How to Play Roulette

Roulette was devised in France back in the 1800s when online bingo and slots (and even our furry leader, Foxy) had yet to be invented. In the centuries that have passed since, it’s swiftly become one of the most popular casino games on the globe. In fact, Roulette has become such a casino phenomenon that it’s spawned a number of thrilling variants, and you can enjoy them right here at Foxy:

● European Roulette
● Live Roulette (£0.50-£5,070)
● Live Roulette (£1- £1,000)
● Live Automatic Roulette (£0.50 - £5,070)
● American Roulette
● French Roulette
● European Roulette Low
● Deal or No Deal Roulette

Roulette is one of the most easy-to-spot games at land-based casinos as it’s the only one that uses a spinning wheel. However, with our help, your head won’t be in a spin as you try to learn how to play, because everything you need to know is right here in this article, from the rules and potential prizes on offer to the terminology used by players and tips on how to improve your game.

Rules

As the rules, bet types, and even the wheel vary slightly between the different variants, for the purposes of our How to Play Roulette guide, we’ll be explaining the rules of the most traditional version – European Roulette:

● Each game uses a wheel that contains thirty-seven red, black, and green slots that are numbered 0 to 36, a ball, and a betting area on which players can place single or multiple bets on the game’s outcome.
● Players cannot place wagers that are below or above the minimum and maximum bet respectively.
● Only one zero appears on the wheel in European Roulette, and it’s indicated by the green slot.
● Players can place inside and outside bets.
● The ball always spins in the opposite direction to the rotating wheel.
● Whichever number slot the ball falls into is declared the winning number.
● Players must have placed a wager on the winning number to receive a payout.

Terminology

Learning how to play this and other popular casino games is far easier when you know what all the weird and wonderful phrases mean. So, to help you get your lips around the lingo, we’ve listed below the terminology that you’re likely to encounter:

● European Wheel – the European Wheel differs from the American Wheel as it only contains a single zero and not a double zero;
● Ball – the shiny white thing that’s dropped into the spinning wheel to determine the winning number;
● Inside Bet – bets placed on a specific number, two adjoining numbers, a line of three numbers (N.B., also called a Street Bet), or a square of four numbers;
● Outside Bet – bets placed on red, black, odd, or even numbers, entire columns of numbers, a range of twelve numbers (e.g. 1 to 12 or 25 to 36), all the low numbers (1 to 18), or all the high numbers (19 to 36);
● House Edge – the mathematical advantage that the casino has over you, which is represented as a percentage of each bet that’s placed over time. In the case of European Roulette, it’s 2.70%, which is preferable to the American version which only offers a house edge of 5.26%.

How to Play

It’s easy as pie to learn how to play Roulette at Foxy Casino as the game looks exactly like the one you’d come across in a land-based casino.

We give you a bird’s eye view of the table, which consists of the wheel at the top and the betting area at the bottom. In European Roulette, there’s also a section for Hot and Cold numbers at the top-right and no, we’re not talking about sweaty 6s and shivering 17s. Hot numbers are numbers that have come up frequently in recent games whereas cold numbers are numbers that have rarely come up. Some players believe that hot numbers are more likely to win and place bets on them accordingly.

Unlike in Blackjack, the numbers themselves aren’t worth different point values, but the different types of bets can bring smaller and larger wins. Understandably, the easier bet types like Odds and Evens and Red or Black pay out less than the more risky and complex bet types like Straights and Splits, which are all explained in the Types of Wins section of this guide.

You start by choosing one of the ten bet types (N.B., there are five inside bets and five outside bets to choose from), and deciding how much you wish to wager. To place your chips (the numbered coins at the bottom of the screen) on the table, simply click them then hover your mouse over the relevant position and click on them again to place them.

Once you’ve placed one or more bets and you’re ready to go, the ‘Spin’ button starts the wheel spinning. Now, all that’s left to do is hover on the edge of your seat in anticipation until the ball drops into one of the thirty-seven coloured slots on the wheel (hopefully yours!). If your number/numbers come in, you’ll be credited automatically with your prize according to the paytable. If you’re unlucky, never mind – there’s always next time!
If you’re already raring to go, visit our Roulette page and see if you can spin your way to your very first win! Alternatively, if you’d like to see some of the rules and betting methods being put into practice, we’ve got a helpful video demonstration for you to watch at your leisure.

How to play European Roulette?

This is the most popular form of the game played in UK casinos. At Foxy Casino we offer all three versions, so you can always play your favourite one.

A European roulette wheel has the numbers 1 - 36, plus one green ‘zero’ slot. This green slot is what makes it worth the casino running the game, otherwise the earnings on the table would eventually always average out at zero. If you’re playing European roulette, the casino has a 2.7 percent advantage.

So, all that’s standing between you and the big money on the European roulette table is that pesky zero. Outfox that and you’re in the money!

Play European Roulette

Want to only bet small and keep it that way?

Play European Roulette Low

How to play American Roulette?

American roulette tables offer the same odds as European roulette but instead of just one green slot, they have two. Not only does it have a 0, it has a 00 too!

If you’re playing American roulette, the odds are 5.26 percent in the house’s favour. We have our own American Roulette game that you can play on Foxy Casino. Check it out!

Play American Roulette

How to play Live Roulette

Foxy Casino offers three options when it comes to live roulette. Pick your favourite from the list below.

Our live roulette games allow you to feel the atmosphere of a real casino, without leaving the comfort of your own home! The game visually shows your very own dealer talking to all participants live throughout the game. You can also join in the chat with the interactive messaging service.

All live roulette games use the standard European roulette format, with small differences including the layout of the board on the screen and betting limits. Pick which one tickles your Foxy fancy!

How to play Deal or No Deal Roulette

Your favourite TV gameshow Deal or No Deal has come to Foxy Casino in the form of Roulette! Unfortunately there’s no Noel Edmunds, but we do have a very jazzy table complete with some of the familiar branding and props for you.

You can play Deal or No Deal Roulette just as you would follow the rules of a standard game of European Roulette. Place your bets, keep your fingers crossed and give the dealer the deal or no deal!

Inside Bets

Outside Bets

Roulette Strategies

Although there’s no foolproof method that can be used to permanently overcome the house edge, there are several strategies which have been developed and extensively tested by experts that can help to boost your bankroll. Some of them have even been used by our lucky Foxy winners!

Martingale Strategy

The premise of the system is actually very simple and can be applied to many forms of betting with odds which are 1:1. Flipping a coin is perhaps the best example of this system in action:

Imagine you are betting on the result of a series of coin tosses. After the first toss, you lose. However, rather than pulling out of the game, the Martingale System advocates doubling the amount you bet on the next flip. If you lose that flip, the system means you will again double your bet.

This may sound like pouring money down the drain, but the concept is actually fairly solid. In a game where you have a 50% chance of winning or losing, a run of bad luck should be countered by continually doubling your bet so that, when the coin finally lands on tails, you recoup all of the money you lost, plus an additional amount equal to your original bet. For every bet you win, players should restake no more than their original bet.

To use the Martingale System you'll need to place bets which are close to 1:1 such as red or black, odd or even, high or low. Of course a 0 result (or a 00 result in American Roulette) will count as a loss, so the chances are not exactly 50/50.

Another thing to bear in mind is that the Martingale System may succeed more often than it fails, but the winnings you can accumulate are humble compared to the rarer losses you could face if you experience a run of bad luck which you can't fund. Although this is a system which mitigates luck to some degree – it's still a game of chance!

The Paroli System

Many players who use roulette strategies see the Paroli system as a more positive, less risky version of the Martingale System. Where the Martingale doubles your bet every time you lose which takes money straight from your own pocket when it feels like your luck is down, the Paroli system asks players to double their bet each time they win, with the goal of attaining a three win streak. Any loss resets the three bet progression, while a win begins it. Again players will typically use this strategy on even odds bets like red/black, even/odd or high/low.

The goal? To capitalise on good fortune while minimising the damage of bad luck.

The Labouchere System

Also known as the Cancellation System or the Split Martingale System, the Labouchere System is also used for “even money” roulette bets (like red or black, or odd or even). It's closely related to the Martingale System in that, if you lose a bet, you'll need to increase your stake with the goal of eventually making a profit.

The same risks apply to this system as they do to the Martingale System, however under the Labouchere System, players need only win around a third of the time to eventually reach their goal, as long as they have the funds to continue, “reinvesting” in play. Be warned though, long losing streaks can and do happen, leaving some players high and dry.

Fibonacci Strategy

The Fibonacci Strategy aims to help you win back your losses over several spins. It uses the following sequence of numbers: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610. You begin by betting 1, and carry on working your way through the sequence until you achieve a win. Once you’ve got a win under your belt, you go two steps back in the sequence and bet that number next.

The Fibonacci System is an even bet system. The risk of a substantial loss is smaller than say Martingale, while the potential profits remain at +1 (that's double your initial stake). This is because you'll need to bet less to create the same effect. Experts recommend starting at 1 to bet as safely as possible (although losses can always happen).

Again, long runs of bad luck which the player cannot fund can result in steep losses compared to the final +1 winnings, however patient players with sufficient funds will statistically eventually see a win.

D’Alembert Strategy

The D'Alembert System isn't known as the Gambler's Fallacy for nothing. This strategy is based on the idea that, if an even odds game (for example red vs black) seems to be weighted in favour of one outcome (for red 80% black, 20% even), it's likely that the balance will soon swing in the opposite direction. Unfortunately for gamblers, while this may be mathematically true in the extreme long run, over the course of one gambling session, it just plain and simple isn't.

It’s fairly straightforward as it’s an even chance betting strategy. You simply choose a starting bet that you’re comfortable with, increase it by 1 (unit or chip) after a loss and decrease it by 1 (unit or chip) after a win.

The D'Alembert System is relatively low-risk compared to the Martingale and its ilk. That's because, rather than doubling the stake when losses are made, stakes are increased by just one unit. This also means that the game is longer and players will often need to be more patient to secure a profit. It also means that wins are likely to be more modest.

Roulette Top Tips

Playing Foxy’s casino games should be fun, even though you might not win every game. So, to conclude our How to Play roulette guide, here are a few top tips which should help you out as a new player or if you’re more experienced, help you advance your technique:

Support the Euro

European Roulette only uses a single zero whereas the American one uses both a single and a double zero. The difference made by just one extra slot on the reel has a significant effect on the house edge. So, if you want to get the best odds of winning, pick the European version whenever possible.

Practice makes perfect

Everyone knows that Foxy loves a bargain as much as he loves entertaining his loyal fans. So, with some tables he lets you play in practice mode so that you can learn the ropes and experiment with different strategies without risking your hard-earned cash.

Exploit the inconsistencies

The roulette table might look pretty symmetrical and evenly laid out, but the experts say there are a few inconsistencies you can try and exploit. If you look at each of the three rows of 12 numbers running horizontally across the board, you’ll see that although the bottom row has 6 red and 6 black numbers, the middle and top rows have 8 black/4 red and 8 red/4 black numbers respectively.

One way the experts say you could exploit this inconsistency is to bet on either the top or the middle row. Then make another bet on the colour that appears most often on that row. That way, if you win the row bet, the chances are you’ll win the colour bet too. If you lose the row bet, you still have a good chance of winning the colour bet and breaking even.

Make your money last

If you want to get the longest possible game of roulette for your money, you’re best off sticking to bets that pay even money. They carry a payout percentage of just over 47 percent, which is as good as it gets. So betting on black/red, odd/even and low (1-18)/high (19-36) is the best way to maximise longevity.

Risky returns

If you’re the kind of roulette player who wants to win big over the shortest period of time and are happy with the kind of risk that brings, the experts suggest you should place bets with the highest payout. In this case, you should make inside bets, putting your money on single number bets (35:1), two-number bets (17:1) and three-number bets (11:1). However, this is a high risk strategy as you don’t cover many numbers, so you’ll also need plenty of luck!

Use a betting system

One way to bring some structure to your game is to consider using a betting system. There are a number of tried and tested strategies out there, such as the Martingale Betting System, which can improve your chances of making a profit. Read up on a few of the systems and see which works best for you. Note that none of these are guaranteed wins! They’re just strategies and systems players use based on maths, it’s still up to fate where the ball lands.
Don’t forget these roulette tips aren’t 100% foolproof, so don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!
Now that you’ve got the confidence to get started, it’s time to visit our table games page and let loose. Why not start off with our European version, and once you’re ready to branch out, you can try our other exciting variants such as American or French?