📖 Rules of Roulette
Everything you need to know about European roulette: bets, payouts, probabilities and strategies.
🎰Introduction to European Roulette
Roulette is one of the most iconic casino games in the world. Invented in France in the 17th century, it owes its name to the French word meaning "little wheel". European roulette is the most advantageous version for the player, with a single zero (0).
🌍 Why European roulette?
Unlike American roulette which has a double zero (00), European roulette has only one zero. This difference is crucial:
- ✓European roulette: 37 numbers (0-36) → House edge 2.70%
- ✗American roulette: 38 numbers (0, 00, 1-36) → House edge 5.26%
ℹ️ On EasyRoulette
All strategies offered on EasyRoulette are optimized for European roulette. Calculations, probabilities and recommendations are based on this version of the game.
🎡The Wheel and Numbers
The European roulette wheel contains 37 numbered slots: numbers from 1 to 36, plus zero (0). The numbers are arranged non-consecutively to ensure a balanced distribution.
🔴 Red Numbers (18)
1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 32, 34, 36
⚫ Black Numbers (18)
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, 31, 33, 35
🟢 Zero (1)
Zero is the green slot on the wheel. This slot gives the house its edge. When the ball lands on 0, all bets on even-money chances (red/black, even/odd, low/high) are lost, unless a special rule applies.
🔄 Order on the European wheel
The numbers are arranged in this order (starting from 0, clockwise):
0 - 32 - 15 - 19 - 4 - 21 - 2 - 25 - 17 - 34 - 6 - 27 - 13 - 36 - 11 - 30 - 8 - 23 - 10 - 5 - 24 - 16 - 33 - 1 - 20 - 14 - 31 - 9 - 22 - 18 - 29 - 7 - 28 - 12 - 35 - 3 - 26
🎯Inside Bets
Inside bets are placed directly on the numbers on the layout. They offer higher payouts but lower probabilities.
Straight Up
Payout: 35:1Bet on a single number. The chip is placed in the center of the square.
Probability: 2.70% (1/37)
Split
Payout: 17:1Bet on two adjacent numbers. The chip is placed on the line between the two numbers.
Probability: 5.41% (2/37)
Street
Payout: 11:1Bet on a row of 3 numbers (e.g., 1-2-3). The chip is placed on the outer edge of the row.
Probability: 8.11% (3/37)
Corner
Payout: 8:1Bet on 4 numbers forming a square (e.g., 1-2-4-5). The chip is placed at the intersection of the 4 numbers.
Probability: 10.81% (4/37)
Six Line
Payout: 5:1Bet on 6 numbers (2 adjacent rows, e.g., 1-2-3-4-5-6). The chip is placed at the intersection of the two rows on the outer edge.
Probability: 16.22% (6/37)
🎲Outside Bets
Outside bets are placed on the areas surrounding the main layout. They offer lower payouts but higher probabilities.
⚡ Even Money (Payout 1:1)
🔴 Red / Black
Bet on the color of the winning number.
18 numbers covered → 48.65%
2️⃣ Even / Odd
Bet on the parity of the winning number.
18 numbers covered → 48.65%
⬇️ Low / High
Low (1-18) or High (19-36).
18 numbers covered → 48.65%
🎯 Multiple Chances
📊 Dozens
Payout: 2:1Bet on a dozen numbers:
- • 1st dozen: 1-12
- • 2nd dozen: 13-24
- • 3rd dozen: 25-36
12 numbers covered → 32.43%
📏 Columns
Payout: 2:1Bet on a vertical column of 12 numbers:
- • Column 1: 1, 4, 7, 10...
- • Column 2: 2, 5, 8, 11...
- • Column 3: 3, 6, 9, 12...
12 numbers covered → 32.43%
💰Payout Table
| Bet Type | Numbers | Payout | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Up | 1 | 35:1 | 2.70% |
| Split | 2 | 17:1 | 5.41% |
| Street | 3 | 11:1 | 8.11% |
| Corner | 4 | 8:1 | 10.81% |
| Six Line | 6 | 5:1 | 16.22% |
| Dozens/Columns | 12 | 2:1 | 32.43% |
| Even Money | 18 | 1:1 | 48.65% |
📊Probabilities
Understanding probabilities is essential to playing roulette intelligently. Each bet has a specific probability of winning based on the number of slots covered.
⚠️ House Edge
In European roulette, the house edge is 2.70% on all bets. This means that over the long run, the casino retains 2.70% of all bets placed. No strategy can eliminate this mathematical advantage.
🎬Game Flow
Place your bets
The croupier invites players to place their bets on the layout. You can place multiple different bets at the same time.
Ball launch
The croupier spins the wheel in one direction and launches the ball in the opposite direction. Players can still bet for a few seconds.
No more bets
When the ball starts to slow down, the croupier announces "No more bets". No bets are accepted after this announcement.
Number announcement
The ball stops in a slot. The croupier announces the winning number, its color, and whether it's even/odd, low/high.
Payout
The croupier collects losing bets and pays winning bets. A new round can then begin.
⚖️Special Rules
🔄 La Partage Rule
In some European casinos, when 0 comes up and you've bet on an even-money chance (red/black, even/odd, low/high), you only lose half your bet instead of everything.
⚠️ This rule reduces the house edge to 1.35% on even-money bets!
🔒 En Prison Rule
A variant of La Partage: when 0 comes up on an even-money bet, your bet is "imprisoned". On the next spin, if your even-money bet wins, you get your bet back (no winnings). If it loses, you lose everything.
⚠️ This rule also offers a reduced house edge of 1.35%.
🎰 Online Casinos
Online casinos like Stake typically offer standard European roulette (without La Partage or En Prison). Always check the specific table rules before playing. Some "VIP" or "French Roulette" tables may offer these advantageous rules.