How to Play Roulette
Roulette has existed for about 300 years, and it is no fluke that it has survived this long. Roulette is an extremely exciting game of chance, which presents its players with a lot of different options and payout structures.
The concept of how to play Roulette online is quite simple, and the same as in traditional casinos. A small ball is rolled clockwise inside a huge wheel, which spins counter-clockwise. The wheel is filled with small slots with different numbers on them. The goal of the game is basically to bet on which number the ball will finally rest. If the ball finds its way to the slot with the number the player bet on, the player wins.
A Roulette wheel contains 36 numbers, half of which are red and half of which are black. In addition, there is also a green slot on the wheel, with the number zero (0). However, in North America the roulette wheel often have two green zero slots, one with the number zero (0) and the other with a double zero (00). Single zero games (which are usually used in Europe) are to prefer, since the odds for the player are better.
So what kind of different bets do you have when you play Roulette? Before the roll, all bets must be made (sometimes bet can be placed afterwards until the dealer says “No more bets.” And there are a wide variety of bets and betting options to choose from. There are two main categories of bets, “inside bets” and “outside bets”. The player is always required to play the table minimum on each of the outside bets. When it comes to inside betting, the total of all the player’s bets must meet or exceed the table minimum.
Inside bets and their payouts
Inside bets, or layout bets as they often are called, are made up of specific numbers or combination of numbers. Note that the total of all the player’s bets must match or exceed the table minimum. There are five different types of inside bets:
Straight-up Bet: A bet where the player bets on any of the numbers on the Roulette table. If the ball stops on that particular number in the wheel, the player gets paid 35 to 1. A player can of course choose to bet on several numbers during the same game. For instance, one might bet on 7, 15 and 20.
Split Bet: A bet where a player places a single bet on two different numbers at the same time. In order to do so, the player places his chip on the line between two neighbouring numbers on the Roulette table. For instance, if one bets on 5 and 6, the chip is placed on the line that separates the two. A “split bet” pays 17 to 1 if either of the two numbers comes up.
Street Bet or Line Bet: A bet where a player places a single bet on three different numbers at the same time. One does this by placing chips on the outside of the row of the number one wishes to bet on. So if you want to bet on the numbers 4, 5, and 6 all at once, put your chips down on the line that is the outside edge of the 6. A “street bet” pays 11 to 1.
Corner Bet: A bet where the player places a single bet on four neighboring numbers. This is done by placing the chips at the point where all four numbers meet. If any of the four numbers comes up, the player is paid 8 to 1. This is also called a “Square Bet”.
Five Number Bet: A bet where the player places a single bet on five of the numbers at the same time. To make this bet, the player places his/her chips at the point between 0 and 1 on the corner. One can win if any of 0, 00, 1, 2, or 3 are hit. If the player wins, he/she is paid 6 to 1.
Outside bets and their payoffs
The outside bets are made outside the playing area for the numbers. Note that there are no winning bets for the instances when the little roulette ball stops on zero (0) and double zero (00). There are five different outside bets:
Red or Black: A player can choose to bet on the outcome either being a red number or a black number. To make this bet, the player places his/her chips on the areas with the words “RED” or “BLACK”. This bet pays even money, meaning it pays 1 to 1.
Low or High: A player can also choose to bet on the outcome being either low or high, that is, if the number that comes up is between 1-18 or 19-36. To place this bet, the player puts his/her chips in the boxes with the associated number range. This bet pays 1 to 1.
Odd or Even: A player can also choose to bet on the outcome either being an odd number or an even number. Note that zero (0) and double zero (00) does not count either as odd or even. When placing an odd or even bet, the player places his/her chips on the areas with the words “ODD” or “EVEN”. This bet pays even money, meaning it pays 1 to 1.
Dozens: A player can also choose to bet on the outcome being the first dozen numbers (1-12), the second dozen (13-24), or the third dozen (25-36). In order to place this bet, the player has to place his chips in the areas that are labeled “1st12″, “2nd12″ or “3rd12″. A dozens bet pays 2 to 1.
Columns: At the end of the set of numbers, there are three areas with the words 2 to 1. Each box is part of that column of numbers. If a number from within the column the player has bet on comes up, the payout is not surprisingly 2 to 1.
Hopefully, you know how to play Roulette a bit better now. Remember that for Roulette there is a high house edge – higher than Blackjack, Craps or Baccarat. But Roulette it’s still a very intrguing game that is a lot of fun to play with multiple players.
Visit out our Online Roulette Reviews section for some of the best casinos online that offer the game of Roulette.
