Roulette is one of the many classic gambling games that has adapted to meet the needs of modern gamblers who prefer online casino games. There are many reasons why people love online roulette and why it has remained a popular choice with beginners and veteran bettors alike.
For players new to roulette and interested in learning more about roulette game rules, this beginner roulette guide covers what they need to know.
Roulette Explained: How Roulette Works
Roulette is a game where players place bets on the outcome of a spinning wheel that sits flat on a roulette table. This wheel has numbered pockets that are black, red, and green. When the game starts, a ball is dropped into the wheel, and winners are declared based on where the ball stops and what people wagered on.
This covers the roulette basics. To learn all the ins and outs of this casino table game, including how to understand the wheel and table layout in roulette, read on to get a more in-depth look at the experience.
The Roulette Wheel
There are two versions of roulette, each with different wheels, that players commonly find at traditional or online casinos. This is important to know because it affects a player’s chances of winning. These two versions of roulette are:
American Roulette
The American roulette wheel has 38 pockets in total. These pockets consist of the green 0, green 00, and black and red numbers 1 to 36. The American version has a house edge of 5.26% on all bets except one wager, which has a house edge of 7.89%.
European Roulette
The European roulette wheel has 37 pockets in total. These pockets consist of the green 0 and black and red numbers 1 to 36. This version of the game has a much lower house edge at 2.70%.
Roulette Bets
There are many different roulette bets to choose from, with riskier bets offering larger payouts. The majority of these bets fall under two main categories: inside and outside bets. Each of these categories offers wagers with different payout odds. Here’s a closer look at inside and outside bets so players can better understand how to read a roulette table:
Inside Bets
Inside bets take up the majority of the space on the betting table and consist of individual numbers. These bets have the lowest odds of landing and offer the highest payouts as a result. However, that doesn’t mean players are limited to only betting on single numbers, as many of the inside bets consist of multiple numbers.
Here are all the inside bet options and their potential payouts:
| Bet | Description | Payout Odds |
| Straight up | A bet on any single number. | +3,500 |
| Split | A bet on two adjacent numbers. | +1,700 |
| Street | A bet on three consecutive numbers. | +1,100 |
| Corner or square | A bet on four numbers that share a common corner. | +800 |
| Five-number or top line | A bet on 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. This wager is only available in American roulette. | +600 |
| Six line or double street | A bet on six consecutive numbers across two rows of numbers. | +500 |
Outside Bets
Outside bets are bets situated around the inside bets on the betting table and consist of large groups of numbers. These bets have better odds of landing, which is why they also have lower payouts. One of the safest betting options, even-money bets, falls under outside bets.
Here are all the outside bet options and their potential payouts:
| Bet | Description | Payout Odds |
| Even/Odd | A bet on even or odd numbers. | +100 |
| Black/Red | A bet on red or black. | +100 |
| Low/High | A bet that the final result will be a number between 1–18 (low bet) or 19–36 (high bet). | +100 |
| Dozen | A bet that the final result will be a number from one of the three sets: 1–12, 13–24, 25–36. | +200 |
| Columns | A bet on one of the three vertical columns consisting of 12 numbers. | +200 |
4 Beginners Tips for Roulette
With a better understanding of roulette gameplay and the basics of how to play roulette, the next step is to pick up some beginner tips that players can use to improve their odds of winning. Here is some general advice to keep in mind at the roulette table.
1. Remember That Roulette is a Pure Game of Chance
Unlike games like blackjack and poker, which have an element of skill, roulette is entirely down to luck. No matter what self-proclaimed experts may say online, no system or strategy will improve a player’s chances of winning. This is because players can’t use any information in the game to influence their decisions the way they can with blackjack or poker.
2. Minimize the Risk
To help extend a roulette bankroll, players will want to wager on the bets with the lowest house edge. These bets are odd or even, black or red, or low (1–18) or high (19–36) wagers. While this might not result in any surprising and exciting big wins, it will ensure players have the best chance of winning each time they play.
3. Don’t Chase Losses
One of the most important roulette money management tips is to know when to call it on a bad run. No matter how much it feels like luck is about to change, a series of losses doesn’t mean a win is just around the corner. Set a budget when playing roulette and stick to it.
4. Have Fun
Remember, roulette wins are purely down to luck — there’s no shame in getting unlucky and losing some money. So remember to enjoy the game, even when the outcome isn’t favourable.
Roulette Games at BetMGM Casino
BetMGM Casino has a wide range of online roulette titles. Here are a few of the roulette games that players can experience:
