Roulette — plain English
Roulette is a wheel with numbered pockets. You bet on where a ball will land — a single number, a colour, odd or even, or a group of numbers. A European wheel has 37 pockets (0–36); an American wheel adds a second zero (00), which raises the house edge. Always choose European or French roulette when you can.
The main bet types
Straight up (single number, pays 35:1)
Split, street and corner bets
Red / black (even money)
Odd / even (even money)
High / low 1–18 / 19–36
Dozens and columns (pays 2:1)
French rules: La Partage on even-money bets
Neighbour and call bets
The one number that matters is the house edge, and it comes entirely from the zero. European roulette keeps 2.7% for the house; American roulette keeps 5.26% because of the extra 00. French roulette with La Partage can halve the edge on even-money bets to about 1.35%.
European, American or French?
For the player, European beats American on every bet, and French is best of all where offered. Betting systems such as Martingale do not change the underlying edge — the wheel has no memory, and each spin is independent.
Best casinos for roulette
Ranked by published payout rate (RTP) and game selection. Higher RTP means more is returned to players over time.
Frequently asked questions
Is European or American roulette better?
European roulette is better for the player. It has one zero and a 2.7% house edge, versus American roulette's two zeros and 5.26% edge.
Do roulette betting systems work?
No system changes the house edge. Each spin is independent and the wheel has no memory. Systems like Martingale can change how your bankroll swings but not the long-run outcome.
What is La Partage?
A French roulette rule that returns half of an even-money bet when the ball lands on zero, cutting the effective house edge on those bets to about 1.35%.
18+ | Gamble responsibly. Games of chance always favour the house over time — RTP describes long-run averages, not what any single session returns. Never gamble money you cannot afford to lose. If gambling is causing you harm, seek help at begambleaware.org.