Casino roulette games combine the sophistication of Europe with the capitalist greed of America. Each spin of the wheel can pay big dividends, but do you have the guts to wager your entire bankroll on black or red?
A roulette wheel is comprised of 36 red or black pockets. The European version of the game also has a single green pocket marked 0, while the American version adds an additional 00 green pocket. As you may have guessed, the double-zero version gives the house a greater advantage against the players.
Participants can wager on single numbers, colors, or groups of numbers. Once all bets have been made, the wheel is set in motion and then a white ball is added to the mix. The ball eventually falls into one of the pockets, and money is paid out to anyone who correctly guessed the orb’s final resting place.
Roulette Wagers
The game of roulette has a wide range of betting options available. Players make their bets on the cloth-covered area known as the layout, and wagers are categorized as “inside” or “outside.”
Inside Bets
Single – Betting on an individual number.
Street – Betting on three numbers within a horizontal line.
Double Street – A wager on two adjacent streets.
Split – A bet on two adjacent numbers, whether horizontal or vertical.
Square – Betting on four numbers that form a square on the layout.
Basket – For single-zero games, a wager on 0, 1, 2, and 3. For double-zero games, it can be a wager on either 0, 1, and 2; 00, 2, and 3; or 0, 00, and 2.
Trio – Only available on the single-zero layout, this bet involves 0, 2, and 3, or 0, 1, and 2.
Top Line – On the double-zero layout, a wager on 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3.
Outside Bets
These wagers traditionally offer better odds to players, although the expected payout is lower.
Red or Black – The player wins if he correctly predicts the color of the winning space.
Even or Odd – The player picks either all even or all odd numbers.
Snake – An unusual wager that includes the following 12 numbers: 1, 5, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 23, 27, 30, 32, and 34.
Column – A bet on all twelve numbers located on one of the three vertical lines on the layout.
Dozen – A wager on the first, second, or third grouping of twelve numbers.
1 to 18 – If one of these numbers comes up, then the bettor wins.
19 to 36 – The bet wins if the ball lands on a number in this range.
Types of Roulette Games
US casinos offering roulette have come up with a wide array of options for the player, from the traditional to the unusual. The next time you’re at a casino, keep an eye out for the following:
American Roulette – The double-zero version favored in US casinos. The overall house edge is 5.26%.
European Roulette – An older version of the game with a single zero. The house edge is a more manageable 2.70%.
French Roulette – A single-zero wheel with a couple of rule variations. Players only lose half their wagers when the ball lands on zero. If the ball lands on zero when betting on even or odd, you can win back your wager by successfully gambling on the next spin.
California Roulette – This land-based version uses cards instead of slots on the wheel. Otherwise, it’s the same as the American version of roulette.
Multi-wheel Roulette – Play up to eight wheels at a time.
Premier Roulette (Diamond Edition) – The numbered slots remain the same, but players now have the option to bet on red, black, purple, blue, yellow, and green.
Multi-ball Roulette – Three virtual balls are spun on the wheel at the same time, allowing for more wagers to be made simultaneously.
Spingo Roulette – A unique combination of roulette, lotto, and bingo.
Live Dealer Roulette – Just like regular online roulette, but with a live dealer and real wheel streamed onto your computer screen.
Online casino roulette games are a staple at any casino, whether land-based or online. In America, they still take a backseat to options such as craps and blackjack, but European players continue to flock to the tables. While the house edge isn’t as friendly as many games, the seemingly 50/50 wager on black/red has proven so tempting that men have bet their life savings on a single spin.
