How to Understand Roulette Numbers

Roulette is one of the most iconic games played at casinos worldwide. The game involves a wheel filled with numbers and a ball that spins and bounces until it lands inside a numbered slot. To understand and play roulette, it’s important to know how the numbers work before placing any bets.

Understanding the Roulette Wheel

The wheel features a total of 37 or 38 numbered pockets, depending on the variation of the wheel. The numbers from 1 to 36 alternate between red and black colours, while the 0 (and 00 if the roulette wheel is American) is coloured green. The layout of the wheel means that numbers are deliberately spread out, designed to create a game of complete unpredictability.

As mentioned, American roulette uses 38 pockets while European roulette uses just 37, the latter not featuring a 00 pocket. While this might appear to be a small difference, it can have a significant impact on the odds and the house edge. A 00 increases the house edge, meaning many punters prefer the European version of the game.

The Importance of Number Placement

The numbers and pockets on the wheel are actually not random, though the aim is to create randomness in the spins. This carefully designed system means that consecutive numbers are not placed next to each other on the wheel, while the red and black colours are distributed in a way that alternates on each pocket so as to ensure there is no bias.

While the position of the numbers and the pockets stays consistent, the positions relative to each other do not, making the game more unpredictable. This design ensures that no one section is more likely to produce a certain outcome than another section. This is what helps to make the roulette wheel impossible for gamblers to predict.

Betting on Roulette Numbers

Punters who wish to bet on the roulette wheel at a casino or online have a number of betting options available. It is possible to place bets on individual numbers, groups of numbers, or even just the colour of the pocket they predict the ball will land on. These bets are placed either just before the wheel is spun or while spinning until the dealer of the game calls last bets.

Straight bets have the highest payout odds, usually at 35 to 1. This is where a player bets on a single number. Players can also place split bets (a bet on two adjacent numbers), street bets (three numbers in a row) or corner bets (four numbers in a block). The fewer numbers covered in the bet, the higher the potential payout will be.

For safer bets, outside bets such as red or black or on odd or even numbers are potential options. Players can also bet on columns, which cover a third of the numbers from 1 to 36. These bets have lower payouts than split or street bets but are much more likely to come in.

Understanding the Zero

The green 0 pocket, plus the 00 pocket in American roulette, plays a unique role in roulette. They represent house edge and ensure that the casino maintains an advantage over the players. When the ball lands on zero, all bets on red or black, odd or even or high or low will lose unless the player specifically bet on 0 or 00. This is why European roulette means players maintain better odds than its American counterpart.

The zero also means there is an extra strategy to playing the game. Some players choose to include zero in betting patterns, though this can make the bets slightly more complicated. It is worth remembering that the house edge on American roulette is 5.26% compared to the European version of the game, which has a house edge of 2.70%, particularly if playing online roulette and given the choice of versions of the game.