Learning Center / Roulette
How to play rouletteEvery bet, every payout
Roulette is the easiest table game to sit down at and one of the hardest to master the payouts of. Here is how American double-zero roulette works in Las Vegas, what every bet pays, and the dealer procedure behind each spin. Then practice free in our roulette simulator.
How a round of roulette works
- Buy in for wheel chips
At a live table, each player gets their own color of roulette chips, so bets never get mixed up. You set the value of each chip when you buy in.
- Place your bets
Bet on numbers (inside bets) or groups like red, black and dozens (outside bets). Betting stays open while the ball spins, until the dealer waves no more bets.
- The spin
The dealer spins the wheel one way and the ball the other. The ball drops into one of 38 pockets: 1 through 36, 0 and 00.
- Dolly and sweep
The dealer marks the winning number with the dolly, then clears every losing bet from the layout.
- Pay the winners
Outside bets are paid first, then inside bets. When the dolly comes off the layout, betting opens for the next spin.
Roulette bets and payouts
American double-zero roulette, as dealt in Las Vegas.
| Bet | Covers | Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 1 number | 35 to 1 |
| Split | 2 numbers | 17 to 1 |
| Street | 3 numbers in a row | 11 to 1 |
| Corner | 4 numbers | 8 to 1 |
| Top line | 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 | 6 to 1 |
| Six line | 2 rows, 6 numbers | 5 to 1 |
| Dozen | 1-12, 13-24 or 25-36 | 2 to 1 |
| Column | 12 numbers in a column | 2 to 1 |
| Red or black | 18 numbers | 1 to 1 |
| Odd or even | 18 numbers | 1 to 1 |
| 1-18 or 19-36 | 18 numbers | 1 to 1 |
The house edge
On an American double-zero wheel, every bet carries the same house edge of about 5.26%, except the top line, which is about 7.89%. A European single-zero wheel cuts the edge to about 2.70%. European (SR) Roulette is coming soon to CQ Nexus.
Roulette etiquette
The unwritten rules every dealer knows. Follow these and you'll play like a regular from your first visit.
- Buy in for wheel chips
Lay your cash on the layout and tell the dealer what each chip should be worth. You'll get your own color so nobody's bets get mixed up.
- Cash out at the same table
Wheel chips only have value at the table they came from. Before you leave, push them to the dealer to color up for casino chips.
- Bet until the call
You can keep betting while the ball spins. Once the dealer waves a hand and says no more bets, stop.
- Hands off while the dolly is down
Don't touch the layout or your chips until the dealer has cleared the losers, paid the winners and lifted the dolly.
- Ask for help reaching
If you can't reach a number, set your chips down and ask the dealer to place the bet. Never move another player's chips.
- Tip with a bet
A common tip is a straight-up bet for the dealer. Tell them it's theirs.
Roulette terms
The words you'll hear at a roulette table, in plain English.
- Wheel chips
- Roulette-only chips, a different color for each player.
- Inside bet
- A bet on a single number or a small group of numbers.
- Outside bet
- A bet on a large group, like red, odd or a dozen.
- Straight up
- A bet on one number. Pays 35 to 1.
- Split
- A bet on two touching numbers. Pays 17 to 1.
- Street
- A bet on a row of three numbers. Pays 11 to 1.
- Corner
- A bet on four numbers that meet at a corner. Pays 8 to 1.
- Six line
- A bet on two rows, six numbers. Pays 5 to 1.
- Top line
- The five-number bet on 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3. Pays 6 to 1 and has the worst house edge on the table.
- Dozen
- A bet on 1-12, 13-24 or 25-36. Pays 2 to 1.
- Column
- A bet on one of the three long columns. Pays 2 to 1.
- Dolly
- The marker set on the winning number after each spin.
- Sweep
- Clearing the losing bets from the layout.
- Double zero
- The 00 pocket that makes American roulette a 38-pocket wheel.
- En prison
- A European rule where an even-money bet stays in play after a 0 instead of losing.
- Croupier
- Another name for the roulette dealer.
Roulette questions
Can I play roulette online for free?
Yes. Play roulette free in your browser at games.cqnexus.com/roulette with play money and no download. A 7-day free trial unlocks every feature. CQ Nexus is a training app, so there is never any real-money wagering.
What is the difference between American and European roulette?
American roulette has 38 pockets, including both a 0 and a 00, for a house edge of about 5.26%. European roulette has 37 pockets with a single 0, which lowers the edge to about 2.70%. Most Las Vegas tables are American double-zero.
What is the best bet in roulette?
On an American wheel every bet has the same house edge of about 5.26%, so no bet is better in the long run. The one to avoid is the top line (0, 00, 1, 2, 3), at about 7.89%. The real choice is how much risk you want per spin: even-money bets win often and pay little, straight-up bets win rarely and pay 35 to 1.
Does a roulette strategy work?
No betting system changes the house edge. What a strategy can control is your bet size, session length and bankroll. That is why the roulette simulator tracks every spin, your wheel coverage and hot and cold numbers, so you can test a strategy with play money and see exactly how it holds up.
How much does a straight up bet pay in roulette?
A straight-up bet on a single number pays 35 to 1. A $5 chip on the winning number returns $175 plus your original $5.
What is the dolly in roulette?
The dolly is the marker the dealer places on the winning number after each spin. Nobody touches the layout while the dolly is down. Once the dealer has cleared losing bets and paid the winners, the dolly comes off and betting opens again.
Ready to practice?
Video lessons for roulette, narrated by the Casino Quest team, are coming to the Learning Center.