Roulette Fundamentals
Understanding the wheel, bets, and odds.
Roulette is one of the most iconic casino games—a spinning wheel, a bouncing ball, and the anticipation of where it will land. While purely luck-based, understanding the bets, odds, and wheel types helps you play smarter.
The Wheel Types
There are two main types of roulette wheels:
Wheel Comparison
| Type | Numbers | House Edge | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (Single Zero) | 0, 1-36 | 2.70% | Better odds |
| American (Double Zero) | 0, 00, 1-36 | 5.26% | Avoid if possible |
| French | 0, 1-36 | 1.35%* | Best odds (with La Partage) |
*French roulette with La Partage rule returns half your even-money bet when ball lands on 0
Pro Tip
Types of Bets
Inside Bets
Bets placed on specific numbers, offering higher payouts but lower win probability:
Inside Bets
| Bet | What It Covers | Payout | European Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Up | 1 number | 35:1 | 2.7% |
| Split | 2 numbers | 17:1 | 5.4% |
| Street | 3 numbers (row) | 11:1 | 8.1% |
| Corner | 4 numbers | 8:1 | 10.8% |
| Six Line | 6 numbers | 5:1 | 16.2% |
Outside Bets
Bets covering larger groups of numbers with lower payouts but higher win probability:
Outside Bets
| Bet | What It Covers | Payout | European Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red / Black | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 48.6% |
| Odd / Even | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 48.6% |
| High / Low | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 48.6% |
| Dozen | 12 numbers | 2:1 | 32.4% |
| Column | 12 numbers | 2:1 | 32.4% |
Strategy Insight
The Math Behind Roulette
For every $100 wagered, you lose $5.26 on average. The 0 and 00 are where the casino makes money.
With only one zero, European roulette cuts the house edge nearly in half.
Betting Systems Don't Work
Warning
- Martingale – Doubling after losses leads to catastrophic losses
- Fibonacci – Same problem, just slower
- D'Alembert – Doesn't change the math
Each spin is independent. The wheel has no memory. Systems might make the game more engaging, but they cannot create an edge where none exists.
Special Rules to Look For
- La Partage – Get half back on even-money bets when 0 hits (European/French)
- En Prison – Your bet stays for another spin when 0 hits
- Surrender – American version of La Partage (rare)
Strategy Insight
Pro Tip
Try our Free Roulette Game to test different betting strategies without risking real money.
Key Takeaways
- 1European roulette (2.7% edge) beats American (5.26%) every time
- 2All bets have the same house edge—bet type doesn't change EV
- 3Inside bets have higher variance; outside bets are more consistent
- 4Betting systems cannot overcome the mathematical edge
- 5French roulette with La Partage offers the best roulette odds
Sources & References
- American roulette house edge: 2 ÷ 38 = 5.26%. European roulette house edge: 1 ÷ 37 = 2.70%. These values are independently verifiable from the wheel geometry (38 vs 37 pockets) and uniform payout structure.
- French roulette La Partage rule reduces the effective house edge on even-money bets to 1.35% (half of 2.70%), independently verifiable by expected value calculation: half the bet is returned when zero hits, occurring with probability 1/37.
- Bet types, payout ratios, and win probabilities for all inside and outside bets are standard across regulated casinos and published by gaming commissions. All payouts are structured to produce the same house edge per wheel type.
Mathematical claims are independently verifiable. BonusBell platform analysis reflects data from 220+ tracked platforms as of March 2026.