The wheel of the roulette table is spun in one direction and a ball in the other direction. The ball travels in a track around the edge of the wheel. The ball eventually slows down where it passes through an area of deflectors, it then drops onto the wheel where it ends up in one of the 37 pockets on the wheel that are either black or red and numbered. Players place their chips on the number, colour or table section of their choice.
There are many different bets you can place when playing Roulette. Red/Black is the most popular bet type used when trying to complete wagerings requirements. Just like we have mentioned in the Blackjack guide, Roulette is sometimes excluded from the eligible games or heavily weighted to as little as 10% contribution to the wagering requirements. Always check the terms and conditions of each offer.
Types of Bets & Payouts
| Bet | Coverage | Odds | Return for a £1 stake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Up (Single Number) | 1 | 35/1 | £36 |
| Red/Black | 18 | Even Money | £2 |
| Odd/Even | 18 | Even Money | £2 |
| 1-18/19-36 | 18 | Even Money | £2 |
| Dozen (1-12, 13-24, 25-36) | 12 | 2/1 | £3 |
| Columns | 12 | 2/1 | £3 |
| Line | 6 | 5/1 | £6 |
| Corner | 4 | 8/1 | £9 |
| Street | 3 | 11/1 | £12 |
| Split | 2 | 17/1 | £18 |
Green Zero
Keep in mind that “even-money bets” merely pay even money, meaning one unit for one unit but the actual edge is 19-18 (in favour of the house) on the European wheel. Why? Because those zeros count against you.
Variations
- European Roulette, where there are 18 red numbers, 18 black numbers and a green zero. The RTP is 97.30%
- French Roulette, the same as European Roulette, however when you play even money bets (red or black, high or low, odd or even) and the ball lands on green you will receive half your stake back. When playing even money bets the RTP increases to 98.65%.
- American Roulette, this has a second green double zero slot decreasing the chance of hitting your selection. The RTP is 94.74%
Golden Chips
If you have Golden Chips where the stake isn’t returned there is more value in playing single numbers (94.59% RTP) compared to playing an even money bet (48.65% RTP). You can still get 80%+ by covering six (a line) or less numbers on the table.