How To Play

Place chips on numbers, colors, or groups before the dealer spins the wheel and drops the ball. Inside bets cover specific numbers (1-36) and pay 35:1 for a single number. Outside bets cover red/black, odd/even, high/low (1:1) or dozens and columns (2:1). The wheel contains 0 (and 00 in American) which belong to the house.

House Edge

• European (single 0): 2.70% on every bet
• American (0 and 00): 5.26% on every bet
• French roulette with La Partage rule on even-money bets: 1.35%

The 5-number basket bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) on American wheels is even worse at 7.89%. Avoid it entirely.

Basic Strategy

• Always play European or French wheels when available. Never play American if a single-zero table is open.
• On French wheels, stick to even-money outside bets to capture La Partage (you get half your stake back if 0 hits).
• Every bet has the same house edge - choose based on volatility tolerance, not "better odds."
• Skip betting systems. Martingale loses to table limits; D'Alembert and Fibonacci do not change the math.

Common Mistakes

Believing red is "due" after several blacks - the wheel has no memory. Tipping the dealer to spin slower or faster has no effect on outcomes. Buying a "system" online; if any system worked, casinos would not offer roulette. Playing American when European is one table away.

Example Bet

$10 on red on a European wheel. There are 18 reds, 18 blacks, and one green zero. Expected return = (18/37 × $10) - (19/37 × $10) = -$0.27, which is exactly 2.7% of your stake.

Bottom Line

Roulette is pure chance dressed up in elegant rituals. The only meaningful decision is which wheel you sit at. Choose single-zero, set a time limit, and treat the bets as cost of entertainment - never as an investment strategy.