Roulette is a wheel, a ball, and a betting layout. You choose where the ball might land; the dealer (or RNG) spins; winning bets are paid at fixed odds that are worse than true probability. That gap is the house edge. No staking system removes it.
This guide is for people searching how to play roulette, including online roulette in the UK. It covers table layout, inside versus outside bets, European / French / American wheels, La Partage and En Prison, and a £10 bankroll example. It is not a “winning strategy.” Licensed GB play sits on the UKGC register; many comparison brands are offshore — see the UK hub.
2.70%
EU single-zero house edge
5.26%
US double-zero house edge
1.35%
even-money + La Partage
35:1
straight-up payout (not 36:1)
Wheel, layout, and how a round works
The wheel has numbered pockets. European and French wheels have 37 pockets: 1–36 plus a single 0. American wheels have 38: 1–36, 0 and 00. Numbers 1–36 alternate red and black; zeros are green.
The layout is the printed grid beside the wheel. Inside the numbered grid you place inside bets (one number, splits, streets, corners, lines). Around the edges you place outside bets (red/black, odd/even, high/low, dozens, columns).
Online, “live roulette” is a studio dealer with a camera. “RNG roulette” is a software wheel. The maths is the same family of bets; live tables add delay, chat, and sometimes French even-money rules. Confirm the wheel type in the game help — a double-zero skin labelled “American” has a larger edge.
One spin, in order
Choose the table
Check minimum bet, wheel type (single-zero vs double-zero), and whether even-money bets use La Partage or En Prison.
Place chips on the layout
Inside bets sit on numbers or lines between them. Outside bets sit on the labelled boxes (Red, 1–18, 2nd 12, and so on).
Ball lands
The winning number is called. Matching bets are paid at the posted odds. Everything else is taken. Then the next spin is independent.
Inside vs outside bets
Inside bets pay more and hit less often. Outside bets pay less (usually 1:1 or 2:1) and cover more of the wheel. Both include the zero in the house’s favour unless a French even-money rule applies.
| Bet | Typical payout | What it covers | True odds (EU 37 pockets) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 35:1 | One number | 36:1 |
| Split | 17:1 | Two numbers | 17.5:1 |
| Street | 11:1 | Three numbers | 11.33:1 |
| Corner | 8:1 | Four numbers | 8.25:1 |
| Line | 5:1 | Six numbers | 5.17:1 |
| Column / dozen | 2:1 | 12 numbers | 2.08:1 |
| Red / black, odd / even, 1–18 / 19–36 | 1:1 | 18 numbers | 1.06:1 |
The payout column is what the casino pays plus your stake returned on a win, in the usual “35 to 1” wording. True odds on a 37-pocket wheel for a single number are 36 to 1. Paying 35 to 1 is how the edge is built in.
European, French, and American
European (single-zero) — 37 pockets. House edge on almost every bet: 2.70%. This is the default online “European roulette.”
French — same 37-pocket wheel. The difference is table rules on even-money bets when zero hits: La Partage (half the even-money stake is returned) or En Prison (the stake is held for the next spin). Those rules cut the even-money edge to about 1.35%. Inside bets still sit at 2.70%.
American (double-zero) — 38 pockets. House edge 5.26% on typical bets (the 5-number “basket” bet is worse, about 7.89%). Avoid this wheel if a single-zero table is available at the same stakes.
Online roulette UK
Legal real-money play from Great Britain needs a UKGC-licensed operator. International live lobbies in comparison directories are often Curaçao or similar — not a UKGC whitelist. The UK hub spells that out.
Same bet, different edge
Red on a single-zero table is 2.70% edge (1.35% with La Partage). Red on a double-zero table is 5.26%. The layout looks identical. The extra green pocket is the whole difference.
German rules copy — Einsätze, Chancen, Hausvorteil — is a separate article: Roulette-Regeln.
House edge, in one line
Expected loss ≈ stake × spins × edge. £10 on even-money European red, one spin: theoretical average loss about 27p (or about 14p with La Partage). Ten such spins: about £2.70 in expectation, with a wide actual range. That is not a session forecast. Variance can bury or beat the average in a short night.
Betting systems do not beat the house
Martingale, D’Alembert, Fibonacci and “wait for black then bet red” rearrange the same negative expectation. Doubling after losses hits the table max or your bankroll first. The wheel has no memory. A system that “must win eventually” assumes infinite money and no limit — neither exists on an online table.
A £10 bankroll example (not a plan to profit)
Suppose you have £10 you can afford to lose, on a European single-zero table with a £1 minimum.
- Ten even-money £1 bets (red). You get about ten independent 18/37 shots. You might finish up a few pounds or at zero. Expectation is a loss of about 27p per spin, £2.70 over ten spins.
- One £10 straight-up. Pays £350 if it hits (35:1 plus stake conventions vary by UI — read the paytable). Probability about 1/37. Most sessions this is a bust.
- Five £2 dozen bets. 2:1 when they hit. Still 2.70% edge.
None of these is a better “system.” They only change how bumpy the path is. If £10 is the session cap, stop at £0 or at a time limit — the bankroll tracker is built for that, not for chasing.
Live tables and RNG games on Rehanak sit under games and live casino lists. Compare operators on compare. Blackjack has a different skill layer — basic strategy reduces that game’s edge; roulette has no equivalent chart.
Responsible gambling
18+ (21+ where the operator or your country requires it). Roulette is entertainment with a built-in house edge. If you are in Great Britain, use UKGC tools and GamStop where they apply. Help: responsible gambling. Do not use credit to play.
Short questions
Q: How do you play roulette online?
A: Pick a single-zero table if you can, place inside or outside chips on the layout, wait for the result, and collect posted payouts. Online live roulette uses a real wheel on camera; RNG roulette uses software. The bet types are the same.
Q: What is the house edge in roulette?
A: About 2.70% on a European single-zero wheel, 5.26% on American double-zero, and about 1.35% on French even-money bets with La Partage. Straight-up still pays 35:1, not true odds.
Q: Do inside bets have a higher house edge than outside bets?
A: On a standard European table, almost every bet has the same 2.70% edge. Inside bets are just more volatile. American “basket” five-number bets are worse than the rest of that wheel.
Q: Can a betting system beat roulette?
A: No. Systems change the size and timing of bets. They do not change the extra green pocket or the 35:1 payout on a 36:1 shot.