Shortly put, there are three main types of roulette table betting rules. They are directly related to the three different types of roulette betting table layouts – American, European, and French. We will touch on each of their most famous roulette table rules and betting options. Please, use the following buttons to go to your favourite topic.
Yet, many rules of a roulette table are repeated on each of the different table variants. After all, it comes down to the same type of casino game – roulette. You can always ask the roulette croupier in the casino about this or that, but it is recommended to learn the roulette basics in advance.
Rules of Roulette by Table Layouts
The roulette table rules are not difficult, however, they are so many and diverse, that it may seem difficult to learn how to play roulette. At first glance, there are inside and outside bets that depend on the area of the betting table you would put your chips on. There are also racetrack bets and some unique combinations that you can use only when betting online. We will tell you more about them, as well.
Before we get started, it is important to remind you that roulette, like any other casino game, is considered a game of chance. It means that whatever betting system or strategy you use, or no matter how well you know the roulette table rules – the outcome of the game depends on how lucky you will get. That being said, the next paragraph will give you more insight into the American rules of the roulette table.
American Table Layout
If you ask a fan of roulette ‘What makes American Roulette different?’, most probably, they would tell you that it has an additional number on the wheel, also known as double ‘zero’. It is true, but there are a few other American Roulette table rules that are different from the European layout, for example. Firstly, let’s discuss the similarities.
The American Roulette table game rules are based on the options to place various combinations of bets on 38 numbers (from 0 to 36) plus the extra ‘00’ sector. The goal of the game is just one – to predict the next number or pocket where the ball will land. If you guess the number that will come next, then you receive a payout based on the type of bet that you’ve made and the size of your bet.
You can learn more about all the specific bet types on roulette in this article, shortly put, the straight-up bets pay out the best – 35 to 1. This is the same payout ratio if you hit the zero or the double zero sectors as well. Row and split bets also offer a very high payout of 17 to 1, while the other relatively risky bets with a high payout ratio are corner, street, and double street bets. You can try the American Roulette table rules in the next online demo version.
Of course, there are many less risky bets with smaller payouts. For instance, you can bet on the 1st/2nd/3rd columns or 1st/2nd/3rd dozen with a payout of 2 to 1. The less paying combinations are odd, even, black, red, 1 to 18, and 19 to 36, respectively, with a 1 to 1 payout ratio. There are also announced bets, which we will explain to you in the next section about the European gameplay.
Other than that, what makes the American Roulette basics so different are the worse odds to win. With 38 numbers on the wheel, the American Roulette gameplay offers a slightly higher house edge than the European game (5.26% vs 2.7% house edge), which means slightly worse odds for the players to win. This is one of the main casino roulette table rules that makes the American version so famous among low-stakes players who prefer additional betting combinations with the double zero sector.
European Roulette Table
It is very easy to play the European version of the game once you know the American roulette table rules. The only major difference is the single zero pocket on the wheel and, respectively, on the betting table. This means that the house edge is slightly lower, which means that players have a greater advantage to win.
Therefore, when you visit a casino, you might notice that the European Roulette gameplay is more preferred by low-stakes players and beginners who would like to experiment with betting strategies. See what the European Roulette basics look like in the next online demo.
Instant play
You should have probably noticed the elliptical betting board that is adjacent to the main betting table – it is also known as the Racetrack. It is quite hard to predict the exact number where the ball will land and because of that, each version of the roulette table betting rules may also offer ‘announced’ or Racetrack bets that encompass a larger section of pockets on the wheel.
The main Racetrack roulette rules offer you a larger selection of bets but are placed directly on the wheel grid instead of the table grid. The arrangement of the different numbers and pockets on the wheel is mirrored on the Racetrack grid. You can select either Voisins du Zero, Orphelins or Tiers du Cylindre.
The largest selection of them is Voisins du Zero, which encompasses 17 different numbers on the wheel, including zero. If you would like to make a more precise bet close to the ‘zero’, then you can also choose Jeu Zero. Overall, the best thing about the roulette basics is that you can play with almost endless combinations of bets, odds, and payouts.
French Roulette Layout
The French Roulette table rules are a little bit more different than the other two variants of the game that we already discussed above. It has a traditional single zero French wheel with 36 additional betting pockets where the ball can land. Its gameplay is the same as the European rules of a roulette table. However, the betting table has a different organisation of the grid. For instance, the red/black bets feature coloured symbols instead of names.
The even/odd bets have their French names – pair and impair, while the bets from 1 to 18 are also known as ‘Manque’, and from 19 to 36 are ‘Passe’. Simply put, every betting sector has its French alternative, hence the name of the game – French Roulette. In the next image, you can see the differences between the table layouts of American (on the right-hand side) and French Roulette (on the left-hand side) table layouts.
At first glance, you can say that the French Roulette table game rules are more similar to the European, rather than the American table layout. There is another major difference that sets some French Roulette rules apart from the others. It comes down to the La Partage rule, or the ‘In Prison’ rule. When you play a game with La Partage or En Prison, you should know that it is one of the most interesting roulette table betting rules, as it reduces by half the house edge on even-money bets, from 2.7% to 1.35%.
Another similarity to the French Roulette basics can be enjoyed when playing English Roulette. It is a sub-variant of French Roulette, and everything looks the same, except that the maximum number of players is limited to seven. Also, players can buy specially coloured chips from the roulette dealer that are compatible only with the English Roulette table rules.
Online Roulette Tables
Other than the three classic variants, you can also find some unique and very interesting roulette table variants when you play at the best roulette sites. The online roulette gameplay can be subdivided into two main categories – RNG games and live dealer tables.
They both are amazing, but the best live dealer roulette casinos can make you feel like you play in a real land-based casino. Here are a few of the most played online roulette table variants with more details on their unique rules.
| Online Roulette Table Variants | Unique Roulette Table Rules |
|---|---|
| 3️⃣ Three Reel Roulette | This game has a wheel in a wheel, in another wheel, for a total of three wheels with three zero sectors. It offers Red/Black Dragon bets and a Colour Up bonus. |
| 🐉 Dragon Jackpot Roulette | A four-level progressive jackpot is the most unique feature of this roulette table, which also offers typical European table rules and layout. |
| 📈 Auto Roulette La Partage | This single zero table features the La Partage rule. Its most special characteristic is the lack of a roulette dealer and the automatic spinning of the wheel. |
| 👩 First Person Roulette | The software provider Evolution recently released this RNG game with many unique rules. For example, you can switch and play with a live dealer with the click of a button. |
| 🌩️ Lightning Roulette | This is another live dealer table by Evolution, which features special lightning multipliers. For example, if you win a straight-up bet, you can receive up to a 500x multiplier. |
| ⚔️ Double Ball Roulette | The most unique rule of this roulette table is that it has a single zero pocket, and yet, there is a special device that releases two balls instead of one. |
| 🤏 Mini Roulette | Mini Roulette is a simplified version of the European table layout, and it has only 12 sectors plus one ‘zero’ pocket. Its rules are perfect for fast-paced low-stakes gaming. |
| 🔢 Multi Wheel Roulette | This game offers multiple wheels and only one betting table. The rules are very similar to Three Reel Roulette, but the wheels spin separately. |
| 🌅 Ra Roulette | The special roulette table rules in this game are very similar to a video slot. You have an additional Book of Ra side bet, inspired by the same video slot. |
As you can see from our table, most online roulette tables feature the European rules with Racetrack bets. Of course, you can also find many other online tables with classic American or French rules, but the uniqueness of the mentioned games above makes them so appealing. These games are released by famous software providers, so your online roulette sessions would be a great solution instead of visiting a brick-and-mortar casino.
Tips for Different Roulette Gameplays
Did you know that there are some special tips and tricks that are more convenient for certain types of casino roulette table rules? If you are a beginner who would like to use a roulette betting strategy next time when you play in the casino, then please consider the following recommendations for specific roulette gameplay.
It is also important that each of these betting tips could work with almost all types of roulette because, after all, the outcome of the game depends on your luck. If you can’t guess the next number, you could either change your favourite numbers or alter your betting system. Alternatively, you can always continue with the same numbers until they become your lucky numbers.
Roulette Table Rules Q&A
Finally, we would like to provide you with a short FAQ section about the roulette table rules. We answered the most popular questions about the French, American and European roulette basics, so please make sure to check them out before you go to the casino.