How to Play Roulette: Rules, Bets & Step-by-Step Guide

Roulette is one of the world’s most popular gambling games, and you can find it in almost every casino in the world. The game revolves around trying to predict which pocket on the wheel the ball will land in, making every spin of the wheel very exciting. If you want to know how to play roulette, keep reading and learn all about the basic roulette rules, odds, tips, and strategies you can apply at CoinPoker.

What is Roulette?

Roulette is a ball-and-wheel casino game you can find in most live and online casinos.

There are many roulette variants out there, but they all follow the same basic gameplay system and rules. A roulette table is made up of the betting section and the wheel section. The betting section is where you place your bets, while the wheel section is where the outcome of each round is ultimately decided.

Rules of Roulette

A roulette wheel is a mechanical wheel split into a number of pockets(37 in European Roulette and 38 in American Roulette). Each pocket is numbered, and a corresponding number is available in the betting section. By placing bets on either particular numbers or various “outside” betting options, you can bet that the ball will land in a particular pocket, or a select group of pockets.

All bets must be completed before the dealer (croupier) spins the ball. Once the ball is spinning, the dealer announces “no more bets,” and all that’s left is the wait. Once the ball has landed, the winning bets are paid, and a new round begins.

At CoinPoker, we offer virtual roulette games, where the outcome of each spin is generated by a state-of-the-art RNG, and live dealer tables, where all action happens in a live casino studio.

How to Play Roulette: Step by Step

The best way to learn how to play roulette is through an example. Let’s walk through a real round of roulette, step by step, and highlight every critical stage. We used an actual roulette game available at CoinPoker for this example, so that you can follow the walkthrough in full. 

Step 1: Pick a Table

Once you launch the CoinPoker lobby, you will find a variety of virtual and live dealer roulette games. Pick a table you like, based on the range of stakes, game type, and live or virtual preference. For this example, we chose one of our virtual roulette tables, with table stakes ranging from $0.20 to $3,000.

Step 2: Place Your Bets

Once the table is loaded, you can place your first bet. Pick a chip denomination from the chips menu, and click on the various betting areas to place your bets. You can bet on single numbers, groups of numbers, columns, rows, red/black, odd/even, and more.

Step 3: Wait for the Spin

Once you have placed your bets, click the spin button to get the ball rolling. The software will automatically initiate the spin, and you will see an animation of the ball rolling within the roulette wheel. The ball will stop in one of the pockets, which will be the winning number.

Step 4: Winning Number Announced

After each spin, you are free to exit the game with your winnings or keep on spinning. You can change your bet size, the number of active paylines, and other parameters for each spin independently.

Step 5: Reset for the Next Spin

As soon as the wins are paid out, you can start betting on the next spin. Click on the clear button to clear all bets, or place additional bets by using the virtual chips. Once you are ready, click the spin button again to initiate a new spin.

Common Roulette Variants

The name roulette is used to describe a wide variety of games, which follow the same basic ruleset. At CoinPoker, you can find many roulette tables, with games like European Roulette, American Roulette, and French Roulette all represented. Each game offers slight twists on the basic rules, such as a different number of pockets, a different house edge, or special rules that affect gameplay.

Common Roulette Bet Types

Roulette bets fall into two main categories, each offering different odds and payouts. Here’s a quick guide to help you understand them before you play.

Inside Bets: Higher risk, higher payout.

• Straight Up: Bet on one single number (pays 35:1). Example: betting on 17.
• Split: Covers two numbers next to each other on the layout (pays 17:1). Example: 17–20.
• Street: Three numbers in a row (pays 11:1). Example: 7–8–9.
• Corner: Four numbers meeting at one corner (pays 8:1). Example: 1–2–4–5.
• Line: Six numbers across two rows (pays 5:1). Example: 10–15.

Outside Bets: Lower risk, lower payout.

• Red or Black: Bet on the color of the winning number (pays 1:1).
• Odd or Even: Choose whether the winning number is odd or even (pays 1:1).
• Dozens/Columns: Covers 12 numbers (pays 2:1).

Roulette Odds & Payouts

The roulette table is split into two main sections. The inside part of the table shows a grid of numbers, split into sections of three numbers each. Placing chips directly on a number makes for a straight bet, which wins only if the ball lands in that specific pocket. Placing chips on the lines between the numbers places split bets, which can win if the ball lands in any of the pockets adjacent to the line. Each bet brings a different roulette payout, depending on the frequency with which it lands.

The outer part of the table is where you place the outside bets. These include rows, columns, odd/even, and red/black. Each column and row is made up of 12 numbers, and neither of them includes the 0 or 00 pockets. The odd/even and red/black bets each correspond to 18 numbers, with 0 and 00 not included in either.

The roulette wheel contains a pocket for every number on the betting table. However, it’s worth noting that the numbers on the wheel are not found in any particular order. The order of the pockets changes from one wheel to the other, but is generally quite random.

Roulette Tips & Strategy for Beginners

Roulette is a game of chance, and no strategy can fundamentally alter the house edge in it. However, as you can see in our detailed roulette strategy guide, there are many roulette strategies that players apply to increase or reduce variance and manipulate the way in which the house edge is realized. Here is a quick look at a few:

Start with Outside Bets

Outside bets carry a lot less variance than inside bets, as they land more frequently. Bets like odd/even and red/black win nearly 50% of the time. In contrast, a straight bet wins only one out of 37 times in European Roulette. While the payouts for outside bets are also much lower, the consistency with which you can win makes them the preferred option for new players. If you have a lucky number, place a small bet on it, and a larger bet on the corresponding outside bet, so as to have a chance of winning both. 

Follow Bankroll Management

Playing at the right table is essential. Both live and online casinos have VIP tables where stakes are high and minimum bets are too large for many players’ bankrolls. If you are just getting started, we recommend playing at tables where you can bet as little as $0.10 or $0.20 per spin. You can increase your bets as you gain confidence and grow your bankroll, but always make sure you have enough in your balance to sustain multiple losing spins. 

Know the Nuances of Online vs. Live Play

There are some key differences between playing roulette online vs. live. Online roulette games, such as those found at CoinPoker offer very fast gameplay, small minimum bets, and a private gameplay environment. Roulette games in live casinos, on the other hand, often have much higher limits, play at a slower pace, and make for a social experience. Make sure to keep these nuances in mind when choosing between playing live or online on any particular day. 

Roulette Made Simple: Try Your Luck Online

Online roulette makes the game simple and allows anyone to enjoy it from the comfort of their home. Join CoinPoker now to play at dozens of different roulette tables, with minimum bets reaching as low as $0.10 per spin. Practice your skills at the low stakes, or check out our VIP tables to play for higher stakes if you are already an experienced roulette player.

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