Roulette is a classic casino game. It was the centrepiece of the famous Monte Carlo Casino in its earliest years and many would instantly recognise the shape of the Roulette wheel.
But how much do you know about the rules of this classic game? There’s a lot to understand if you want to play Roulette in an online casino, so we’re laying out all the most important game rules for any player to know.
The central gameplay of Roulette
A game of Roulette is quite simple to understand, with a couple of distinct phases of gameplay. First there is the wagering phase, where players will choose from a variety of options. Then the croupier will spin the wheel and release the ball, with the table watching to see where the ball will ultimately stop.
Once the ball settles into one of the pockets on the Roulette wheel’s rim, the croupier will announce the result and resolve all wagers. And that’s the entirety of a Roulette game!
During the wagering phase, players will want to pay attention to the table layout, which shows the various inside and outside bets on its design.
Inside bets are found in the three central columns, covering individual numbers and small groups. Outside bets sit in the area surrounding the number columns, covering larger number groups and characteristics such as odd/even or red/black.
Game rules of Roulette
Most of the rules of Roulette are tied to etiquette, particularly in land-based casino venues. If players join a table while a game is in play then they must wait, with no new wagers permitted after the croupier has spun the wheel.
Other than that, players simply need to respect the croupier and other players.
There are three major varieties of Roulette – European, American and French – and what distinguishes French Roulette is the addition of some rules related to even-money bets.
Even-money bets are outside bets placed on categories like red or black, where the chances of the wager landing are close to 50/50.
French Roulette includes rules known as la partage and en prison, which only apply when the ball lands in the green zero pocket. In those cases, la partage sees players only lose half of their wager, while en prison allows them to receive their wager back if it lands on the next spin.
Understanding the house edge
Something else that’s important for players to understand is the concept known as the house edge. This refers to the relative advantage that the casino holds over the player, representing the ratio of the average loss to the initial wager.
The house edge differs between casino games and also across the three major varieties of Roulette. European games offer a house edge of 2.7%, while American Roulette has a higher edge of 5.26% thanks to the presence of the double zero pocket on its wheel.
French Roulette can carry an even lower house edge compared to European Roulette, based on its additional rules relating to even-money bets.
—
Roulette is a pretty simple game at its core. But it’s still worth understanding some key things before joining a Roulette table.
(Image Stock ID: 2432633227)
