How a Game of Roulette Works (Step-by-Step)

Roulette is a casino table game in which outcomes are determined entirely by chance. This page explains how roulette works from start to finish, covering the wheel, the table layout, bet types, and how payouts are calculated. It is intended as a reference guide only. It does not cover strategy, betting systems, or methods for influencing results.

Roulette is a table game built around a single question: which numbered pocket will the ball land in when the wheel stops spinning? Players place wagers on the table layout before each spin, selecting from a range of possible outcomes. When the spin is complete, the ball settles into one of the numbered pockets on the wheel, and bets are settled accordingly. 

The game involves three physical components: the wheel, the ball, and the table layout. The wheel contains a fixed set of numbered, colored pockets. The ball is introduced into the spinning wheel and comes to rest in one of those pockets. The table layout is a printed grid that maps all available wagers to the numbers and groupings on the wheel. 

Outcomes in roulette are random. The pocket in which the ball lands cannot be predicted or influenced by any action taken at the table. Each spin is an independent event; the result of one spin has no bearing on the result of the next.

Not all roulette wheels are identical. The two most common configurations are European and American, and they differ in the number of pockets on the wheel. 

European roulette features 37 pockets in total: the numbers 1 to 36 and a single green zero pocket. The numbers 1 to 36 alternate between red and black around the wheel. 

American roulette features 38 pockets: the numbers 1 to 36, a single green zero pocket, and an additional green double zero pocket. The double zero is a distinct pocket: it is not a variant of the single zero but an entirely separate outcome. 

The structural difference between the two is the number of possible outcomes per spin. European roulette has 37 possible outcomes; American roulette has 38. This affects how payouts relate to probabilities across all bet types, since payout rates are fixed regardless of which wheel configuration is in use. 

The table layout is the printed betting surface that sits alongside or in front of the wheel. It is where players place their chips before each spin. The layout is divided into two main areas: the inside betting area and the outside betting area. 

The inside area contains the full number grid. Numbers 1 to 36 are arranged in three columns of twelve rows, running from top to bottom. The zero (and, on American tables, the double zero) sits at the top of the grid, above the number 1. Each number is displayed in either red or black, corresponding to its color on the wheel. 

The outside area surrounds the number grid and contains a series of broader groupings. These include color (red/black), parity (odd/even), high/low ranges, dozens, and columns. Rather than covering specific numbers, outside bets cover large categories of outcome. 

The table below summarizes the main zones and what each covers: 

The position of a chip on the layout determines which outcome or outcomes it covers. A chip placed precisely on a single number covers only that number; a chip placed on the line between two numbers covers both. 

Announced and called bets 

In addition to the standard inside and outside bets placed directly on the table layout, some roulette formats, particularly French roulette and certain European tables, include a separate betting track called the racetrack. This is an oval representation of the wheel’s number sequence, positioned separately from the main grid, and it is used to place a category of wagers known as announced or called bets. 

These bets are defined by groups of numbers as they appear on the wheel rather than as they are arranged on the table grid. The four standard announced bets are as follows: 

Voisins du Zéro (neighbours of zero) covers 17 numbers that sit on the wheel either side of the zero: 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2 and 25. It requires a minimum of nine chips, placed across a combination of split, street, and corner positions on the layout. 

Tiers du Cylindre (thirds of the wheel) covers 12 numbers on the opposite side of the wheel from zero: 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16 and 33. It is placed as six split bets using six chips. 

Orphelins (orphans) covers the eight numbers not included in Voisins or Tiers: 17, 34, 6 on one arc of the wheel, and 1, 20, 14, 31 and 9 on the other. It is placed as a combination of straight up and split bets using five chips. 

Jeu Zéro (zero game) covers seven numbers close to zero on the wheel: 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32 and 15. It is placed using four chips across a combination of split bets and one straight up bet on 26. 

Neighbours is a further category of announced bet that is not fixed in composition. A neighbours bet covers a specific number and a defined count of numbers on either side of it as they appear on the wheel. “5 and the neighbours” covers the number 5 plus the two numbers immediately to its left and two to its right on the wheel: five numbers in total. The count of neighbours can vary, and the bet requires one chip per number covered. 

Not all roulette tables offer announced bets, and their availability depends on the specific variant and format in use. 

Each round of roulette follows the same fixed sequence. The steps below describe the mechanics of a standard game. 

Step 1: The wheel and table are set 

At the start of each round, the wheel and table layout are in their standard configuration. The number and position of pockets on the wheel do not change between spins. The layout remains fixed. There is no variation in the structure of the game from round to round. 

Step 2: Bets are placed 

Once a round opens, players position chips on the table layout to indicate which outcomes they are wagering on. Chips can be placed on any valid position on the layout: a single number, a group of numbers, or one of the outside categories. The position of the chip determines what is covered; the value of the chip determines the size of the wager. 

Different positions on the table carry different probabilities and different payout rates. A bet that covers more numbers has a higher probability of winning and a lower payout rate. A bet that covers fewer numbers has a lower probability of winning and a higher payout rate. These relationships are fixed and consistent regardless of the wheel type in use.

Multiple bets can be placed on a single spin. There is no limit on how many positions a player can cover simultaneously, though table minimums and maximums apply to individual bets. 

Step 3: Betting closes and the spin occurs 

At a fixed point in each round, betting closes. No further chips can be placed or removed after this point. The wheel spins in one direction while the ball is introduced spinning in the opposite direction along the inner rim of the wheel. As the wheel slows, the ball loses momentum and falls inward, bouncing between the frets that separate the pockets before coming to rest in one of them. 

The outcome is determined by where the ball settles. This cannot be predicted or influenced. The spin is a mechanically random process; in a live setting driven by the physics of the wheel and ball, and in an online or electronic setting by certified random number generation software. 

Step 4: Outcome and payout resolution 

When the ball comes to rest in a pocket, the outcome for that round is confirmed. The number and color of the pocket are identified, and all bets placed on the table are evaluated against that outcome. 

Bets that correspond to the outcome are paid at their predefined rate. For example, a bet on a single number that matches the outcome pays at 35:1, meaning a winning stake of £1 returns £35 in winnings plus the original £1 stake. Bets that do not correspond to the outcome are collected. A new round then begins. 

Roulette offers a range of bet types, each defined by how many numbers it covers and what payout it carries. The tables below provide a reference overview of the standard bet types available on a European (single zero) wheel. Probabilities and payouts differ slightly on American wheels due to the additional double zero pocket. 

Inside bets 

Inside bets are placed on specific numbers or small groups within the number grid. 

Outside bets 

Outside bets are placed on the broader categories surrounding the number grid. 

Note that zero (and double zero) are not covered by any outside bet. If the ball lands in a zero pocket, all outside bets lose.

The rules described on this page apply to standard European and American roulette. Several other variants exist, sharing the same core mechanics while introducing modified rules or additional features.

French roulette, for example, uses a European wheel but may include specific rules governing what happens to even-money outside bets when the ball lands on zero.

Other variants, including multi-wheel, mini roulette, and various live dealer formats, adjust elements such as the wheel size, the number of zeros, or the speed of play, while retaining the same fundamental structure of wheel, ball, and table layout.

Roulette is distinct from many other casino table games in that players have no decisions to make once betting closes. In games such as blackjack, player choices during a hand affect the outcome. In roulette, once bets are placed and the spin begins, no further action is taken or available. The result is determined entirely by the ball. 

This means probabilities in roulette are fixed and consistent. The likelihood of any given outcome on a European wheel, whether a specific number, color, or grouping, does not change based on previous results, the number of bets placed, or any other variable. Each spin produces an independent outcome. 

Roulette also differs from card games in that there is no element of partial information. In poker or blackjack, players make decisions based on cards they can see. In roulette, all possible outcomes are equally visible before every spin, and none can be eliminated or made more likely by any information available at the table. 

Free-play roulette allows users to experience the full mechanics of the game, including placing bets, spinning the wheel, and receiving payout calculations, without real-money wagering.

It functions as a functional replica of the standard game and covers the same bet types, payout structures, and round sequence described on this page. It is a practical way to become familiar with the table layout and how different bet positions work before engaging with the real-money format.