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A beginner’s guide to Roulette terminology

The casino game Roulette has been popular for decades. It’s easy to play and there are minimal rules. Simply place your bet or bets, watch as the croupier throws the ball and the wheel spins, gradually slowing down and coming to a stop as the ball lands in a pocket. You’re either a winner or a loser. Roulette tables often amass crowds of people, waiting in tension and anticipation to see if a lucky player has got one over the house. The terminology too, is easy to pick up, but if you’re yet to have a go on the Roulette wheel, you may find it a little daunting. Read on, as we give you all you need to know.

American Roulette: different from European Roulette, as the wheel and table show the numbers 1-36, 0 and an additional 00. This increases the house edge, making the variant more favourable to the casino.

Betting systems: strategies that some players may employ in the hope that it will increase their chances of winning, or recuperate any losses they have made. The most famous are the Martingale, Paroli, D’Alembert and Fibonacci.

Column bet: a bet on any one of the three columns on the table. This offers a pay-out of 2:1.

Corner bet: a bet on four numbers which appear together on the table, placing the chip on the corner that all the numbers meet. This offers a pay-out of 8:1.

Dozen bet: a bet on the wheel landing on either the first (1-12), second (13-24) or third dozen (25-36) numbers. This offers a pay-out of 2:1.

En Prison: a French rule employed in European Roulette. Under this rule, if a player lands a 0, they are given the option to take half of their bet back to ensure they do not lose it all, or leave it on the table and spin again. If they land a second successive 0, the entire bet is lost.

European Roulette: the most common variation of Roulette, derived from the original game. The wheel and table have the numbers 1-36 and 0, making the odds more favourable to the player.

House edge: the mathematical edge the casino has over the player. In American Roulette this is 5.26% and in European Roulette, it’s a lot lower at 2.70%.

Inside bet: a bet on an individual number or a series of numbers, which are positioned together on the table. These are situated on the inside (or larger/main section) of the table. See specific betting options for more details.

La Partage: another French rule utilised in some forms of European Roulette. Under this rule, if a player places an even-money (outside) bet and the ball lands on 0, the player is able to take back half of their bet, but they do not get to spin again.

Live Roulette: this is an online variation filmed in a casino or studio to mimic the atmosphere of a brick-and-mortar casino. Players will be able to interact with the dealer and other players the way they would in a physical establishment, but from an online device.

Low or high: a bet on the winning number being either low (1-18) or high (19-36). This offers a pay-out of 1:1.

Odd or even: a bet on the winning number being an odd number or even. This offers a pay-out of 1:1.

Outside bet: a bet on a wider range of numbers, rather than one individually. These are situated on the outside (or smaller section) of the table. See specific betting options for more details.

Parlay: the term used for players who leave their money on the table after a winning spin, in the hope of adding to it.

Pay-out: the money the croupier or casino will pay you when you win. For example, the smallest pay-outs are on outside bets (1:1) which are easier to predict. However, the largest pay-out comes by predicting a correct number from a straight bet, and you’ll receive a pay-out of 35:1, as it’s harder to predict.

Pocket: the hole in which the ball can land. These are all equal in size to ensure a fair game.

Red or black: a bet on the winning number being either red or black in colour. This offers a pay-out of 1:1.

Six-line bet: also known as a double street bet. A bet on two rows of numbers which appear together on the table, for example: 7, 8, 9 and 10, 11, 12. This offers a pay-out of 5:1.

Split bet: a bet on two numbers, adjacent to each other on the table. This offers a pay-out of 17:1.

Straight bet: a bet on a single number, which offers a pay-out of 35:1.

Street bet: a bet on three numbers which appear on the same row of the table. This offers a pay-out of 11:1.

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