How to Play Roulette: A Complete Beginner’s Guide
Learn how roulette works, including inside and outside bets, red or black, odd or even, dozens, columns and the main differences between European and American roulette.
How to Play Roulette: A Complete Beginner’s Guide
Roulette is a casino game where players bet on where a ball will land on a spinning numbered wheel.
You can bet on a single number, groups of numbers, colors such as red or black, odd or even numbers, and several other combinations.
The basic rules are simple, but understanding the different bet types and wheel formats can make roulette much easier to follow.
What Is Roulette?
Roulette is played using a wheel divided into numbered pockets.
Before the wheel is spun, players place bets on the roulette table.
The dealer then spins the wheel in one direction and launches a ball in the opposite direction.
When the ball eventually stops in one of the numbered pockets, winning bets are paid according to the type of wager placed.
What Numbers Are on a Roulette Wheel?
The exact wheel depends on the roulette version.
European roulette normally has:
Numbers 1 to 36
A single 0
American roulette normally has:
Numbers 1 to 36
A 0
A 00
That extra 00 changes the mathematics of the game, which is why European and American roulette have different house edges.
How Does a Round of Roulette Work?
A typical roulette round works like this:
Choose your chip value or wager amount.
Place your bet on the roulette table.
The dealer closes betting.
The wheel and ball are spun.
The ball lands in one numbered pocket.
Winning bets are paid according to the table rules.
Inside Bets vs Outside Bets
Roulette bets are generally divided into two categories:
Inside bets
Outside bets
Inside bets cover specific numbers or small groups of numbers.
Outside bets cover larger groups, such as red or black.
| Bet Type | Covers | Typical Payout |
|---|---|---|
| Straight Up | 1 number | 35:1 |
| Split | 2 numbers | 17:1 |
| Street | 3 numbers | 11:1 |
| Corner | 4 numbers | 8:1 |
| Six Line | 6 numbers | 5:1 |
| Dozen / Column | 12 numbers | 2:1 |
| Red / Black | 18 numbers | 1:1 |
What Is a Straight-Up Bet?
A straight-up bet covers one exact number.
For example, you could place a wager directly on:
17
If the ball lands on 17, the bet wins.
If it lands anywhere else, the bet loses.
Straight-up bets usually offer the highest standard roulette payout because they cover the fewest numbers.
What Is a Split Bet?
A split bet covers two adjacent numbers.
The chip is placed on the line between the two numbers.
For example:
17 and 20
If either number wins, the split bet pays.
What Is a Street Bet?
A street bet covers three numbers in one horizontal row.
For example:
13, 14 and 15
If any of the three numbers wins, the street bet pays.
What Is a Corner Bet?
A corner bet covers four numbers that meet at one point on the roulette layout.
For example:
14, 15, 17 and 18
The chip is placed where the four number boxes meet.
What Is a Six-Line Bet?
A six-line bet covers two neighboring rows for a total of six numbers.
For example:
13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18
If any of those numbers wins, the wager pays.
What Are Red and Black Bets?
Red and black are outside bets covering 18 numbered pockets each.
You choose whether you think the winning numbered pocket will be red or black.
These bets normally pay 1:1.
However, zero is neither red nor black.
That is why the probability of winning a red or black bet is slightly below 50%.
What Are Odd and Even Bets?
Odd and even bets also cover 18 numbers.
You can bet that the winning number will be:
Odd
Even
Zero is neither odd nor even for these wagers.
What Are High and Low Bets?
High and low bets divide the main numbers into two groups:
Low: 1 to 18
High: 19 to 36
These normally pay 1:1.
Again, zero is outside both groups.
What Are Dozen Bets?
A dozen covers 12 numbers.
The roulette table is divided into:
1st 12: numbers 1 to 12
2nd 12: numbers 13 to 24
3rd 12: numbers 25 to 36
Dozen bets normally pay 2:1.
What Are Column Bets?
The numbers 1 to 36 are also divided into three vertical columns.
A column bet covers all 12 numbers in one column.
Like dozens, column bets generally pay 2:1.
European vs American Roulette
The main difference is the number of zero pockets.
| Feature | European Roulette | American Roulette |
|---|---|---|
| Numbers | 0 to 36 | 0, 00 and 1 to 36 |
| Total pockets | 37 | 38 |
| Zero pockets | 1 | 2 |
The extra 00 on an American wheel increases the house edge on most standard bets.
We will cover this difference in more detail in a dedicated European vs American roulette guide.
Why Is Zero Important?
Zero creates the casino's mathematical advantage on standard roulette bets.
For example, red covers 18 numbers on a European wheel.
But the wheel contains 37 total pockets because of the single zero.
So the probability of winning a red bet is:
18 ÷ 37
rather than exactly 50%.
What Is the House Edge in Roulette?
On standard European roulette, most bets have a theoretical house edge of approximately 2.70%.
On standard American roulette, most bets have a theoretical house edge of approximately 5.26% because of the additional 00 pocket.
This is why wheel type matters.
Are Inside Bets Worse Than Outside Bets?
Not in terms of standard house edge on the same wheel.
On a normal European wheel, a single-number bet and a red-or-black bet generally have the same theoretical house edge.
The difference is in payout frequency and payout size.
Inside bets cover fewer numbers and therefore win less often but pay more when successful.
Outside bets cover more numbers and win more frequently but pay less.
Roulette Bet Types at a Glance
| Bet | Numbers Covered | Typical 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 | 18 | 1:1 |
Can You Bet on Several Roulette Outcomes at Once?
Yes.
Players can normally place multiple bets before the spin closes.
For example, you could place:
A straight-up bet on 17
A red bet
A second-dozen bet
If the winning number qualifies for more than one of your wagers, multiple bets may pay on the same spin.
However, placing more bets also increases the total amount wagered.
Can You Predict the Next Roulette Number?
No reliable betting system can predict the next result of a properly functioning roulette game.
A number appearing several times does not make it less likely to appear again simply because it has recently won.
Likewise, a number that has not appeared for a long time is not automatically "due."
What Is the Gambler's Fallacy in Roulette?
The gambler's fallacy is the belief that previous independent results change what is due to happen next.
For example:
Imagine black has appeared five times in a row.
A player might assume:
"Red must be next."
But the previous five spins do not force the next result to be red.
Each new spin is determined according to the game mechanics.
Do Roulette Betting Systems Work?
Systems such as Martingale, Fibonacci and other staking patterns change how much you bet after different results.
They do not change the underlying probabilities of the roulette wheel.
We will cover roulette betting systems separately in our upcoming roulette strategy guide.
Online Roulette vs Live Roulette
Online roulette can generally appear in two forms.
Digital Roulette
Digital versions use software to generate game outcomes.
Live Roulette
Live roulette is played with a real dealer and physical roulette equipment streamed to players in real time.
The underlying betting concepts remain similar, although the presentation and speed of play can differ.
How to Play Roulette on Highrollz
To explore roulette games on Highrollz:
Open the Highrollz casino.
Browse roulette or live casino games.
Select the table you want to play.
Review the table limits and rules.
Choose your wager amount.
Place your bets before betting closes.
Different roulette tables may use different wheel formats, limits and rules, so check the table information before playing.
What Should Beginners Check Before Playing Roulette?
Before placing a bet, check:
Whether the wheel is European or American
The minimum and maximum bets
The available bet types
The payout table
Any special roulette rules
Your total wager across all bets
Frequently Asked Questions About Roulette
What is the goal of roulette?
The goal is to place a bet on an outcome that matches where the ball eventually lands on the roulette wheel.
What is the easiest roulette bet to understand?
Red or black, odd or even, and high or low are among the simplest outside bets to understand.
What does 35:1 mean in roulette?
A successful straight-up number bet normally pays 35 units of profit for every 1 unit wagered, with the original stake also returned.
Is European roulette better than American roulette mathematically?
European roulette generally has a lower standard house edge because it contains one zero instead of both 0 and 00.
Does red have a 50% chance of winning?
No. Zero is neither red nor black, so red covers fewer than half of the total wheel pockets.
Can roulette results be predicted from previous spins?
No. Previous results do not reliably predict the next independent spin.
Do outside bets have a lower house edge than number bets?
On a standard wheel, most normal inside and outside bets share the same house edge. What changes is the probability of winning and the payout size.
Understand the Table Before You Bet
Roulette is simple once you understand how the table is divided.
Inside bets cover fewer numbers and offer larger payouts, while outside bets cover larger groups and pay less.
The most important thing for beginners is to understand exactly what each wager covers and which roulette wheel they are playing.
Play responsibly and only gamble with funds you can afford to lose.
