American roulette rules explained

Roulette is one of the best-known casino games in the world. Certainly, it’s one of the most-played casino games ever. Its simple rules make roulette a suitable game for newcomers to the world of online gambling. However, more experienced gambling lovers also adore roulette for its realistic chances of winning big prizes, along with its wide variety of interesting wagers.

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Roulette means little wheel

Roulette was being played as long ago as the seventeenth century. The game was first developed in France, and the rules have barely changed in this time. Roulette means ‘little wheel’ in French. Over the years, the game of roulette has gathered a very large following of fanatical players.

American roulette Vs. European roulette

As you may already know, there are two main variants of roulette - American roulette and European roulette. Each variant has its own rules, although the rules of European and American roulette differ little. There are two small differences in the rules:

Chips

• In American roulette, each player uses a different chip color.
• In European roulette, all players use the same chip colors.

Zeros

• The American roulette wheel is numbered one to 36, 0 and 00
• The European roulette wheel is numbered one to 36, and 0
• The double zero gives the house a greater edge at American roulette

Placing bets

Each table usually has minimum and maximum betting amounts. Bets can be spread across the table, but the total amount must not be less than the minimum amount, or exceed the maximum.

A roulette table offers two betting areas: inside and outside. Inside bets involve betting on a certain straddle or number. Outside bets enable you to bet on color, odd/even outcomes, and groups of pockets. The tables below describe all possible bets, along with their corresponding payout information:

Inside bets	Description	Payout	Winning odds
Straight	Bet on single number	35 to 1	2.63 %
Split	Bet on two numbers	17 to 1	5.26 %
Three line	Bet on a row of three numbers, a street	11 to 1	7.89 %
Corner / square	Bet on four numbers that form a square	8 to 1	10.53 %
Five line	Bet on five numbers	6 to 1	13.16 %
Six line	Bet on two gathering streets	5 to 1	15.79 %

Outside bets	Description	Payout	Winning odds
Left / middle / right column	Bet on all 12 numbers in the left, middle or righttable-section	2 to 1	31.58 %
1st 12 / 2nd 12 / 3rd 12	Bets on 12 numbers in four consecutive rows	2 to 1	31.58 %
19-36 or 1-18	Bets on the numbers 1-18 (low) or 19-36 (high)	1 to 1	47.37 %
Red or black	Bets on all red or all black numbers	1 to 1	47.37 %
Odd or even	Bets on all odd or all even numbers	1 to 1	47.37 %

 

As with the rules of the games, our American and European roulette rule guides are quite similar to each other.

Having now read our American roulette rule guide, you are ready to play American roulette online. If you would like to sample one of the best online roulette experiences, please visit William Hill and play American roulette following the rules learnt on this page.

Learn rules of other casino games: Baccarat