There’s no getting around it, roulette is a sexy game. The name alone conjures up images of glitzy casinos, crystal chandeliers, men in tuxedos, women clad in barely-there elegant gowns
There’s no getting around it, roulette is a sexy game. The name alone conjures up images of glitzy casinos, crystal chandeliers, men in tuxedos, women clad in barely-there elegant gowns, the clink of a martini glass, and a deep Scots accent pronouncing: ‘Bond, James Bond’.
While online roulette is more of a bring-your-own-Scotsman situation, you can still get the same thrill from gambling online while enjoying the benefits of a more lax dress code, and hopefully a more cost-effective martini.
It helps that roulette is extremely easy to play, and with any number of online casinos offering free trials, you can get started almost immediately. The free spins also give you the opportunity to dip your toe in before committing any money.
In roulette you have a wheel with 36 or 37 numbered slots that alternate between red and black, except for the zero and double zero, which are green. Once you’ve placed your bets, the wheel spins at the click of a button, and a ball is released into the wheel well; the atmosphere heats up until the ball settles into a number slot and the wheel comes to a complete stop. What makes roulette so great is that there are tons of ways to stake your bets and odds range from 1:1 to 35:1. Here’s a list of bets you can make in roulette.
Bet name | Potential payout |
Column (12 numbers from one of three columns) | 2 to 1 |
Dozen (12 consecutive numbers: 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36) | 2 to 1 |
Even bets (even/odd, red/black, low/high) | 1 to 1 |
Straight (single number) | 35 to 1 |
Split (two numbers) | 17 to 1 |
Street (three numbers) | 11 to 1 |
Square (four numbers) | 8 to 1 |
Top line (five numbers) | 6 to 1 |
6 line (six numbers) | 5 to 1 |
For a full rundown of your betting options in all variations of roulette including European, French, and American, check out our guide on how to play roulette.
Once you become more invested in the game it’s time to look into betting strategies and their various pros and cons. This is where it becomes a little more complicated, but it also adds a more dynamic layer to the game.
There are two major variations of roulette – European and American – and a few minor variations such as French roulette, mini-roulette, multi-ball roulette and multi-wheel roulette.
The difference between European and American roulette is all in the wheel; the European roulette wheel has 37 numbered slots ranging from 0 to 36, whereas American roulette has 38 slots including an additional 00. The 00 was introduced by American casinos 150 years ago to increase the house advantage. What this means for you is that European roulette offers odds of 35:1 for single numbers and the American wheel with its additional slot drops your odds to 36:1; giving the house a greater edge. For this reason, when gambling online we recommend playing European roulette to improve your chances of winning.
The minor variation games include:
Multi-wheel roulette
Multi wheel roulette does what it says on the tin; online casinos offer between two and eight wheels with a minimum of one bet per wheel. So a R10 bet placed on black on wheel one multiplies by the number of wheels available; six wheels increase the total stake to R60, eight to R80 and so on. This variation is a little gimmicky and is only offered online; it’s a lot of fun but makes watching your bank roll a lot harder to do.
Multi-ball roulette
This is another self-explanatory variation where an additional two to ten balls can be added to the wheel. The more balls, the more chances to win.
Mini roulette
This variant has a smaller version of the European wheel with only 13 slots instead of the usual 36; this is broken down into 12 numbers, 6 red, 6 black and of course the green zero slot. The betting odds are significantly better for this game as it now offers a ratio of 11:1 rather than 35:1. This is another great introductory game as it’s fun, quick, and the payout more frequent.
Live roulette
Live roulette is for those who want a more personal touch and dislike random number generators (RNG). Live games are streamed via a high quality webcam and involve a real wheel, ball, roulette table, and a lovely, professional croupier who spins the wheel.
Game | Provider | Variant | RTP | Why we like it |
European Roulette Pro | European | 97.3% | Play’nGO offers you all the betting options of European, French, and American roulette while sticking to the better odds of the European wheel. | |
Zoom Roulette | European | 97.3% | Gameplay is focused on the wheel; once you’ve placed your bets the zoom function allows you to watch the ball in action as the wheel spins. | |
Gold Roulette | European | 97.3% | Wazdan is the tech king when it comes to modernising online games and introducing special features that improve your gaming experience. Gold roulette is no exception; when placing bets you see only the roulette table, but once you hit spin, the screen automatically scrolls up to reveal the roulette wheel. This makes the ball animation clearer and allows you to focus on the wheel. Fast play can be introduced by clicking on the tortoise icon, which then turns into a hare. The game also has an autoplay function and a gamble feature that lets you stake your winnings on a game of double or nothing. |
Roulette is the perfect option for table game newbies who want a taste of the action without having to swot up before you get rolling. It’s also a great game for math fiends who enjoy employing betting strategies and statistics to improve their gaming experience.
Finally, it’s the ideal game for anyone who wants the fast-paced action of slots, but wants a better way of keeping an eye on their wallets.
