, players are asked to choose a bet before the wheel stops spinning.

When the betting time is over, the live dealer pulls a handle, and the wheel is struck by "lightning", resulting in 1-5 lucky numbers being chosen at random.

If you win a straight-up bet on one of these numbers, new payout rules apply. A multiplier of 50x to 500x is applied to your win instead of the normal 35-1 for a straight-up wager. All other Roulette rules are the same as in classic Roulette.

This variant of the table game feels a bit like a TV show. The game is a breath of fresh air in the casino industry. 

Watch Lightning Roulette for Free

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Watch Lightning Roulette for Free

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Your Knowledge in Roulette Equals More Winnings!

Read some of our Roulette articles here on the website. The goal here at BETO is to release at least one new article every week. Bookmark this page now and stop by when you are ready to learn even more about Roulette and how to beat the casinos.

Good luck at the tables!

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Questions and Answers to Roulette

Here are some of the questions we have received from the casino players about Roulette.

Is it legal to play Online Roulette?

Yes, it is perfectly legal to play online Roulette as long as you play at a casino that has a license in their region because then you know that your money and personal information are secured.

Which version of Roulette is the best?

If you have the opportunity, you should always choose French or European Roulette. These versions of Roulette always give you the best odds of winning.

How do I know if i have selected European Roulette?

You can always see if you have chosen European Roulette by having only a single green area on the wheel with the number 0. Most casinos also divide their games into categories, so you will find the different variants of Roulette using the search field or their categories.

What is Lightning Roulette?

Lightning Roulette is a variation of European Roulette, with multipliers added to 1 to 5 lucky numbers, making this live dealer game much more exciting.

How does Lightning Roulette work?

This version of Roulette works in much the same way as European Roulette games. Bet on your lucky numbers and colours, and wait for the wheel to stop spinning.

How much can I win in Lightning Roulette?

You can win up to 500 times your initial bet by hitting one of the lucky numbers on the Roulette table.

What Casino Bonus is best for Roulette?

Here at BETO, we clearly recommend that you choose live casino bonuses if Roulette is your game of choice.