Roulette Bets
Roulette bets are easy to learn, once you play the game once and get used
to betting. Roulette was one of the first of the modern casino games
invented, and it's the easiest to learn. Learning to play roulette is a
matter of learning the wagers and where to place your chips. This comes
simply, once you start to play.
To give a tutorial on how to place roulette bets, I'll explain the table layout, give a definition of inside and outside bets, then cover the comprehensive glossary of roulette wagers and betting terms.
Roulette Table Layout
The
roulette table layout players know today began to crystallize in the
mid-19th century in European casinos mainly. It's where you place bets on
the canvas betting table where the terms "inside bets" and "outside bets"
derive. Once you see a diagram or picture of the betting surface, you'll
understand how to bet in roulette.
Inside Bets
In single-zero roulette, there are 37 individual betting spaces (0 and 1 through 36) at the center of the betting surface. In double-zero roulette, there are 38 betting spaces, including the 00 and the aforementioned other 37 betting spaces. Numbers 1 through 36 are found packed into three 12-number vertical columns or, from another perspective, twelve 3-number horizontal rows or streets. At the top of these number is a semi-circular "box" where the zero and double-zero are found. This forms a betting surface where all single numbers are found, and inside bets are placed somewhere inside this surface area.
The inside bets tend to be on smaller collection of numbers--1 to 6 of them--so you have less odds of hitting them, but a better payback if you do hit.
Outside Bets
The outside bets are propositions based on larger chunks of numbers, and they are placed outside the single-number betting surface. In an outside bets, you'll bet either red/black, even/odd, or 1st 18/2nd 18. You might bet on the first 12 numbers (1-12), the second 12 numbers (13-24), or the third 12 numbers (25-36). The chance of hitting these bets are much closer to 50-50 than on the inside bets, but you're also going to win less if you win these proposition wagers.
Types of Inside Bets - Roulette Terms
For the following inside bets list, I'm going to assume you're playing American roulette.
Straight Up Bets - Single number bets where you place your chips directly on the number you want to wager on. This is the simplest form of bet in roulette. Your odds of winning are 37 to 1, with payouts at 35 to 1.
0 Bet - Single number bet on the number "0"--considered neither odd nor even, and neither red nor black. Odds of winning are 37 to 1, while payouts are 35 to 1.
00 Bet - Single number bet on the number "00"--considered neither odd nor even, and neither red nor black. Odds of winning are 37 to 1, while payouts at 35 to 1.
Split Bets - Any two numbers adjoining one another vertically or horizontally. Wager is placed on the straight line separating the two numbers. Odds of winning are 19 to 1, while payback at 17 to 1.
Basket Bets - Betting on three numbers (in double zero roulette): either 0-1-2, 00-2-3, or 0-00-2. Odds of hitting are 11.667 to 1, while payouts are 11 to 1.
Street Bets - Betting on three numbers in a horizontal row or street. Odds against winning are 11.667 to 1, while payouts are 11 to 1.
Corner Bets - Any block of four numbers adjoining at one interesting point. Bet placed at the four corner intersection. Odds against winning are 8.5 to 1, while the payout is 8 to 1.
Top Line Bets - A five number bet in double-zero roulette. Odds versus winning are 6.6 to 1, while payouts are 6 to 1.
Types of Outside Bets - Roulette Betting
1st Dozen - Betting on the numbers 1 through 12, placed in the "1st Dozen" box. Odds against winning are 2.167 to 1, while payback is 2 to 1.
2nd Dozen - Betting on the numbers 13 through 24, placed in the "2nd Dozen" box. Odds against winning are 2.167 to 1, while payback is 2 to 1. 3
3rd Dozen - Betting on the numbers 25 through 36, placed in the "3rd Dozen" box. Odds against winning are 2.167 to 1, while payback is 2 to 1.
Snake Bet - Special wager on the numbers 1, 5, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 23, 27, 30, 32, and 34 numbers, which zig-zag in a snake pattern across the betting surface. Odds against winning are 2.167 to 1, while payback is 2 to 1.
Odd Bet - Betting on all the odd numbers on the table, placed in the "Odd" box. Odds against winning are 1.111 to 1, while payback is 1 to 1.
Even Bet - Betting on all the even numbers on the table, placed in the "Even" box. Odds against winning are 1.111 to 1, while payback is 1 to 1.
Red Bet - Betting on all the red numbers on the table, placed in the "Red" box. Odds against winning are 1.111 to 1, while payback is 1 to 1.
Black Bet - Betting on all the black numbers on the table, placed in the "Black" box. Odds against winning are 1.111 to 1, while payback is 1 to 1.
1 to 18 or 1st 18 Bet - Betting on the numbers 1 through 18, placed in the "1-18" box. Odds against winning are 1.111 to 1, while payback is 1 to 1.
19 to 36 or 2nd 18 Bet - Betting on the numbers 19 through 36, placed in the "19-36" box. Odds against winning are 1.111 to 1, while payback is 1 to 1.
How to Bet in Roulette
That's all you need to know to get started playing roulette, either online or in a live environment. One other thing should be mentioned: the dealer in roulette is named the "croupier", though he or she will respond to either title.
