Game guide · Playbook Brand
Roulette
Roulette is pure chance. A ball lands on a random number, and you win if you bet on that number (or a group containing it). No decision you make changes the odds. The only decision that matters is which wheel you play: European (one zero, 2.70% house edge) or American (two zeros, 5.26% house edge). That single zero nearly doubles the house’s advantage.
How the game works
The wheel
A roulette wheel has numbered pockets where a ball can land. The numbers are 1 through 36, alternating red and black, plus one or two green zeros:
| Wheel type | Pockets | Zeros | Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| European | 37 | Single zero (0) | 0–36 |
| American | 38 | Double zero (0, 00) | 0, 00, 1–36 |
| French | 37 | Single zero with la partage/en prison rules | 0–36 |
The green zero(s) are what give the house its edge. Without them, every bet would be perfectly fair.
Playing a round
- Place your bets. Put your chips on the table layout – on numbers, groups of numbers, colors, or other options. You can place multiple bets at once.
- The dealer spins the wheel and launches the ball in the opposite direction.
- “No more bets.” The dealer calls this when the ball is about to drop. After this, no chips can be placed or moved.
- The ball lands. It settles into a numbered pocket. That number and its color are the result.
- Payouts. The dealer clears losing bets and pays winners. Payouts depend on the type of bet (see below).
- Next round. Place your bets again.
Every spin is independent. The wheel doesn’t remember previous results. The electronic boards showing “hot” and “cold” numbers are for entertainment – they have zero predictive value.
Bet types
Inside bets
Bets placed directly on specific numbers. Higher risk, higher payout.
| Bet | What it means | Payout | Numbers covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | A single number | 35:1 | 1 |
| Split | Two adjacent numbers | 17:1 | 2 |
| Street | Three numbers in a row | 11:1 | 3 |
| Corner | Four numbers that share a corner | 8:1 | 4 |
| Six line | Two adjacent rows (six numbers) | 5:1 | 6 |
Outside bets
Bets placed on larger groups. Lower risk, lower payout.
| Bet | What it means | Payout | Numbers covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red / Black | The winning number’s color | 1:1 | 18 |
| Odd / Even | Whether the winning number is odd or even | 1:1 | 18 |
| High / Low | 1–18 (low) or 19–36 (high) | 1:1 | 18 |
| Dozens | First 12 (1–12), second 12 (13–24), or third 12 (25–36) | 2:1 | 12 |
| Columns | One of three vertical columns on the layout | 2:1 | 12 |
Key point: Every bet on a standard roulette table has the same house edge – whether you bet on a single number or red/black. The payouts are calibrated so the house edge is consistent across all bets. The only exception: the five-number bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) on American roulette, which has a higher edge of 7.89%. Avoid it.
The math
House edge by wheel type
| Wheel | House edge | Why |
|---|---|---|
| European (single zero) | 2.70% | 37 pockets, payouts based on 36. The zero is the house’s margin. |
| American (double zero) | 5.26% | 38 pockets, payouts still based on 36. Two zeros = nearly double the edge. |
| French (with la partage) | 1.35% on even-money bets | If the ball lands on zero, you get half your even-money bet back. |
How the house edge works
Take a straight-up bet on European roulette. You pick one number out of 37 possible pockets. Your chance of winning is 1 in 37 (about 2.70%). But the payout is 35:1 – as if there were only 36 pockets. That gap between the real odds (1 in 37) and the payout odds (35:1) is the house edge.
On American roulette, it’s 1 in 38 with the same 35:1 payout. The gap is wider. The house keeps more.
What this means for your wallet
On a European wheel with a 2.70% house edge: for every $100 you bet over time, you’d lose about $2.70 on average.
On an American wheel at 5.26%: that same $100 costs you about $5.26 over time.
That’s nearly double – for the same game, the same bets, the same experience. The only difference is one extra green pocket.
Compared to other games: See Odds at a Glance.
Tips for informed play
- Check the wheel type before you play. European (one zero) has a 2.70% edge. American (two zeros) has 5.26%. If both are available, the math favors European. Every time.
- Look for la partage or en prison rules. If a table offers French rules on even-money bets, the house edge drops to 1.35% – the lowest in roulette.
- Know that every spin is independent. The ball landed on red five times in a row? The odds on the next spin are exactly the same. Electronic scoreboards showing past results are entertainment, not information.
- Skip the five-number bet on American roulette. The bet covering 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 carries a 7.89% house edge – the worst bet on the table.
- Set your budget per session. Roulette moves at a moderate pace (about 30–40 spins per hour at a physical table, faster online). Decide what your session is worth as entertainment before you start.
Key terms
- Inside bet
- A bet placed on specific numbers on the inside of the table layout. Higher payouts, lower probability.
- Outside bet
- A bet placed on large groups (red/black, odd/even, dozens) on the outside of the layout. Lower payouts, higher probability.
- Straight up
- A bet on a single number. Pays 35:1.
- Zero (0)
- The green pocket that gives the house its edge. European wheels have one.
- Double zero (00)
- The second green pocket on American wheels. Nearly doubles the house edge.
- La partage
- A French roulette rule: if the ball lands on zero, even-money bets lose only half. Cuts the house edge to 1.35%.
- En prison
- A French roulette rule: if the ball lands on zero, even-money bets are “imprisoned” – held for the next spin. If your bet wins on the next spin, you get it back (but no winnings). Effectively the same edge reduction as la partage.
- Croupier
- The dealer at a roulette table. Spins the wheel, calls the result, handles bets and payouts.
Common myths
What people believe, and what probability tells us.
Myth
Betting Systems Beat the House
The reality
Martingale = delayed ruin
By the numbers
With a $10 starting bet on roulette, 8 consecutive losses (which happen ~1 in 170 attempts) requires a $2,560 bet – often exceeding table limits.Myth
Choosing “Your” Numbers
The reality
The ball doesn’t know you
By the numbers
On a European roulette wheel, every number has a 1-in-37 chance (2.7%). On American roulette, it’s 1-in-38 (2.63%). Your number isn’t special.
Knowledge check
Pick an answer to reveal the explanation. Nothing is scored or saved.
Part of the Playbook Brand system, the open, public-domain core for player education. You can copy and adapt it under CC0.