Roulette Table Layout Explained: 3 Different Types Of Roulette

Roulette is a casino game that even a rookie can pick out from a crowd. The classic table is in almost every gambling movie!

Even though this game is shockingly famous, many of us still have no idea how to play it. Today, all of that changes.

Once you’ve read our guide, you can start playing online or in a brick-and-mortar casino. Don’t be fooled into thinking the online versions are just for practice, either. You can play Fanduel Casino’s roulette online for real money!

The Roulette Table Layout – Explained

When you look down at a roulette table, you’ll see a circular wheel with 37-38 squares inside. Each square is numbered 1 to 36, with either one 0 or both 0 and 00 added to the collection.

Sometimes the roulette table is laid out on a table in a rectangular shape. In this case, the 36 numbers will be laid out in 3 rows, with 0 and 00 on one side. These aids are usually added to help bettors see where theirs and their competitor’s bets lie.

Not including the zeros, half of the 36 numbers will be red, the other half black.

As the bettor, you can wager on one square, a mixture of them, or just a color.

The wheel is spun, which propels the white ball into dancing around the table. The ball will randomly land in one of the squares. If that square contains your number or color, you win.

The more specific your bet was, the more money you’ll win.

Roulette is a game of chance, and it’s a great way to get new gamblers into the betting spirit!

This layout of the game is universal, however some areas have their own rules.

The European Roulette Rules – Explained

Most online casinos copy the European roulette rules. The wheel is still involved, however this method utilizes the 0 option.

Because this version has one extra number, the odds are 37 to 1. This means that you have a 1 in 37 chance of winning – the odds are more in your favor.

However, the good news doesn’t stop there. In European roulette, you can invoke the “En Prison” rule (or In Prison). The idea is that you’re locked in a 1:1 bet, which will give you a lower payout but a higher chance of winning.

For example, you could bet that a red will win, so you wager on all the reds. The house then has all of the blacks. This is a  1:1 bet, as you both have a 50/50 (or 1:1) chance of winning.

If the white ball lands on the green 0, you can keep your bet on the table even though you didn’t win. However, the others who betted more dangerously, lose their wager. To balance the game, you are locked (or imprisoned) in the original bet and have to play again.

You risk a lower payout for a more favorable likelihood of winning. Other people at your table can do the same. However, if anyone bets for something more specific (like a 1:38 bet on number 5 to win), they lose out.

The French Roulette Rules – Explained

The French variation takes the overall European rules one step further. Like the general European rules, there is only 0 square. However, they also have a rule called La Partage (Dividing).

If you make a 1:1 bet, and the white ball lands on 0, half of your money is returned to you. The other half needs to stay on your original placement.

This gives you more choice than the En Prisoned rule and increases your odds. 

The American Roulette Rules – Explained

The American roulette rules are where you’ll find a 0 and a 00. The odds have gotten more difficult, moving from 37/1 to 38/1. If you land on either of these zeros, you and everyone else at the table lose.

The expectation to this rule is if you bet on either zeros. If that happens, you win, but everyone else loses. 

Final Thoughts

Before you start your roulette game, be sure to know which rules the house is using! Ideally, you should pick the French rules if you have the choice, as the odds are more in your favor.

The American rule is best for those who like a challenge.