Roulette Beginner Guide

Roulette looks busy, but a spin is simple: you bet, the ball lands in a pocket, and winning bets are paid. This beginner guide walks you through a first session: how a spin works, European versus American wheels, which bets to try first, and four betting systems with the risks of each. 18+ only. Gamble responsibly: SA Responsible Gambling Foundation counselling line 0800 006 008 (24/7).

Roulette is one of the most popular table games in both land-based and online casinos. The name is French for “little wheel”. For the full list of bets and their payouts, see our roulette rules and betting guide. More articles are in our roulette guides.

How a Spin Works

Your goal is to predict where the ball will land. Here is how a round runs:

1. You place your bets on the table layout, which shows all the numbers on the wheel plus other betting options.
2. The croupier throws the ball into the spinning wheel.
3. The ball lands in one of the number pockets. That number is the winner. The zero is green, and the winning colour is decided by the pocket the ball lands in.
4. Winning bets are paid, losing bets are taken by the casino, and the next round starts.

Bets come in two groups. Inside bets are on a single number, a few numbers, or a group of numbers that sit close together on the layout. Outside bets cover bigger groups of numbers, a colour, or odd versus even. Payouts depend on probability: a winning bet on one number pays much more than a winning bet on a colour, because it is much harder to hit.

European vs American Roulette

The two main types online are European and American. The basic rules are the same, but the wheels differ.

• European: a single zero (37 pockets). The house edge is 2.70%.
• American: a single zero plus a double zero (38 pockets). The extra pocket lifts the house edge to 5.26% and lowers your chance of winning.

If both are on offer, the European wheel is the better choice for a beginner, because the house edge is lower.

What to Bet First

For a first session, outside bets are the easiest to follow:

• Red or black, odd or even: even-money bets.
• Dozens and columns: bets on 12 numbers, which pay 2 to 1.

Once you are comfortable, try an inside bet with a small stake. A straight bet on a single number pays 35 to 1, but wins far less often. Even-money bets are not a true 50/50, because the zero (and double zero on American wheels) is on the wheel as well.

Before you start, check the table’s minimum and maximum bet, and decide how much you are happy to spend. The full bet list, with payouts, is in the rules and betting guide.

Betting Systems: What They Do and What They Risk

A betting system is a plan for how much to stake after each win or loss. It can give your session some structure. It cannot change the house edge, because that is mathematics, and no system promises a profit. Be wary of anyone selling a “sure-fire” roulette system.

Martingale, Fibonacci and D’Alembert are even-chance systems, used on bets such as red/black, odd/even and 1-18 / 19-36.

Martingale

You double your bet after every loss, so that your first win recovers all earlier losses. It has been around since 18th-century France and is one of the simplest systems. The risk: your bets climb quickly in a losing run, and nobody has unlimited money. A long run of losses can empty your balance fast.

Fibonacci

You bet along the Fibonacci sequence, where each number is the sum of the two before it (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 and so on). You move one step along after each loss. After a win, you move back two numbers and carry on. It climbs more slowly than Martingale, but a losing run still pushes your stakes up, and a win does not guarantee you are in profit.

Paroli

Basically Martingale in reverse: you raise your bet after a win, not a loss. After a loss you repeat the same bet. After a win you leave your stake plus the win on the table, which is your first progression. You decide beforehand how many progressions to go through, because a loss will come at some point and takes the progression with it. Your losses stay small, but it only pays off on a winning streak.

D’Alembert

You pick a starting bet, raise it by one unit after a loss and lower it by one unit after a win. It is a slower, lower-risk system than Martingale, and it is not meant for inside bets or dozens and columns. The trade-off is that the possible winnings are small.

Whichever you choose, set a budget and a stopping point before you play, and stick to them.

Ready to Try It?

You can learn the layout on a free table first: see our free casino games. For a table with a real croupier, read our live roulette game review.

18+ only. Gamble responsibly: SA Responsible Gambling Foundation counselling line 0800 006 008 (24/7).