Complete Roulette Guide (2020 Edition for CA players)
Roulette is everyone’s favourite ball and wheel game that has been a staple at online casinos since their inception.
Giving players a chance to win more significant money than the likes of Blackjack, Roulette is increasing in popularity with new Canadian gamblers.
Before you place your bets on the Roulette wheel, it pays to know how to play the game. We look at the basic rules of Roulette, how to win and everything else you need to know.
Understanding roulette terminology can be tough, with inside and outside bets, roulette strategy, odds of winning and the difference between American and European Roulette.
Our guide gives you a look into the world of Roulette and what makes it one of the more popular casino games.
How to play Roulette
In its purest form, Roulette is an easy game for beginners to play. You simply put your money on a number and hope the ball lands on it.
However, Roulette is a much more complex game than that, so we look at the basic and more advanced Roulette strategies.
Firstly, determine if you’re playing American or European Roulette. American Roulette has a double green zero, and European Roulette just has a single green zero. That’s the only difference, so that’s nothing to be confused about when visiting the casinos.
A roulette wheel displays numbers 1-36, and one or two green zeros. Players will place their chips on any of the numbers, and the casino dealer then spins the wheel and drops the ball.
For example, if you have placed a $1 bet on numbers 1 and 2, and the dealer spins up number 2, you win $36 for your $2 outlay. Your odds of hitting a number are 1/36, hence why you get paid $36 per $1 investment.
You don’t need to put your chip on one number; it can cross any line for a fraction of the potential winnings. A chip can cover four different numbers, and you will receive a quarter of the returns.
A player can put down multiple chips on the table. It gives you more chances of winning, and you can place as much money as you want on the board.
To sum up the basics of placing a bet on roulette wheels, there are five essential things to remember.
- Choose your numbers to bet on
- Choose a responsible bet amount
- Wait for the dealer to spin the wheel and see where the ball lands
- Collect your winnings if your number is called
- Place another bet on the following round of betting
Inside Bets
We have briefly touched upon inside bets above, but now we take a more in-depth look into what it means.
Looking at a roulette table can be confusing, especially if it’s your first time playing. Knowing how to place your chips correctly is essential, as we don’t want your money to be placed on the wrong numbers.
Below is a guide for all seven inside bets you can place.
- Straight – A bet that covers only one number. You can place your bet on one, two or any number on the table, so long as the chip is in the middle of the square and not touching any sides.
- Split – A bet on two numbers that are beside each other on the table. Place your chip on a line, and you will get 50% odds, compared to a straight bet. For example, placing your chip on the line between numbers one and two will return $18 for a $1 bet if you made a $1 wager.
- Street – A bet on three consecutive numbers on the same line. It runs vertically, so numbers one, two, and three would be a viable street bet. As would 10, 11, and 12.
- Corner – Place your chips on the edge of a double-number square. You get odds of 25%, and this bet is otherwise known as a “square” bet.
- Trio – A three-number bet that includes the green zero.
These are the most popular inside bets. Gamblers will typically prefer to play multiple inside bets in one spin.
If you’re about to play your first roulette game, we suggest trying a few different inside bets to see which you prefer.
Outside Bets
Betting on roulette tables isn’t just about picking a number. There are many types of wagers you can place on a roulette table.
They all represent different odds of winning and given that the casino doesn’t have a significant edge on the roulette table, these are popular with beginner gamblers.
Bets that don’t take place on a number are called Outside Bets. There are five different types of outside bets, and all give casino players a good chance of winning at the roulette table.
- Red or Black – Bet on whether the ball lands on a red or black number. The casino typically has an edge with this bet if the ball lands on the green. They have a more significant advantage on an American roulette table because of the double zero.
- Odd or Even – Bet on the number being odd or even. It’s one of the more popular and straightforward roulette bet games.
- 1 to 18 or 19-36 – Players can bet on whether the ball lands on numbers 1 to 18 or numbers 19-36. It’s a split bet with a good chance of success. Again, the only number that can give the casino an edge is the zero.
- Dozens – It’s the same concept as the above game types, except the numbers, which are split into 1-12, 13-24, 25-36.
- Columns – Bet on which of the three columns the ball lands on.
Choosing your numbers
Winning at Roulette is a fun experience for most players. There is a lot of luck involved, particularly when picking a number between one and 36. However, there is a science behind picking numbers.
A roulette strategy is crucial if you want to win consistently, so placing your chips on the right numbers can give you the edge over the casino.
Some American and European online casinos will display the hot and cold numbers. Take notice of these, as the cold numbers are good to stay away from. Hot numbers are numbers that are appearing more often than others, so keep an eye on these.
When you play Roulette, you’ll often start with picking your favourite numbers. There is nothing wrong with this strategy, and there’s no better feeling than winning on your favourite numbers.
However, feel free to pick your favourite numbers and also make an outside bet. It can act as insurance to your bet, or give you an edge over casinos.
The odds are relatively even between players and the casinos, which is why Roulette is one of the more popular online casino games.
Players can bet on the zero or double zero. The odds are the same, and it’s often a popular option for newer roulette players.
Bet sizing
Online casinos will have a minimum bet size displayed before you enter the table environment. Much like a Blackjack table showing a minimum of $10 per hand, a roulette table will have something in the range of $1 – $5.
That represents the minimum bet you’re allowed to put on one single number. If you put $10 in chips on number two, and it hits, then you’ll get 10x your chips.
Editor’s Advice: Make sure you find a 100% match bonus before you sign up for an online casino. That way, when you deposit C$100, you get C$200 to play for.
Please be careful when placing your bets on the table. If you like to play multiple numbers, it can all add up to a lot of chips for one spin. We suggest playing smaller limit games to gain confidence before heading to the higher limit games.
Roulette odds
We have covered some of the odds already, but below is a list of the odds you get for every bet type.
- Straight Up – 35:1
- Split – 17:11
- Street – 11:1
- Corners – 8:1
- Basket – 6:1
- Line – 5:1
- Column – 2:1
- Dozen – 2:1
- Low number – 1:1
- High number – 1:1
- Red/Black – 1:1
As you can see, three of the bet types are resulting in a 1:1 chance of winning money. Getting even money odds is considered a good casino game, much like winning a hand of Blackjack.
Given how many forms of games there are on a roulette wheel, there are multiple ways to win on one spin. That’s what makes the game so appealing to new players.
All you need to do is place your chips on the table and let the ball do the work.
The en prison rule
The en prison rule hails from French Roulette but is sometimes included in the rules of European and American Roulette.
If players have bet on an even bet type, such as Red/Black or even/odd, and the ball lands on the zero, you will get your money back.
There are many different French Roulette rules, including the La Partage rule, which allows players to recoup half of their original bet. Casinos can offer one of these two French rules or neither of them, so it pays to check with your casino about the rules before you bet.