Online Roulette rules and betting options explained

Roulette has been a popular game of chance for centuries, and the arrival of online casinos means you can now play it from almost anywhere you have a reliable internet connection. But before jumping in and spinning the wheel – whether playing live Roulette online or digital variations –  you’ll need to get to grips with the rules and betting choices available to you. A little know-how can help you make better decisions throughout the chance-based gameplay.

How online Roulette works

Picture a spinning wheel divided into numbered pockets, coloured red or black, with a single green zero (plus a double zero in American versions). The table’s layout matches these numbers, and it’s where you’ll place your bets.

Traditionally, a croupier would spin the wheel and toss the ball in the opposite direction. Online, this is either handled by Random Number Generator (RNG) software or streamed live from a real casino, hosted by a real dealer. You place bets, guessing where you think the ball will land. Once all bets are in, the wheel spins and the ball bounces around before settling into one, random pocket. Then, depending on if you placed a corresponding bet, you could receive a payout based on the odds.

Your betting options in online Roulette

Roulette offers a mix of bets, each with their own odds and potential payouts.

Inside bets focus on specific numbers or small groups and typically have higher payout potential but lower odds:

– Straight bet: Pick a single number and hope for the best.
– Split bet: Place your chip between two neighbouring numbers.
-Street bet: Bet on a row of three numbers.
– Corner bet: Choose four numbers that meet at a corner.
– Line bet: Cover two rows (six numbers in total).

Outside bets cover larger sections of the wheel, so carry less risk but also less potential reward:

– Red/black: Bet on the colour of the number the ball lands on.
– Odd/even: Will the winning number be odd or even?
– High/low: Is it in the range 1-18 (low) or 19-36 (high)?
– Dozen bet: Pick one of three sets of twelve numbers.
– Column bet: Wager on a full column of numbers.

Some Roulette games, especially European ones, offer a few extras:

– Neighbour bets: Cover a number plus the ones alongside it on the wheel.
– Call bets: Bet on a segment of the wheel, such as Voisins du Zéro.

Roulette variations: what’s the difference?

Several versions of online Roulette are out there, each bringing something slightly different. Many of them are available to play both at the live casino and digitally.

– European Roulette is the most common, with 37 pockets (1-36 plus a single zero). The single zero means the house edge is a bit lower at 2.70%.
– American Roulette throws in an extra double zero, taking the pocket count to 38. This increases the casino’s advantage to 5.25%.
– French Roulette is a twist on the European format, featuring special rules like “La Partage” and “En Prison”. These can lower the house edge even further on certain bets if the ball lands on zero.

At their core, each version follows similar rules, but minor differences can affect your chances.


Roulette combines simple rules with a wide variety of betting possibilities, but no matter how you play, it’s crucial to set limits on how much time and money you spend. Many online casinos offer tools so you can manage your gaming.


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