Roulette rules require players to place wagers against the house. In it, a croupier, also known as the dealer, will spin a wheel which has compartments, or pockets, of two colors - black and red. Each compartment is marked with a number. Along with spinning the wheel, the dealer will also spin a ball along the wheel’s circumference. The bets are placed on the color and number on the wheel where the ball will fall.
European and American Roulette
There are two types of Roulette wheels based on the number of compartments they have. Wheels with 37 pockets are used to play European or French Roulette, while wheels with 38 pockets feature in American Roulette. The former offers players an advantage when compared to the latter, as the house edge in the European version is 2.7%, less than the 5.26% in the American. This is because the American version has more pockets, which increases the number of options for the ball to drop into. This reduces the chances of the pocket a player chooses being correct.
Game-play
When the game begins, you will have to place a bet on the numbers on the wheel. After all players have placed wagers, the croupier will spin the wheel and add the ball. Just prior to the ball dropping into the compartments, bets will be stopped. Then, you can neither make new bets, nor change old ones.
Inside and outside bets
You have the option to place different types of bets. They will most likely fall into one of two categories - inside and outside wagers.
Here are the inside wagers:
Single or straight bet
- placed on just one number.
Split bet
- made on two numbers situated close to each other horizontally or vertically.
Street bet
- three numbers placed on one horizontal line.
Corner bet
- four numbers - two horizontal and two vertical
Six line bet
- placed at two intersecting streets.
Trio bet
- made on the point where 0, 2 and 3 or 0, 1 and 2 meet. This is offered only in the European version of the game.
Basket bet
- on the first few numbers on a layout. In the European version, it will be 0, 1, 2 and 3, but in the American one it can be 3, 2 and 00; 00, 2 and 0; or 0, 2 and 1.
Top line bet
- is placed on 3, 2, 1 0 and 00 in the American version.
Here are the outside bets:
One to eighteen
- first eighteen numbers.
Nineteen to thirty-six
- last eighteen numbers.
Red or black
- which of the two colors will turn up when the wheel rests.
Even or odd
- which type of number will come up after a spin.
Dozen bets
- are placed on groups of twelve numbers adjacent to each other. For instance, from 1 to 12, 13-24 or 25-36.
Column bets
- on twelve numbers placed vertically.
Snake bet or sucker bet
- a special type of dozen bets. It is placed only on 34, 32, 30, 27, 23, 19, 16, 14, 12, 9, 5 and 1.
In addition, you can also place wagers called French bets that cover one section of the wheel. They are made on specific series of numbers in the game layout.
