How To Play American Roulette

Live Roulette is one of the most popular games players will choose to play in both a land-based and live casino setting. However, when it comes to selecting the game that is right for them, there are a few variations for players to consider, and one of those is which type of roulette to play.

The evolution of the game of roulette has taken place over many centuries, with American, European and French versions highly popular. Before taking your seat at an American roulette table and placing your bets, players will need to know how to play this version of roulette and how it differs from its European counterparts.

The Basics of American Roulette

When playing a game of American roulette, one of the first things a player will notice is that it’s played out in exactly the same as other roulette games. A live dealer will be in control of releasing the ball around the roulette wheel, players will place their bets on the roulette table, and the game will play out.

However, players will notice the difference when they take a more detailed look at the wheel and the table, and one of those is the numbers.

American Roulette Wheel

The roulette wheel is a key part of a roulette table, but where the American and European roulette wheels differ is the additional zero pocket, which offers players another betting opportunity.

Like a normal roulette wheel, American roulette has numbers 1-36, which are split across the red and black numbers and the odds and evens, all of which are available as bets. There is also the green 0 pocket, which takes the total number to 37. However, in American roulette, there are 38 pockets on the wheel, and this is down to the additional green 00 pocket.

The 0 and 00 Pockets in American Roulette

If you’re new to American roulette, then we’ll explain in further detail about the 0 and 00 pockets. The addition of this pocket on the wheel not only effect the odds of the table but also the house edge within a casino. In order for a bet to win on this number, players will need to place a straight up bet as they are not on offer in the other roulette betting categories.

American Roulette Bets

Roulette bets include hundreds of potential single and combination options. If you're playing American roulette, the wheel includes the numbered sections of one through to thirty-six, and the key difference is that there are two additional sections on the wheel, a single zero and a double zero. Today, we'll explore the bets that more seasoned players place and cover the basics too.

American roulette is a game of chance, and the numbered probability and chances spread themselves throughout the table. Unlike betting strategies in poker, which can be used tactically to win the game, you can do nothing in roulette to put the odds in your favour. While some bets have a better chance of coming in than others, the house always has the edge because of the single-zero and double-zero partitions.

What Are Inside Bets?

Roulette inside bets refer solely to the individual numbers designated on the table. They often provide the highest rate of return among the possible bets. Essentially, inside bets comprise collections of numbers and single numbers.

While they have the slightest chance of being a success, inside bets can return a handsome amount if you choose the right option. Call bets are considered outside bets by some bettors, and they focus on specific groups of numbers across the wheel. However, they’re not used in American roulette.

Inside Betting Options

When players learn the basics of roulette betting, they can sometimes conflate inside bets as single bets on numbers, but it includes cluster bets too. Below, we have listed each inside bet so that you can differentiate between them:

Straight Bet

If you bet on a single number, the return is 35/1. This is the highest possible return for one bet on the roulette table, and it is a popular bet for many punters who will choose birthdays, anniversaries or lucky numbers to try and reap the significant returns that a straight bet offers. While placing only straight bets is a risky strategy with a low chance of success, many gamblers will consistently bet on their lucky number repeatedly in a bid to hit a home run.

Street Bet

A street bet is when you group three numbers together. Some bettors will increase their stake with this bet or simply divide their initial stake by three. Most commonly, it refers to a horizontal row on the table. Therefore, one, two, and three would be considered a street bet, as would four, five, six, etc. In some casinos, bettors can specify a wheel street bet, which includes the two neighbouring numbers on the wheel. So, a street bet on 17 also includes 25 and 34.

Corner Bet

A corner bet is one of the most popular roulette inside bets. You can place your chip on the intersection of four numbers, and you'll receive odds of roughly 7/1 if it comes in. If you look at a bird's eye view of a roulette table, examples of corner bets include one, two, four and five, or 17, 18, 20 and 21.

Top Line Bet

One of the most unique roulette inside bets is the top line bet. This is a simple bet that involves betting on the intersection of zero. In American roulette, the existence of the double zero is the key difference, so a top line bet includes zero, double zero, one two and three. This bet pays out at 6/1.

Split Bet

A split bet is when your chip encroaches across the perimeter of two individual numbers. It includes any two numbers next to each other on the table in any direction. One example would be to bet on 25 and 26. A split bet offers the second-biggest payout on the table, with odds of 17/1.

Six Line Bet

Covering six numbers on the table will return odds of 5/1. A six line bet envelops two separate individual lines on the table. Examples include the horizontal lines that begin with 19 and 22 or 25 and 28.

What Are Outside Bets?

Roulette outside bets cover much larger sections of the table and refer to any portion of the table that skirts around the outer perimeter. The likelihood of landing one of these bets is much greater than most inside bets, but the house still retains the advantage.

Outside Betting Options

Examples of roulette outside bets include betting on odds or evens, red or black, or the first, second or third dozen on the table. Let's look at the most popular roulette outside bets and how to use them:

Odd/Even

American roulette and its double zero mean that the odds of betting on odd or even still skew in favour of the house. However, this means the payout is slightly better than in other versions of roulette that only have one zero. The odds of winning this are just over 47%.

Red/Black

The same sentiments apply to red or black. Each number is either red or black; again, the chance of a return is just over 47%. There’s not the same numerical sequence as odd and even, as red and black numbers are spread across different sections on the table.

High/Low

Occasionally referred to as the first 18 or second 18, this is another bet that divides the table into two distinct sections, mirroring the same odds as an odds/even or red/black wager.

Column Bet

Whereas street bets will cover the horizontal row of three numbers, a column bet covers one of the three columns of 12 numbers, offering odds of 2/1. The first column begins with one, the second begins with two and the third begins with three. A column bet will envelop the other 11 numbers throughout that column.

Dozens Bet

In the same way that red/black, odds/evens and high/low split the table into two sections, a dozens bet focuses on three sections. As the table numbers go from 1-36, this is a relatively simple bet to implement and pays out the same as a column bet.