How to Play Roulette: Tips and Strategies for Beginners

Edna Boykin
November 6, 2024

Roulette has been a popular game for casino-goers since the 17th century, with easy gaming rules for beginners and a surprising degree of depth for serious bettors. If you employ the right strategy, you can reap high rewards from roulette games. However, it is important to understand the basic rules, especially if you are a beginner, and explore the different types of layout bets, line bets, and other bets.

This article mainly focuses on how to play roulette and place your bets. You are at the right place if you are unfamiliar with roulette and wish to know how to play roulette and win with a 100% winning strategy. We will break down the basics of roulette gaming and give you some strategies to keep the betting odds in your favor. Whether you are a beginner or willing to scale up your roulette gaming, gear up to discover the thrilling world of roulette and make the most out of every spin.

Understanding Roulette Basics

Roulette is one of the most popular casino games, which has provided players with the elements of excitement, mystery, and glamor since the 17th century, but even today, players, especially beginners, find roulette games difficult to play. For them, we have prepared a comprehensive guide that discusses how to play roulette in a casino and answers the question, “How does roulette work?” –

What is Roulette?

Roulette is one of the most classic and popular casino games ever made in the world of online gambling. It comes with a roulette wheel with a small roulette ball and numbered pockets. The wheel is spun, and the ball is released on the roulette table, which eventually lands in a pocket that determines the winning color and number. The first roulette that resembles the wheel comes from the 1700s. It was designed for a popular Italian game called cavaglone, aka biribi or biribissi. Originally, it was a Genoese game played in a way similar to the modern-day bingo by the French and later became extremely popular among the aristocrats. The game has become more popular now thanks to the different innovations that have developed as of late. In 2024, when we think of roulette, we think of multi-roulette, live roulette, auto roulette, and triple-zero roulette, and the possibilities do not stop betting there. Many new variants of the game are being introduced every day with more arranged betting tables and wheels.

How Does Roulette Work?

The magic of the game lies in making predictions on where the ball ultimately lands. There are several options for betting, from choosing certain numbers to wagering on colors, high or low, and even or odd. The dual setup of the wheel and the betting board requires placing bets corresponding to the spots on the wheel. If the bet matches with the number where the ball lands, the player wins the prize. There is a certain level of dynamism in roulette where players have some control over the risk they are exposed to. For instance, players who like to make a low-risk bet can choose options that cover larger areas of the board, unlike those who like to make a higher-risk bet that offers larger payouts. The basic roulette rules are fairly simple: players can either choose the lower risk-smaller payout bet or aim for a higher risk-higher payout bet. Very few casino games offer this level of control and flexibility, which is why roulette games are very popular among players around the world.

Roulette Rules: A Beginner’s Guide

Roulette is one of the most popular casino games that has given players various options when it comes to placing bets. Before we discuss how to play roulette for beginners, we will delve into the basic roulette rules and give an overview of different types of roulette tables available for players –

Basic Roulette Rules

As discussed before, the aim of the game is to predict the number where the ball will land on the roulette wheel. When the roulette ball is spun around the outside of the bowl, it eventually comes to rest, landing on one of the divisions. The divisions are numbered in a random pattern from 1 to 36 in alternate black and red color. The green division is number 0. The American roulette wheel has an additional green division marked 00 and this is what makes the variant more popular than the European variant. We will discuss the types of roulette in the next section, but the basic roulette layout remains the same for all variants.

Before rolling the ball, players place their wagers on the numbers by laying down roulette chips on the betting mat. The precise location of these chips indicates that the bet has been placed. Once players get accustomed to the betting options, they can start placing their chips spread across multiple bets for the best odds or choose to concentrate on one or fewer options for higher payouts. Remember, each bet has different betting odds and payout structures, and therefore, it is important to understand the rules of roulette and its betting options before starting the game.

Types of Roulette

Roulette is one of the most popular and exciting casino games, offering a variety of betting options and thrilling gameplay. The different types of roulette each come with their own unique rules and features. The main variations are mentioned below –

American Roulette

American roulette features 38 numbers from 1 to 36, a single zero (0) and a double zero (00). The maximum payout for American roulette is 35x, with a house edge of 5.25%. What makes American roulette more popular than other variants is the increased chances of winning the game. With the added 00, the game provides players with an additional opportunity to place a bet and win.

European Roulette

The European roulette looks identical to the American variant and comes next in terms of popularity. But the only difference lies in the fact that European tables do not have the 00 option to bet on. This means players get 37 numbers to play the game. The maximum payout for the European version remains 35x with a house edge of 2.7%.

French Roulette

For French roulette, the outside wagers are in different positions, but that does not affect the way you place your bets. The game pays out in a similar fashion as European or American roulette. The board has 37 numbers, and the maximum payout for French roulette is 35x. The unique gaming rules of French roulette reduce house edge further to 1.35% on even money bets, which can be different. Added to that, even the numbers on the French roulette wheel are different since French numbers are faced in while American numbers are generally faced out.

How to Play Roulette Beginners Guide

Newcomers wondering how to play a roulette table and win the game have come to the right place. This guide will take you through the nitty-gritty of playing the game, including how to set up the table and the type of bets that you can place in the game.

Setting Up at the Roulette Table

When you sit at a roulette table, you need to decide how much to bet and buy chips accordingly. Each table carries a placard that describes the minimum and maximum bets allowed. Setting a budget before hitting the roulette tables will let you know what the maximum betting amount will be. Since roulette is a luck-based game, the best chance at winning is to closely look at the wheel, the table, and the dealer and study the patterns and habits of other players in the game. Once the budget is decided, you can ask the croupier or the dealer to purchase a roulette chip. Every player gets a certain color of chips that help differentiate between them. The table is then cleared off to start a new round where players place their chip or chips on the table corresponding to the number slot or slots. If the roulette round is won, players need to cash out their chips and continue betting with their predetermined budget. If you choose to play multiple rounds, we recommend you use a low-reward, low-risk Fibonacci wagering system and avoid strategies like the Martingale system that involves high risk and high reward. Once you learn how to play roulette in a casino, you can start placing your bets on high-payout, high-risk bets using the top betting strategies that we will discuss later in this guide.

Types of Bets in Roulette

Roulette can be won only by betting correctly on the type or number of pockets in which the ball lands. Inside bets involve betting on certain numbers instead of betting on a large group of numbers. Placing an inside bet can lower the chances of winning, but they usually have higher paying odds. They can be of different types, including –

* Straight-up betting on a 1 number (pays out 35 to 1)
* Split betting on 2 numbers (pays out 17 to 1)
* Street betting on 3 numbers (pays out 11 to 1)
* Corner betting on 4 numbers (pays out 8 to 1)
* 6-line betting on 6 numbers (pays out 5 to 1)

Outside bets, on the other hand, do not involve any specific numbers but a large group of numbers, such as high and low, red and black, and even and odd. Placing an outside bet involves placing the chip on the outside of the number map. These offer relatively low-paying odds, but the chances of winning are higher. Outside bets can be –

* Color betting on black or red (pays out 1 to 1)
* Even or odd betting (pays out 1 to 1)
* Column betting on 12 numbers on a column (pays out 2 to 1)
* Dozen betting (1st 12, second 12, and so on) (pays out 2 to 1)
* High or low betting (1 to 18, 19 to 36) (pays out 1 to 1)

How to Place a Bet

Let us now walk through the process of placing a roulette bet online –

Step-by-Step Guide to Betting

First things first, players need to think of a casino that is licensed and regulated by top-notch gambling authorities to ensure legal gaming.
Step 1) Go to the official website and join the platform.
Step 2) Complete the registration process and use exclusive promo codes, if any, to unlock the welcome bonus.
Step 3) Once the account is created, log into the account and navigate to the Cashier or Deposit page.
Step 4) To play any variant of the game, you need to make a deposit.
Step 5) Start by choosing a secure banking option.
Step 6) Enter the amount you want to deposit.
Step 7) Once funded, visit the gaming lobby to browse through the list of games available.
Step 8) Make an informed decision while choosing the best roulette game.
Step 9) Place the roulette chips on the squares that match where the ball is most likely to drop. Let the roulette wheel stop and the winner be announced once the ball falls on a particular number.

Betting Options Explained

Those who have played roulette before know that there are various betting options that players can try to land the winning bets. Below is the breakdown of the different roulette betting options –

Straight Up – A straight-up bet involves betting on a single number on the roulette wheel. This betting option pays out 35:1

Split – This wager type involves putting the chip in the middle of two numbers. Both numbers are covered. For instance, betting in the middle of red 13 and black 14. The payout for this bet is 17:1

Street – When a player chooses to bet on three numbers by placing it at the beginning of the horizontal line, it’s called a street bet that comes with a payout of 11:1

Corner – An interesting type of bet where players wager on the square of four numbers and place the chip right in the middle where the four number borders intersect. For instance, betting on a square by betting on 8, 9, 11, and not only 12. The payout for this is 8:1

6-line – This involves placing the bet in the middle of two horizontal lines with the payout of 5:1

Basket – A basket bet involves wagering on five numbers simultaneously. For instance, in American roulette, you could cover 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. The payout for this bet type is 6:1

Tips and Strategies for Playing Roulette

Learning how to play roulette game is one thing, but playing to win is another. We have presented several tried and tested strategies that can help you make successful bets.

Basic Betting Strategies

Every roulette strategy needs to be followed by both beginners and professional players. Below are the top seven roulette betting strategies that players can use on their next game –

Martingale roulette strategy – This is probably the easiest roulette betting strategy, which involves repeating the same bet if it is lost during a particular round, but with double the money. Doing this guarantees that the players will break even and recoup their losses the moment they win a single bet.

Grand Martingale roulette strategy – When players hope to beat the game, this strategy works similarly to the marketing strategy but with an added twist. Each time a player doubles his bet, he adds an extra amount which is equal to the initial bet.

D’Alembert roulette strategy – A popular roulette betting system, this strategy involves a negative progression system in which players increase their bet sizes after every loss and decrease them after every win.

Fibonacci roulette strategy – This strategy is built on the same theory as the popular Fibonacci number sequence, which dictates that the consequent number in a sequence can be found by adding the two preceding numbers. In it, the sequence resides the amount of stake for every bet with the amount equal to the sum of the two bets made earlier.

James Bond roulette strategy – This involves combining bets to give players the best winning odds. However, for this strategy, players need to have a decent bankroll to make the strategy effective.

Managing Your Bankroll

Bankroll management is important for successful bets while playing roulette online. The concept of bankroll management is to maintain a balance while gambling and avoid spending more than what one can afford to lose over a period of time. It takes time, effort, and, most importantly, discipline to manage the bankroll, where players bet within their means and stop continuing to bet if they are leading to losses.

Playing roulette can be tough, especially with casinos that are set up with a higher house edge. With effective bankroll management, a robust betting strategy, and adequate knowledge of whatever variant you are playing, it is possible to make successful bets on roulette and increase the bankroll. Therefore, it is all about gambling responsibly and following sound practices like taking frequent breaks, setting a budget aside for it, and only betting what one can afford to lose for successful roulette gaming.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Although roulette is a luck-based game, there are a few things that beginners can do to increase their outcomes from roulette. Below are some common mistakes that beginners generally make, avoiding which can lead to a much more profitable and enjoyable experience –

Playing any roulette version – The variant of roulette that you choose has a massive impact on the success in the long run. Choose the correct version of roulette since each of them offers a different house edge. Choose a variant with the lowest house edge to get additional chances of getting the winning number.
Not knowing betting options – Beginners need to know that there are various ways to play roulette and bet on an outcome that can increase their chances of winning. Understand the different bet types to know the exact placement of the chips that determine the bets made.
Using only one wagering system – When it comes to roulette, following multiple betting strategies and systems is important. One common mistake that players make is to continue using a single-button system even if it is not working. We recommend our readers experiment with different strategies based on the player’s game style and personal goals and avoid sticking to one wagering system

Advanced Roulette Strategies

There is more to a game of roulette than the tips and strategies mentioned above. While beginners can learn how to play roulette with the above-mentioned strategies, for a more professional level, they will require more advanced roulette strategies. Let’s take a look at them to win more bets and minimize the risk of losing money –

Understanding Odds and Probability

Winning bet odds in roulette depends on the bets placed. For every bet, roulette comes with a particular house edge. The house advantage is decided by the additional zero pocket or pockets based on the roulette version you are playing as well as on the payout. For instance, American roulette has 20 pockets, all green, whereas the European version has only one zero pocket. For a better understanding of the different betting odds and payouts for both variants, we have prepared a table for correctly predicting the winning number on various bets.

Roulette Bets	Roulette Payout	European Betting Odds	American Betting Odds
1 Number/Straight Bet	35:1	2.70%	2.63%
2 Numbers	17:1	5.40%	5.26%
3 Numbers	11:1	8.10%	7.89%
4 Numbers	8:1	10.81%	10.52%
5 Numbers	6:1	13.51%	13.15%
6 Numbers	5:1	16.21%	15.79%
12 Numbers (Column/Dozen)	2:1	32.43%	31.58%
18 Numbers (Red/Black/Odd/Even/High/Low)	1:1	48.65%	47.37%

Calculating betting odds in roulette is the same as you calculate odds for anything else – Consider the number of the desired outcomes and then divide it by the number of possible outcomes. For instance, in American roulette, with 38 numbers, the odds of getting a red number is 18/38 (18 black, 18 red, and 2 green)

Online Roulette vs. Live Casino Roulette

Online roulette and live casino roulette are the two key variants of roulette gambling. However, the mode of operation for the two types of roulette gaming differs. Let’s take a look at the differences and help our readers decide which is best for them –

Key Differences in Gameplay

The main advantage of playing online roulette is that players can start their gaming whenever they want and anywhere they want, as they are incredibly convenient and cannot be ignored. Apart from the convenience, players generally define the minimum bet investment amount before they start playing roulette and get a chance to win a larger amount. This is particularly easier to accomplish in a real money casino. Added to that there is limited communication with real people. In certain cases, this has a positive impact as many players do not want to deal with real people but still enjoy the social element of roulette gaming.

Coming to the disadvantage of online roulette, there is no live gaming experience. Moreover, there is lower financial discipline as playing roulette for real money could encourage players to put more at stake, unlike live casino roulette, where players can see the chips or the amount of money they have put in their pockets. Furthermore, no face-to-face communication with other gamblers may not be preferred by many players which is why live roulette is most preferred by those who enjoy socialization and real-world personal communication.

Choosing an Online Roulette Platform

While choosing an online roulette casino to play roulette, there are a few factors that every player should keep in mind to ensure a rewarding experience –

Licensing and Reputation – While selecting a casino for roulette, consider the platform’s licensing and reputation. Note that reputable casinos have a long-standing presence, a positive track record, and transparency in operations. As for licensing, the platform should hold a valid license, operating in compliance with the regulations and industry standards of the licensing body.
Gaming Selection – The quality and variety of casino games are vital factors. An excellent casino offers a wide range of games other than roulette, including slots, poker, blackjack, and other live dealer games.
Bonuses – Free bonuses can enhance the overall gaming experience. Look for online roulette casinos with attractive bonuses, including welcome bonuses, matched bonuses, no-deposit bonuses, and free spins.
Payment Options – A reliable online roulette casino that offers roulette should also support a wide range of secure and convenient payment methods such as debit/credit cards, bank transfers, and e-wallets. Many platforms also allow crypto transactions and support a variety of cryptocurrencies and digital tokens.
Security Measures – Since roulette gaming involves high investment amounts, choosing a secure online casino should be a top priority. Choose an online casino that uses encryption technologies like Secure Socket Layer (SSL), Transport Layer Security (TLS), Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), and more.
Mobile Compatibility – Many online casinos offering roulette provide mobile gaming platforms either as a dedicated mobile app or an extension of the browser version, which is perfectly optimized for all types of devices, including Android and iOS operating systems.

Conclusion

Roulette can be a thrilling classic casino game that requires a blend of excitement, luck, and strategy and entices players with the guarantee of substantial earnings. If you are wondering how to play the game and win, remember it is all about learning and understanding the basics, using strategies like Fibonacci and Martingale, and always gambling responsibly. The main aim is to have some fun, and if you manage to win, it is a bonus. There is a vast range of betting options for those with a passion for roulette gaming. While there is no guaranteed strategy for success, if you try to understand the gaming rules, manage the gambling budget wisely, and try different betting techniques that amplify the roulette experience, you can emerge as a winner at the game.

FAQs

What is the basic concept of roulette, and how to play it?

The Roulette game involves the player’s batting on which black or red numbered compartment of the revolving wheel, the ball will land and come to rest within. The bets are placed on the table marked corresponding to the compartments of the wheel.

How do I start to play a roulette table?

To start playing a roulette table, you will require purchasing some chips or simply getting them straight from the croupier or dealer with cash payments. Once seated at the table, you can start betting when the dealer announces, place your bets, and stop playing when he announces no more bets.

What happens if the ball lands on zero in the rules of roulette?

In American roulette, two green zero pockets exist. This means there are additional chances that the bets will be void if the ball lands in the compartment marked 0 or 00.