Roulette board layout: Learn the basics and betting options

Players use a wheel, a small ball and their emotions as they wait for the ball to come to a stop.

In Summary

•This knowledge helps you steer clear of mistakes and get more enjoyment from the game. 

•The actual playing surface of the game is known as the roulette board or table. 

Roulette ranks among the most popular casino games out there. Players use a wheel, a small ball and their emotions as they wait for the ball to come to a stop. To start with, it's key to understand the roulette table layout and the bet options available. This knowledge helps you steer clear of mistakes and get more enjoyment from the game. In this piece, we'll walk you through the roulette table layout and the different types of bets you can place.

The Roulette Wheel

To get acquainted with the basics of roulette, the structure of the essential item of the game – the roulette wheel – must be known. The wheel is divided into compartments with numbers that are painted either red or black, with a green zero (and occasionally a double zero depending on the version of the game).

European roulette has 37 pockets; these are numbered 0 to 36 and one of the pockets is green coloured. In American roulette, the wheel contains 38 numbers; these are split into the numbers one to thirty-six, as well as a single zero (0) and a double zero (00). The numbers to be called are on the wheel but they are not arranged in a manner that has a sequence but rather in a position in a way that makes the game as random as possible.

The Roulette Board Layout

The actual playing surface of the game is known as the roulette board or table. The design of the board is such that it follows the numbers and colors of the wheel to enable the players to place their bets.

The board is divided into three main sections: These include the inside bets area, the outside bets area and the racetrack which is available in some of the casinos. The layout of the inside bets area contains the numbers 0 to 36 and they are written in three columns and twelve rows. The outside bets area is the outer circle surrounding the inside bets area and contains bets on groups of numbers, color or even/odd.

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Inside Bets

Section two will consist of Inside bets that are placed directly on the numbers on the roulette board. These bets usually pay more since they are riskier and one is likely not to win as often, but when one does, one will get more.

Some common inside bets include:

  • Straight-Up Bet: The riskiest of all is a single-number bet, with the potential of giving the player a 35 to 1 payout.
  • Split Bet: A chance on two neighbouring numbers making a bet on the line between the two numbers, where the payout is 17:1.
  • Street Bet: A bet on three numbers in a sequence, in which the payoff is 11:1.
  • Corner Bet: A bet on four numbers that are randomly placed on the board in a manner that they adjoin at a corner and if the four numbers are hit the bettor will receive 8 to 1.
  • Line Bet: A six-number bet on two consecutive rows with a payoff of 5 to one.

Outside Bets

These can be made on the outer area of the layout of the roulette wheel and they involve a more extensive range of numbers. The above-mentioned bets are quite easy to place and they are more likely to result in a win than the inside bets but they pay less.

Common outside bets include:

  • Red or Black: The type of bet where one can bet on the color of the winning number either red or black and the payout is 1:1.
  • Even or Odd: A side bet on whether the winning number will be even or odd, with the payout being even money, that is 1:1.
  • High or Low: A side-wager on whether the winning number will fall in the first half of the wheel (1-18) or the second half (19-36) with the same payout of 1:1.
  • Dozen Bet: A bet on one of the three ranges of twelve numbers (12, 1-12, 13-24 or 25-36) and the odds are 2:1.
  • Column Bet: One of the bets that can be placed on one of the three vertical lines of numbers with the coefficient 2:1.

The Racetrack

Some of the roulette tables you will come across have a racetrack located at the side of the standard roulette layout. This extra betting area is circular and is arranged in the form of a racetrack enabling the players to place bets on the numbers that are neighboring on the wheel, but not on the board.

Common racetrack bets include:

  • Voisins du Zéro: A bet on the 17 numbers that are near the zero on the wheel.
  • Tiers du Cylindre: A bet on the 12 numbers which are on the opposite side of the zero.
  • Orphelins: A bet on the eight numbers that are not included in the Voisins du Zéro or Tiers du Cylindre region.

The racetrack is preferred by professional players as it allows them to bet on specific parts of the wheel and the racetrack makes the game even more interesting.

Roulette Variations

When gambling on variations of roulette, one has to learn the distinction between European and American roulette wheels. The only major difference is the amount of zeroes on the wheel. European roulette contains a single zero layout while that of American roulette has a single zero and double zero.

One of the differences between American and European roulette is the former has an extra zero and this does add an extra zero to the house edge and hence makes European roulette a better bet for the player. For the first time, it is advisable to try European roulette as this version comes with a lower house edge and therefore promises more frequent wins.

Conclusion

For anyone really interested in the game of roulette he or she must get to know how the board is laid out and the types of bets that can be placed. No matter if you like to play on the line and put your money on inside bets or if you prefer more frequent, but still quite rewarding, outside bets – having a clear idea of what you can do will only be beneficial. Learning the wheel, the board and the various ways of betting, you will be able to approach the game with confidence and get the excitement of the spin.

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