To play roulette, you place one or more bets on where a small ball will come to rest on a spinning numbered wheel, the dealer spins the wheel and ball in opposite directions, and every winning bet is paid out at a fixed rate once the ball settles. The rules are simple, but the bets, payouts and the three main wheel types each change your odds in ways that are worth understanding before you put a chip down. This guide breaks the game into the exact questions a new player asks: how a round works, which bets exist, what the odds and payouts really mean, how the European, American and French wheels differ, and the mistakes that cost players money.
What is roulette and how does a round work?
Roulette is a casino table game in which a spinning wheel is divided into numbered pockets and a ball is released around the rim until it drops into one of them. On a standard European wheel there are 37 pockets: the numbers 1 to 36, coloured red and black, plus a single green zero (0). You bet on which pocket – or which group of pockets – the ball will land in. There is no skill in predicting the result; each spin is independent and random.
A single round follows the same sequence every time:
- Place your bets. You put chips on the betting layout – the printed grid of numbers and bet boxes – to back a number, a group of numbers, a colour, or odd/even.
- The dealer spins. The wheel turns one way and the ball is launched the other way around the track.
- “No more bets.” The dealer calls this out while the ball is still moving; after that you cannot add or move chips.
- The ball drops. It settles into a single numbered pocket, and that number (and its colour) is the result.
- Winners are paid. Losing chips are cleared, winning bets are paid at the fixed rate for that bet, and the next round begins.
If you join a table mid-spin, you simply wait for the current round to finish before placing chips. That is the whole game loop – everything else is about which bets you make.
Roulette bet types explained
Roulette bets split into two families: inside bets, placed on individual numbers or small groups inside the number grid, and outside bets, placed on the large boxes around the grid that cover many numbers at once. Inside bets pay more but win rarely; outside bets pay less but win far more often. Neither is a better deal overall – on the same wheel they carry the same house edge – so the choice is about how you want wins to arrive.
Inside bets (high payout, low chance)
- Straight (1 number): a chip on a single number, including zero. Pays 35 to 1.
- Split (2 numbers): a chip on the line between two neighbouring numbers. Pays 17 to 1.
- Street (3 numbers): a chip on the edge of a row of three. Pays 11 to 1.
- Corner or square (4 numbers): a chip on the point where four numbers meet. Pays 8 to 1.
- Six line or double street (6 numbers): a chip covering two adjacent rows. Pays 5 to 1.
A few inside bets only exist on certain wheels. A trio (three numbers including a zero) pays 11 to 1, and on an American double-zero wheel the five-number or basket bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) pays 6 to 1 – more on why that one is best avoided below.
Outside bets (lower payout, better chance)
- Red or Black: all 18 red or all 18 black numbers. Pays 1 to 1 (even money).
- Odd or Even: all 18 odd or all 18 even numbers. Pays 1 to 1.
- Low or High (1-18 or 19-36): the lower or upper half of the numbers. Pays 1 to 1.
- Dozen (12 numbers): 1-12, 13-24 or 25-36. Pays 2 to 1.
- Column (12 numbers): one of the three vertical columns on the layout. Pays 2 to 1.
The green zero is the key detail: it belongs to no colour, is neither odd nor even, and sits outside every dozen and column. When the ball lands on zero, all even-money and dozen/column bets lose (except under the French rule described later). That single pocket is where the casino’s advantage comes from.
Roulette odds and payouts: what the numbers really mean
A payout and your actual chance of winning are not the same thing, and the gap between them is the house edge. A straight-up bet pays 35 to 1, but on a 37-pocket European wheel your chance of hitting one number is 1 in 37. If the payout matched the true odds it would be 36 to 1; the missing unit is the casino’s margin. The same quiet shortfall is built into every bet, which is why no combination of bets changes your long-run odds.
The table below shows the standard payouts and the approximate win chance for each bet on a single-zero European wheel.
| Bet | Numbers covered | Payout | Win chance (European) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight | 1 | 35 to 1 | 2.7% |
| Split | 2 | 17 to 1 | 5.4% |
| Street | 3 | 11 to 1 | 8.1% |
| Corner | 4 | 8 to 1 | 10.8% |
| Six line | 6 | 5 to 1 | 16.2% |
| Column / Dozen | 12 | 2 to 1 | 32.4% |
| Red/Black, Odd/Even, Low/High | 18 | 1 to 1 | 48.6% |
Read across any row and the maths is consistent: the more numbers a bet covers, the more often it wins and the less it pays. An even-money bet wins just under half the time – not a true 50%, because the zero tips the balance to the house. Understanding this is similar to understanding pokie volatility: higher-paying bets swing your balance up and down more sharply, while even-money bets grind along in smaller steps. The volatility differs, but the built-in margin does not.
European, American and French roulette: the wheel variants
The single biggest factor in your odds is which wheel you play, because the number of zeros decides the house edge. There are three common variants, and the differences are measurable rather than a matter of taste.
European roulette (single zero)
The European wheel has 37 pockets – 1 to 36 plus one green zero. With a single zero, the house edge is 2.70% on every standard bet. This is the most widely offered version online and the baseline most players should learn first.
American roulette (double zero)
The American wheel adds a second green pocket, the double zero (00), for 38 pockets in total. That extra pocket roughly doubles the house edge to 5.26% on almost every bet. The five-number or basket bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) is worse still at 7.89%, making it the single weakest wager on the table. On odds alone, an American wheel costs you nearly twice as much as a European one for the same play.
French roulette (La Partage and En Prison)
French roulette uses the same 37-pocket single-zero wheel as the European game but adds a rule that helps even-money bets. Under La Partage (“the division”), if the ball lands on zero you lose only half of an even-money stake rather than all of it. The En Prison (“in prison”) variant instead locks the bet for one more spin to try to win it back. Either rule cuts the house edge on even-money bets to just 1.35% – the lowest in standard roulette. The rule only applies to even-money bets (red/black, odd/even, low/high); inside bets stay at 2.70%.
Roulette wheel variants compared
| Variant | Pockets | Zeros | House edge (standard bets) | Even-money edge with La Partage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| European | 37 | Single 0 | 2.70% | Not usually offered |
| American | 38 | 0 and 00 | 5.26% (five-number bet 7.89%) | Not offered |
| French | 37 | Single 0 | 2.70% on inside bets | 1.35% |
The takeaway for odds-conscious players is clear: a French single-zero table with La Partage gives the best value on even-money bets at 1.35%, a European wheel is the solid all-round default at 2.70%, and an American double-zero wheel carries the highest cost at 5.26%.
How do online and live dealer roulette work?
Online roulette comes in two forms. Software (RNG) roulette uses a certified random number generator to decide each result instantly, so you play against the computer at your own pace. Live dealer roulette streams a real human dealer spinning a physical wheel in a studio, with your bets placed through the screen; it is the closest online experience to a venue table. If you want to understand the streamed format in more depth, see how live dealer casino games are run, and note that roulette often sits alongside live casino game shows and other table titles such as Teen Patti in the same live lobby.
The rules and odds are identical to the physical game – the variant you choose (European, American or French) still determines the house edge, so the same preference order applies online. For context on the wider market and the current rules, see this overview of online casinos in New Zealand. Whichever format you use, check the variant name before you play: a lobby that offers both European and American roulette is giving you a direct choice between a 2.70% and a 5.26% edge.
Common roulette mistakes and myths
Most roulette losses beyond the built-in house edge come from misunderstanding the maths, not from bad luck. The recurring mistakes are easy to name.
- Believing a betting system beats the wheel. Progressive systems such as the Martingale (doubling after every loss) change how your stakes rise and fall, but they never change the odds of any single spin or the house edge. A losing streak plus table limits can wipe out a bankroll fast.
- The gambler’s fallacy. After several reds, black is not “due”. Each spin is independent; the previous results have no effect on the next one. Scoreboards that show recent numbers feed this illusion.
- Playing the American wheel by habit. When a European or French table is available, choosing the double-zero wheel simply pays the casino extra for nothing.
- Taking the five-number bet. At 7.89%, the American basket bet is the worst value on the layout.
- Confusing payout with probability. A 35 to 1 payout does not mean a 1 in 35 chance – the true chance is 1 in 37 (or 1 in 38), and that difference is the whole business model.
- Chasing losses. Increasing stakes to recover a losing session raises your exposure without improving your odds, and is a common path to harm.
The honest summary is that roulette is a game of chance with a fixed, unbeatable long-run edge. You can pick lower-edge variants and manage your stakes, but you cannot play in a way that turns the odds in your favour.
Playing roulette responsibly in New Zealand
This guide explains how roulette works and is not gambling advice or encouragement to play. Roulette is a game of chance with a permanent house edge, every spin is independent, and no bet, pattern or system changes the outcome; over time the game is designed to return less than you stake. Only ever play with money you can afford to lose, and treat any session as paid entertainment rather than a way to make money.
In New Zealand, online casino gambling advertising is prohibited, and under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 – in force since 1 May 2026 – the regulator can issue takedown notices and penalties of up to NZ$5 million for unlawful advertising. A licensing regime is being rolled out, with up to 15 licensed operators expected to be able to advertise once the process completes in early 2027. If gambling is causing stress for you or someone you know, free, confidential help is available 24/7 from Gambling Helpline Aotearoa on 0800 654 655 or by texting 8006.
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Frequently asked questions
Is roulette a game of skill or luck?
It is pure chance. Where the ball lands is random and independent on every spin, so no skill, timing or reading of past results improves your odds. The only control you have is which variant you play and how much you stake.
Are online and live dealer roulette results genuinely random?
Yes, at licensed operators. Software roulette uses a certified random number generator that is independently tested, and live dealer roulette uses a real physical wheel filmed in a studio. The randomness is the same either way; the format is the only difference.
Does the colour or number of the last spin affect the next one?
No. The wheel has no memory. A run of reds, blacks or repeated numbers is normal in random data and does not make any result more or less likely on the following spin. Believing otherwise is the gambler’s fallacy.
Can you legally play online roulette in New Zealand right now?
New Zealand is standing up a licensing regime under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026, with licensed operators expected from early 2027. Until then, advertising of online casino gambling to New Zealanders is prohibited, which is why ranked operator lists are not published here. Check the official position before you play.
