Unlike blackjack or poker, roulette doesn’t require complex strategy or years of experience. Once you understand how the betting table works and the difference between European, French, and American roulette, you’re basically ready to play.
However, there are still some details to watch out for to get the best roulette experience, so in this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know, including the rules, betting options, payouts, odds, house edge, and a few practical tips.
How Is Roulette Different from Other Casino Games?
Roulette truly occupies a unique place in the casino. It’s one of the few games that’s equally appealing to complete beginners and experienced players, as well as to low and high rollers.
The rules can be explained in under five minutes, and the variety of betting options means you can approach the game in dozens of different ways. Some players stick to simple even-money bets, while others build entire strategies around inside bets like splits and straight-ups.
Unlike blackjack or poker, roulette doesn’t reward skill in the traditional sense. Every spin is completely independent, and no betting system can change the house edge. It’s a game that 100% relies on luck, and the player’s decisions revolve around risk versus reward.
Do you want frequent, smaller wins, or are you willing to play a much riskier bet in exchange for the chance of a 35:1 payout? With your bet choice, you’re essentially adjusting the volatility of the game, from extremely low (in the case of even-money bets like Red/Black), to extremely high (in the case of straight-up bets when you only cover one number).
Another thing I appreciate about roulette is its transparency. You watch the dealer spin the wheel and drop the ball, and you can see the result for yourself. Also, you already know exactly what the payout is and what the house edge will be before each bet, so there are no surprises in roulette.
Speaking of the house edge and RTP, different versions of roulette use different types of wheels and rules that affect the house edge, and I’ll explain later in this guide which versions of roulette are the best.
And unlike many modern casino games that often come with bonus features and complicated mechanics, roulette has remained largely unchanged for centuries. Whether you’re playing at The Star Sydney, The Crown, or online roulette at one of the top Australian online casinos, the experience is fundamentally the same.
Different Types of Roulette at Aussie Casinos
Choosing the right roulette wheel is probably the most important decision you’ll make before placing your first bet. The biggest difference is the wheel itself. Some versions use a single zero, others add a double zero, and a few include special rules that can significantly reduce the house edge.
In my experience, picking the right version of the game is the most important thing you can do before playing roulette.
European Roulette is the most standard roulette version, and when you see ‘classic roulette’, most people refer to this one. Also, it’s the version I recommend to almost everyone, especially if you’re just starting out. The wheel features 37 pockets (numbers 1 to 36 plus a single zero), giving the house an edge of just 2.70%.
It’s the most widely available version at Australian online casinos and offers the best balance of simplicity and favourable odds. Most of the modern variations with multipliers and other extras use the European wheel as a base too, so I suggest you read the rules of the game before playing.
At first glance, French Roulette looks identical to the European version, but it includes two player-friendly rules: La Partage and En Prison.
These apply to even-money bets and can reduce the house edge to just 1.35%, making French Roulette one of the best-value casino games you can play. However, finding a true French roulette game is not an easy feat, and even if a game is advertised as a ‘French’ version of roulette, it might not feature the two extra rules.
Still, the worst-case scenario would be to play a standard European roulette game in French, which isn’t that bad after all.
American Roulette adds a double zero (00) to the wheel, increasing the total number of pockets from 37 to 38. That single extra pocket doubles the house edge from 2.70% to 5.26%, which makes it a much worse game. Unless you specifically want to play the American version, I’d recommend choosing European or French Roulette instead.
Online roulette games can be played with a live dealer or RNG roulette. The more popular type now is live dealer roulette, where the game is played with a real roulette wheel and is spun by a professional dealer in real time while you place your bets online.
The game is recorded with multiple cameras and streamed live, so you’re watching a livestream of a game that’s taking place on a real casino floor or a specialised studio. If this is what you’re after, I suggest you take a look at my recommendations for live casinos.
RNG roulette is a digital version of online roulette that uses a Random Number Generator to determine the outcome of every spin instead of a physical wheel.
The odds are the same as the live version, but it’s a digital version where you control the pace, and you can click to spin the wheel. It’s an excellent choice if you’re practising, want to try it in demo for free, or just prefer to control the pace of the game yourself.
For example, players who are using more complex strategies like Fibonacci or Anti Martingale often play RNG roulette because they’ve got enough time to calculate the size of their next bet.
In recent years, many of the biggest live casino studios have started releasing new roulette variants that add extra features like random multipliers, bonus rounds, and other features designed to increase the potential payouts.
Some of the most popular examples include PowerUP Roulette, Fortune Roulette, and Mega Roulette by Pragmatic Play Live, Quantum Roulette by Playtech, and more.
While the rules remain largely the same, these games randomly assign multipliers to selected numbers before each spin, giving you the chance to win far more than the standard 35:1 payout on a straight-up bet.
However, most of these games come with a worse overall RTP and a higher house edge, so while they can be fun to try, you would be better off with classic roulette in the long run.
Live casino providers continue to innovate, and many are now combining roulette with some of their successful game franchises. One of the most popular games at Australian roulette casinos is Gates of Olympus Roulette by Pragmatic Play Live, which was inspired by the hugely popular Gates of Olympus pokie.
The game is a combination of roulette with the game’s iconic theme, but besides the visuals, it also adds a bonus mechanic that adds a multiplier to randomly chosen numbers before each round.
Gates of Olympus Roulette is just one example, but you’ll find plenty of other branded and themed roulette games that borrow elements from popular pokies or live casino games.
Roulette Bets Explained
A standard European roulette table offers 157 different bets, giving you plenty of ways to approach the game. But don’t worry, even if you’re an absolute beginner, most of the bets are self-explanatory, and you’ll have no trouble understanding what each of them covers.
Every bet falls into one of two categories: inside bets, which cover individual numbers or small groups of numbers, and outside bets, which cover larger sections of the wheel. As a general rule, the more numbers your bet covers, the more likely it is to win, but the lower the payout.
The payout corresponds with the bet type, as you can see in the table below:
| Bet | Covers | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| Straight Up | 1 number | 35:1 |
| Split | 2 numbers | 17:1 |
| Street | 3 numbers | 11:1 |
| Corner | 4 numbers | 8:1 |
| Six Line | 6 numbers | 5:1 |
| Column | 12 numbers | 2:1 |
| Dozen | 12 numbers | 2:1 |
| Red / Black | 18 numbers | 1:1 |
| Odd / Even | 18 numbers | 1:1 |
| High / Low | 18 numbers | 1:1 |
Inside Bets
Inside bets are placed directly on the numbered section of the table, which is how they got their name. They cover between one and six numbers, making them the highest-paying bets in roulette.
A straight-up bet on a single number pays 35:1, which is the highest-paying (and most volatile) bet in roulette, while bets covering multiple numbers offer slightly lower payouts in exchange for better winning odds.
Outside Bets
Outside bets are placed around the edge of the betting layout and cover much larger groups of numbers. These include Red/Black, Odd/Even, High/Low, Dozens, and Columns. Because they cover anywhere from 12 to 18 numbers, they land much more frequently than inside bets, although the payouts are limited to 1:1 or 2:1.
Alex’s Advice: If you’ve ever heard of betting systems like the Martingale, D’Alembert, or Fibonacci, they’re all based on outside bets. That’s because bets like Red/Black or Odd/Even come as close to a 50-50 proposition as roulette allows.
The single zero in European and two zeroes in American roulette give the house the mathematical edge. For most players, I recommend sticking to outside bets, as they offer the lowest volatility and let you enjoy the game longer.
Roulette Rules You Should Know
Unlike blackjack, the important rules in roulette that affect the odds significantly are rather easy to notice. The most important ones are the number of zero pockets on the wheel and the table limits.
Single Zero vs Double Zero
The most important rule in roulette is how many zero pockets are on the wheel. European Roulette has 37 pockets (numbers 1-36 plus a single zero), while American Roulette adds a double zero for a total of 38 pockets.
That extra pocket increases the house edge from 2.70% to 5.26%, which effectively doubles the casino’s advantage. It doesn’t sound like much, but American roulette is a much worse game, and you should always choose the European version when you have the chance.
Table Betting Limits
Every roulette table has a minimum and maximum betting limit. The minimum tells you the smallest wager you can place on a spin, while the maximum limits how much you can bet on a particular outcome.
These limits become especially important if you’re using a betting strategy such as the Martingale, where you increase your stake after every loss. Eventually, you’ll either reach the table maximum or a point where doubling your bet is no longer practical.
La Partage & En Prison (When Available)
Some French roulette tables include special rules called La Partage or En Prison. Both apply to even-money bets such as Red/Black, Odd/Even, and High/Low when the ball lands on zero.
With La Partage, you automatically receive half of your stake back. En Prison gives your bet another chance on the next spin instead of settling it immediately. Both rules reduce the house edge on eligible bets to around 1.35%, which brings roulette very close in RTP to games like baccarat and video poker.
How to Play Roulette: Step by Step
Part of roulette’s appeal is its simplicity. There are no complicated decisions to make, cards to memorise, or anything like that. Every round follows the same straightforward process, so roulette is one of the easiest games for beginners to learn.
The steps below describe how a typical live roulette game works, which is currently the most popular way for Aussies to play online.
1
Place Your Bets:
Before the wheel starts spinning, choose where you’d like to place your chips. You can combine inside and outside bets however you like, as long as you stay within the table’s betting limits.
2
The Dealer Closes Betting:
The betting stage typically lasts around 30 seconds, which is usually enough time to place your bets. Once the betting closes, the dealer announces “No more bets.” From this point on, no additional bets or changes are allowed.
3
The Wheel Is Spun:
The dealer spins the wheel in one direction and launches the ball in the opposite direction. In some versions, like Speed Roulette, the ball is released automatically by a machine, but these are just minor details that don’t really affect the gameplay.
4
The Ball Finds the Winning Number:
After circling the wheel dozens of times, the ball eventually comes to rest in one of the pockets on the wheel.
5
Winning Bets Are Paid:
The dealer announces the winning number, and the winning bets are paid out automatically according to the payout table. Once every wager has been settled, a new round begins, and betting opens again.
If you’re playing RNG roulette, the process is even quicker. There’s no live dealer or waiting for other players to place their bets. Simply choose your wagers, click Spin, and the software instantly generates the winning number.
5 Things That Will Make You a Better Roulette Player
One of the biggest myths about roulette is that there’s a secret betting system that can beat the casino. Unfortunately, that’s not the case, as the odds are determined by the wheel itself, and no betting strategy can change the house edge in the long run.
The good news is that you can improve your chances by making a few smart decisions before playing. Here are the things I suggest you do before playing roulette:
- Choose the Right Roulette Game: This is by far the biggest factor affecting your long-term odds. European Roulette has a much lower house edge than American Roulette, so this is a major decision that will help you in the long run.
- Always Read the Table Rules: Although rare, some online roulette games might come with some unfavourable hidden rules. So, before you start playing, check the minimum and maximum bets, available betting options, and whether any special rules apply.
- Check the Table Limits: If you plan to use a betting system like Oscar’s Grind or Martingale, make sure the table’s maximum bet is high enough to support it. The general rule of thumb here is the wider the betting limits, the better.
- Look for La Partage or En Prison: These special rules apply to even-money bets and reduce the house edge from 2.70% to 1.35%. Unfortunately, they’re becoming increasingly difficult to find, but they’re always worth taking advantage of when available.
- Don’t Fall for Gambling Fallacies: Every roulette spin is completely independent. If the ball has landed on black five times in a row, it doesn’t mean red is more likely on the next spin. Likewise, no betting system or pattern can predict future outcomes. Don’t make beginner mistakes and don’t fall for gambling fallacies that, if anything, can only hurt your bankroll.
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