A guide to: Online Roulette
Roulette is one of the most well-known table games, and for good reason. This classic casino game has been around for centuries, established as a core offering of land-based casinos ever since its debut.
Online Roulette is the digital variety of the classic game, allowing players to access a game from any device with a suitable internet connection. Now, players can even choose to play a live casino format of Roulette, where a live croupier spins a physical wheel for online players.
Let’s take a closer look at online Roulette in all its forms.
The varieties of online Roulette
Like many other classic games, Roulette has evolved over time with several branching formats. The three major varieties of Roulette are known as European, American and French. That last one might seem a little redundant, but it is undeniably distinct from the more common European format.
The most common format of Roulette – which many other online varieties are based on – is European Roulette. This features a wheel with 37 pockets numbered from 0 to 36, alternating between red and black apart from the green zero pocket.
Next up is American Roulette, which sticks closely to the European format with one major distinction – the addition of an extra pocket. The double zero pocket was added to increase the house edge for US casinos, with the odds of all wagers slightly altered by the presence of the 38th pocket.
Last, but not least, is French Roulette. As expected, it’s almost identical to the European format and features the same 37-pocket wheel design. The difference here is a few extra rules that are unique to the French variety. These relate to even-money bets if the ball lands on zero, reducing the house edge on wagers like red/black or odd/even.
But thanks to the rise of online casino platforms, there are newer varieties available to choose from, like mini-Roulette or multi-wheel Roulette.
A guide to inside and outside bets
The table layout in a game of Roulette is divided into two sections known as inside and outside bets. This same layout is present in online games, although players won’t be placing physical chips onto the table.
Inside bets are found in the centre of the layout, covering individual numbers or small groups of them. These carry lower odds of landing, but that’s matched with larger potential payouts. Examples include split bets (placed on two adjacent numbers) or street bets (placed on a row of three).
Outside bets sit around the edges of the central number columns on the layout. These cover larger groups of numbers (such as dozens) as well as characteristics like the colour of the pocket or whether the number is odd or even. Better relative odds mean that outside bets have lower payouts compared to inside bets.
Which of these options players choose to wager on is down to a mix of personal preference and risk tolerance.
Online Roulette offers plenty of different options for players, with a greater variety of game formats to select from. Whether players prefer European, American or French Roulette, there’s an online game that suits their tastes.
