Understand the rules before placing a roulette bet

Updated October 2026

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Learn how roulette variants, bet types, zero rules and odds work, alongside New Zealand’s online casino framework.

The Main Roulette Variants and Their Wheel Layouts

Roulette variants are distinguished first by the pockets on their wheels. The most familiar comparison is between European Roulette, with a single-zero layout, and American Roulette, which adds a double-zero pocket. French Roulette has the same single-zero wheel layout as European Roulette, but may apply rules that change how certain bets are settled when zero appears. These distinctions matter before a bet is placed: the wheel determines which outcomes are possible, while a variant’s additional rules determine whether a particular stake is treated differently.

In European Roulette, the wheel has 37 pockets: numbered pockets from 1 to 36 and one zero. The single zero is the feature that defines this layout. Although the game is often described as a set of numbered choices, the wheel is a physical arrangement of pockets, and the ball’s landing position determines the result of a spin. A number selected for a wager must match the outcome under the terms of that wager; other bets cover groups of outcomes rather than one number.

American Roulette has 38 pockets. It retains the single zero and adds a double zero, so the wheel has an additional possible result compared with the European layout. That difference is not merely a label printed on the table: it is part of the wheel itself. The added pocket changes the set of possible outcomes and distinguishes American Roulette from single-zero games. The double zero is separate from the ordinary zero, and both are possible landing positions.

French Roulette uses the same single-zero wheel arrangement as European Roulette. Its defining distinction is therefore not an extra pocket, but the special rules that may accompany the game. La Partage and En Prison are examples. They concern what happens to eligible even-money outside bets when zero lands; they do not turn French Roulette into a different pocket layout. The rules are attached to the way a qualifying wager is handled, rather than to a change in the wheel’s number of pockets.

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This distinction helps separate two questions that can otherwise become blurred. The wheel layout identifies the outcomes available in a spin. The table rules specify how a wager is settled after the result is known. European and French games can share the same single-zero layout while differing in the settlement of some bets. Conversely, the extra double-zero pocket is a structural difference between American Roulette and the single-zero variants, not a special settlement rule.

A roulette round follows a basic sequence across these variants: wagers are placed, the wheel is spun and the ball comes to rest in a pocket. The result is then assessed against the wagers on the table. The exact options available and the treatment of a winning or losing stake depend on the game and the bet selected. No additional wheel pocket is created by a special rule, and a special rule does not alter the result of the spin; it affects the settlement of a specified kind of wager after zero appears.

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The names “European” and “French” can therefore be misleading if treated as descriptions of entirely different wheels. Both refer to a single-zero arrangement. French Roulette is identified by its additional rules, including La Partage and En Prison where offered. Those rules have a limited scope: they apply to even-money outside bets when zero lands. They do not apply to every wager, and they should not be assumed to govern every table merely because it is described as French.

American Roulette is easier to distinguish at the wheel level because its double zero is visible as an additional pocket alongside the single zero. European Roulette has one zero, while American Roulette has both a single zero and a double zero. French Roulette shares the European pocket count and single-zero structure, with its defining variation found in certain rules of play. Keeping wheel design separate from bet settlement makes the main roulette variants easier to identify without confusing a pocket with a rule.

These differences provide a practical vocabulary for casino roulette rules. “Single-zero” describes the European and French wheel layouts; “double-zero” identifies the American layout. “La Partage” and “En Prison” describe special French rules rather than additional outcomes. The distinctions are useful when comparing game descriptions, since a table may share a wheel structure with another variant while applying different terms to eligible bets. For basic roulette rules, the first point to establish is therefore which wheel is in use, followed by whether any special settlement rule applies.

New Zealand’s Online Casino Framework and Bonus Conditions

New Zealand’s online casino framework changed in 2026. The Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 took effect on 1 May, establishing the country’s first domestic licensing system for online casino gambling. The transition is not the same as a fully operational licensing regime: the complete system is not expected to be in place until 2027.

The Gambling Act 2003 does not permit online casinos to be based in New Zealand. Before the 2026 Act, gambling services supplied from offshore were not licensed or supervised by a New Zealand regulator, and customers using those services had no domestic government recourse. The legislation creates a different arrangement for online casino providers, but it does not make every website available to New Zealand residents locally licensed.

During the transition, providers that were already serving people in New Zealand before 1 May 2026 may continue operating until 1 December 2026, subject to the Act’s transitional provisions. This temporary permission is not equivalent to a licence under the new regime. Providers that have not applied for a licence must stop conducting online casino gambling in New Zealand by 1 December 2026. The Gambling Commission hears and decides casino licensing applications, issues online casino licences, and approves changes to licence conditions. The Department of Internal Affairs oversees the licensing framework and remains the primary regulator of gambling in New Zealand.

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The transition also sets limits on conduct by providers. Advertising online casino gambling to people in New Zealand is prohibited during this period. Licensed operators must implement stricter age and identity verification systems. Operators that act without a licence may face enforcement action, including fines of up to NZ$5 million; unlicensed operation is expected to become an offence around mid-2027. These changes concern providers and the regulatory system. They should not be read as establishing criminal or financial liability for an individual solely for playing at an offshore casino without a New Zealand licence.

Bonus terms and withdrawal conditions

Bonus offers are separate from the legal status of a casino. Where a platform presents a bonus, its terms may specify who is eligible, how wagering requirements work, when the offer expires, which games contribute towards wagering, and what happens when a withdrawal is requested. Such conditions affect whether bonus funds or related winnings can be withdrawn; they do not change the rules of roulette itself.

The stated bonus conditions require bonus money to be wagered 50 times within 30 days. Winnings from free spins must be wagered 50 times within 7 days. A withdrawal request voids all active or pending bonuses. These requirements are material conditions, not optional guidance: requesting a withdrawal can therefore end a bonus that has not yet been completed, even if its expiry date has not arrived.

The distinction between bonus funds and free-spin winnings matters because their wagering deadlines differ. A bonus may also carry eligibility, expiry and game-contribution provisions, so the headline offer alone does not establish how much play will count towards its requirement. A roulette game’s contribution should be determined from the terms applicable to that offer rather than assumed from the fact that the game is available.

The regulatory transition and bonus terms address different risks. The first identifies which providers may continue operating and how the future licensing framework is administered; the second governs a promotion offered by a platform. Neither an advertised bonus nor temporary permission to continue operating establishes that a provider holds a New Zealand licence. Likewise, the presence of a licensing framework does not remove the need to assess the specific conditions attached to an offer.

Reading the Roulette Table and Wheel

A roulette table presents the available betting positions in a layout that is easier to scan than the wheel itself. The wheel is a circular sequence of pockets; the table is a betting surface marked with numbers and labelled areas. A chip placed on the table records a wager on a particular number or group of outcomes. The dealer uses the wheel to determine the result, then settles wagers according to the positions covered by each chip.

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The printed number grid is not a diagram of the wheel’s sequence. On the table, numbers are arranged in rows and columns. On the wheel, they follow a circular order around the rim. This difference matters when a bet is described by its location on the wheel: the relevant numbers are identified by their neighbouring positions on the wheel, not by nearby squares on the table. Called bets are grouped according to the wheel’s number positions, rather than the table layout.

Finding a number on the layout

The numbered grid is the clearest place to identify a straight-up selection: the chip is placed on the individual number’s marked space. Other marked positions lie on the boundaries between spaces or at their intersections. These positions indicate that a chip covers a group of numbers rather than one number. The exact coverage depends on where the chip sits, so a small difference in placement can change which outcomes are included.

The table also groups some wagers in marked areas beyond the number grid. These are commonly described as outside bets, while wagers placed directly on or between number spaces are inside bets. The labels and boundaries communicate the selection; they do not change the wheel’s physical order. A clear view of the printed markings is therefore essential, particularly when a chip is placed near a line separating two betting areas.

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The zero pocket has its own marked position on the layout rather than being treated as an ordinary numbered square in the grid. On tables with more than one zero, the additional zero is also shown separately. The table’s markings should be read as instructions for what a wager covers, not as a picture of how the pockets are arranged around the wheel.

Wheel positions and called bets

Some wagers are specified by wheel sectors or by numbers that sit close together around the rim. Their names refer to the wheel’s arrangement, not to adjacent table spaces. A group that is contiguous on the wheel may appear scattered across the printed grid. Conversely, numbers that appear side by side in the grid need not be neighbours on the wheel.

This distinction is useful when interpreting a called bet on a live table or in a digital game. A called selection is entered through the table controls or placed on the relevant betting area, but its definition comes from the wheel positions it covers. If the interface lists a named wheel-sector bet, its stated coverage is more informative than the visual proximity of numbers on the grid.

Reading a digital table

Online layouts preserve the same basic distinction between the wheel and the betting surface. A digital table may display a wheel beside a numbered grid, or allow the layout to fill most of the screen. In either case, the grid is used to place wagers; the wheel display represents the sequence of pockets from which the result is determined. Animation can make the two appear closely connected, but the table’s geometry should not be mistaken for the wheel’s order.

Before a spin, the displayed chip position indicates the selected wager. After the result, the winning pocket is shown and the interface settles the covered selections. Reviewing the chip’s location and any accompanying bet label helps establish what was selected. This is particularly relevant for wagers spanning several spaces or for named bets based on wheel sectors, where the selection may not be obvious from a single number.

Table markings are thus a map of betting choices, not a scale drawing of the wheel. Reading each boundary as part of the betting instructions—and treating wheel-based calls as separate from the printed grid’s arrangement—prevents a common misreading of roulette table rules.

Roulette Odds, House Edge and Payout Percentages

House edge and payout percentage describe related but different sides of roulette’s mathematics. The house edge is the game’s theoretical share of wagers over time; the payout percentage, also called return to player, is the share expected to be returned as winnings. For the same game and rules, the two figures add to 100%. Neither predicts the result of an individual spin or guarantees what a session will return.

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The standard single-zero European game has a house edge of 2.70%. American roulette has a higher edge of 5.26%, while French roulette can reduce the edge on eligible even-money bets to 1.35% when La Partage or En Prison applies. These figures describe expected mathematical cost, not a fee charged on each bet. In practice, a losing outcome can cost the full stake, and a winning outcome can return more than the amount wagered.

Payout figures reported for European and American roulette are 97.30% and 94.70%, respectively. These values complement the cited house edges, but payout percentages should be read in the context of the particular game and rules being assessed. A label alone does not establish the return of every table or variant. An affiliate roulette review gives a payout range of 92.86% to 96.19% for 100/1 roulette; that range is a report by that type of source, not a universal figure for roulette.

Comparisons are most meaningful when they refer to the same kind of bet and the same rules. In particular, the lower French figure applies when the named zero rules cover an eligible even-money wager; it should not be treated as the edge for every bet on a French table. Likewise, a payout percentage is not a promise that a player will receive that share during a short run of play. It is a theoretical measure across repeated outcomes, rather than a forecast for a particular sequence.

The distinction matters because roulette is random at the level of each spin. Spins are independent: a previous result does not make any number, colour or other outcome more or less likely on the next spin. A run of losses therefore does not create a mathematical obligation for a win to follow, and a recent result does not alter the game’s stated house edge. The probabilities are determined by the game’s rules, not by the order in which earlier results appeared.

These measures can compare the theoretical cost of different rules, but they cannot predict short-term outcomes. Every real-money bet can lose, regardless of the payout percentage or the result of the preceding spin. No sequence of past results changes the underlying probabilities.

How Double-Zero Roulette Differs

Double-zero roulette is the American form of the game in which the wheel has both a zero and a double-zero pocket. The key difference is not a separate way to place ordinary wagers, but the extra pocket and the way a spin landing on either zero can affect a bet. For anyone asking how to play double-zero roulette, the relevant rule is to identify which version of the game is being offered and whether the table states any exception for zero outcomes. A rule found at one table should not be assumed to apply to every American roulette game.

In the standard version, the presence of both zero pockets matters when either one is selected. Even-money wagers are bets that would otherwise return an amount equal to the stake if successful. A zero result can therefore interrupt the ordinary win-or-loss settlement of such a wager, depending on the table’s stated rules. The double zero is not merely a second label for the single zero: it is a separate wheel outcome, and the table rules determine how bets are settled when it appears.

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A specialist review reports a limited exception at some Atlantic City American roulette tables: an even-money bet may have half its stake returned if the result is zero or double zero. This is a report about certain tables, not evidence that the rule is part of American roulette as a whole. It should not be treated as a general feature of the game, nor assumed to be available at every Atlantic City table. The precise table rules remain decisive.

This distinction matters because a description of American roulette alone does not establish that a half-stake return applies. A table may use the standard American rules without that exception. Conversely, where a table explicitly offers the return, its stated conditions govern the settlement of qualifying bets. The reported exception concerns even-money wagers; it does not establish a refund for other kinds of bets placed on the layout.

The practical rule for interpreting a double-zero game is therefore to separate the wheel’s outcome from the table’s settlement terms. The double-zero pocket is part of the American wheel, while a partial return on a qualifying bet is an additional rule that must be expressly offered. Without that condition, the reported Atlantic City treatment cannot be transferred to another table or treated as an inherent part of American roulette.

This also clarifies what the rules for roulette mean in this context: the wheel identifies the result, and the table’s rules specify what happens to each affected wager. A name such as “American roulette” identifies the broad game format, but does not by itself confirm a special return rule. Checking the displayed terms is necessary to distinguish a standard double-zero game from a table that applies the reported exception.

Bet Types and Special Rules at the Table

Roulette table betting rules distinguish between outside bets and wagers placed on individual numbers or smaller number groups. La Partage and En Prison are special rules for a narrow category: even-money outside bets. They come into play only when zero lands. They do not apply to every wager on the layout, and a bet’s position on the table does not by itself make it eligible.

Even-money outside bets include choices such as red or black, odd or even, and high or low. Each covers a broad group of outcomes and pays even money when it wins. A straight-up bet on one number, or a wager covering a smaller group of numbers, is not an even-money outside bet. The distinction matters because the special treatment of zero is tied to the type of wager, not simply to the fact that the bet was made on a roulette table.

La Partage is exclusive to French roulette. Where the rule is offered, an eligible even-money outside bet receives special treatment if zero appears. That does not extend the rule to straight-up bets, split bets, street bets, or other wagers covering specific numbers. A table offering La Partage therefore does not provide that protection across all its betting options.

En Prison also concerns eligible even-money outside bets when zero lands. Instead of settling the wager as an ordinary loss at that point, the stake is held for a subsequent spin under the rule. The name does not mean that every bet on the table is carried forward: eligibility remains limited to even-money outside choices. Its treatment is distinct from La Partage, although both rules address the same combination of bet type and zero result.

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The practical distinction is between the general betting menu and the special conditions attached to particular bets. A table may display many ways to wager, but La Partage and En Prison concern only the qualifying even-money outside selections. Neither rule should be assumed to apply to an inside bet merely because it appears on a French roulette layout. The rule needs to be stated for the game being played.

These conditions also should not be confused with a general change to how roulette wagers work. They are specific provisions governing eligible bets when zero is the result; they do not alter the classification of other wagers or make those wagers eligible by association. Checking the stated table rules is therefore relevant when identifying whether a particular even-money outside bet qualifies.

Roulette outcomes remain random, and every real-money bet can lose. Special rules change the treatment of a qualifying wager in the specified situation; they do not guarantee a winning result. Stakes should not exceed what can be afforded to lose.

Mini Roulette’s Smaller Wheel and House Edge

Mini Roulette is a separate format with a substantially smaller wheel than the standard European and American games. Its wheel has 13 pockets, compared with 37 in European Roulette and 38 in American Roulette. The reduced pocket count changes the game’s mathematics; it does not, by itself, make the game more favourable to players.

The stated house edge for Mini Roulette is 7.89%. This is higher than the standard single-zero European wheel’s 2.70% and the American wheel’s 5.26%. The figures describe the casino’s mathematical advantage over time, rather than a forecast of how any individual session will unfold. A particular result can differ sharply from that long-run expectation.

La Partage can alter the cost of play in Mini Roulette. When the rule applies, the house edge falls to 3.85%. This is a meaningful reduction from the game’s standard figure, but it does not eliminate the house advantage. The lower edge depends on the rule being available and on the wager meeting its conditions; it should not be assumed to apply to every bet or every version of the game.

The distinction matters when comparing roulette game rules across formats. Mini Roulette is not simply a standard wheel presented at a smaller scale: its pocket structure is associated with a different house edge. A table’s stated rules therefore matter alongside its name. In particular, the presence or absence of La Partage changes the mathematical terms attached to eligible bets, while leaving the game’s small-wheel identity unchanged.

These figures do not mean that each spin becomes more predictable. The smaller wheel defines the set of possible pockets, and the house edge describes the game’s long-term mathematical cost. Neither gives a reliable way to anticipate the next outcome. Any real-money wager can lose, so the lower edge available under La Partage should not be mistaken for protection from loss. Players should not risk more than they can afford to lose.

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Minimum Bets: What the Available Evidence Establishes

No single roulette minimum-bet amount can be stated as applying across all games and tables.

Minimum-bet rules should be understood as conditions attached to a particular table, rather than as a feature that can be inferred from whether a game is European, American or French roulette. The wheel variant alone does not establish the required opening stake. Nor do the stated differences in pocket count or house edge determine what amount a table will accept.

This distinction matters when comparing games. A lower minimum, where offered, would affect the amount needed to place a bet, but it would not change the wheel’s underlying probabilities. Likewise, a table’s minimum does not indicate that its bets are safer or more likely to win. Roulette outcomes remain random, and every real-money wager can lose.

The same caution applies when a game is presented in a different format. Those characteristics cannot be used to infer a table limit. No particular amount should be assumed to apply to every roulette game or setting.

For a specific table, the displayed terms are the relevant place to identify any applicable minimum before placing a bet. This is not a basis for assuming that all tables share one limit, or that a particular variant has a standard minimum.

A minimum is only an entry condition for a wager, not a guide to an affordable stake. Any amount placed remains exposed to the chance of loss; play should not involve risking more than can be afforded to lose.

How La Partage and En Prison Affect Roulette Payouts

La Partage and En Prison change how an eligible even-money outside bet is settled when zero appears in French Roulette. Rather than treating zero as an ordinary win or loss for that wager, each rule specifies what happens to the stake. The difference is whether part of the stake is returned immediately or the entire stake remains in play for the next spin.

Under La Partage, half of the original stake is returned after zero lands, and the other half is collected. The bet is therefore settled at that point: the returned portion is not a win, and there is no further chance for the wager to recover the amount collected. This reduces the loss associated with zero on a qualifying even-money bet.

En Prison delays settlement. After zero, the original stake is held for the next spin instead of being collected or partly returned. If the next result wins the original even-money bet, the stake is returned, but no additional winnings are paid. If that result loses, the stake is collected. The rule therefore gives the wager another outcome on which to be settled, but it does not create a profit when that outcome wins.

These conditions apply to even-money outside bets, not to every wager on the table. A bet at different odds should not be assumed to receive the same treatment merely because zero has appeared. The relevant table rules determine whether La Partage or En Prison is in force, and which wagers qualify.

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When either rule applies, the stated house edge for French Roulette falls to 1.35%. That figure reflects the effect of the special zero settlement on eligible bets; it does not mean every wager has the same result or that losses are prevented. Roulette outcomes remain random, and any real-money bet can lose. These settlement rules alter the financial consequence of zero for qualifying bets, but they do not guarantee a return on a session. Money that cannot be afforded as a loss should not be risked.

Roulette Strategy Cannot Change the Odds

Roulette strategies can organise staking decisions, but they cannot alter the probabilities built into the game. Each spin is independent: a run of one colour, or a stretch without a particular number, does not make that outcome more or less likely on the next spin. The wheel has no memory, and earlier results provide no reliable signal about what will happen next.

This limits claims made for systems that increase or vary stakes after wins or losses. Such methods change how much is wagered and how losses may accumulate; they do not remove the house edge or ensure a profitable result. No betting pattern can guarantee that a session ends ahead. Every real-money wager can lose, and roulette outcomes remain random regardless of the sequence of bets.

The meaningful distinction is the rule set, not the staking method. French Roulette gives eligible even-money bets more favourable treatment when zero appears through La Partage or En Prison. As a result, it offers the strongest odds for that category of wager compared with versions where those rules do not apply. This advantage is limited: it does not make other bet types equally favourable, nor does it turn an even-money wager into a risk-free one.

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At a French table with La Partage, the effective house edge for qualifying even-money bets is lower because part of the stake is returned when zero occurs. That rule changes the expected cost of the eligible wager; it does not predict the result of a particular spin. En Prison also changes how a qualifying bet is settled, but its presence is not a strategy for controlling the wheel.

A sound comparison therefore separates game rules from betting systems. Choosing a variant with more favourable rules can affect the mathematical terms of play, while choosing a progression or staking pattern cannot change the underlying probabilities. Claims that a system can overcome those probabilities are not supported by the independence of spins.

Roulette remains a game of chance, even when its rules are understood. Stakes should be limited to money that can be lost without affecting essential expenses; no strategy removes that risk.

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