How Roulette Works
Roulette involves a spinning wheel with numbered pockets and a small ball. The dealer (or software) spins the wheel, releases the ball, and players bet on where the ball will land.
The two main variants are:
• American Roulette: 38 pockets (1-36, 0, 00). House edge: 5.26% • European Roulette: 37 pockets (1-36, 0). House edge: 2.70%
Always play European roulette when available. The single zero vs. double zero cuts the house advantage nearly in half.
Types of Roulette Bets
Inside Bets (higher risk, higher reward): • Straight Up: Bet on a single number. Pays 35:1. • Split: Bet on two adjacent numbers. Pays 17:1. • Street: Bet on a row of three numbers. Pays 11:1. • Corner: Bet on four numbers in a square. Pays 8:1. • Six Line: Bet on two rows (six numbers). Pays 5:1.
Outside Bets (lower risk, lower reward): • Red/Black: Pays 1:1 (even money). • Odd/Even: Pays 1:1. • High/Low (1-18 or 19-36): Pays 1:1. • Dozens (1-12, 13-24, 25-36): Pays 2:1. • Columns: Pays 2:1.
Outside bets are the best choice for beginners and for playing through bonus wagering requirements.
Roulette Odds & House Edge
| Bet Type | American (0, 00) | European (0 only) | |----------|-----------------|-------------------| | Straight Up | 2.63% chance, 5.26% edge | 2.70% chance, 2.70% edge | | Red/Black | 47.37% chance, 5.26% edge | 48.65% chance, 2.70% edge | | Dozens | 31.58% chance, 5.26% edge | 32.43% chance, 2.70% edge |
The house edge is the same on (almost) every bet in roulette. The exception is the "basket bet" (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) in American roulette, which has a 7.89% house edge — avoid it entirely.
Popular Roulette Strategies
No roulette strategy can overcome the house edge long-term. However, these systems help manage your bankroll:
Martingale System: Double your bet after each loss. When you win, you recover all losses plus one unit. Risk: Table limits and bankroll depletion during long losing streaks.
Reverse Martingale (Paroli): Double after wins instead. Set a 3-win target, then reset. Lower risk than Martingale.
D'Alembert System: Increase bet by one unit after a loss, decrease by one after a win. More conservative than Martingale.
James Bond Strategy: Spread bets across high numbers (19-36), six-line (13-18), and zero. Covers 25 of 37 numbers in European roulette.
Reality Check: These systems change the pattern of wins/losses but cannot change the math. Over infinite spins, the house edge prevails. Use them for structure, not as a path to guaranteed profit.
Best Roulette Games at US Online Casinos
• Lightning Roulette (Evolution) — Live dealer game with random multipliers up to 500x. Available at BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel. • European Roulette (NetEnt) — Clean interface, 2.70% house edge. Available at BetMGM, BetRivers. • Auto Roulette (Evolution) — Fast-paced live roulette without a human dealer. Spins every 30 seconds. • First Person Roulette (Evolution) — RNG roulette with a 3D view. Good for practicing strategies. • American Roulette (IGT) — Standard American variant with solid graphics. Available at most US casinos.