| Updated: At first glance, roulette seems incredibly simple to play. All you need to do is choose a single number, a group of numbers, or a property such as odd, even, high, low, red, or black. That is the essence of this game of chance.
In practice, however, roulette is more complex than it appears. Players must familiarize themselves with the etiquette expected at the table. These guidelines cover buying chips, understanding when to place wagers, knowing where to position chips for the various types of bets, tipping the dealer, and cashing out your winnings. We cover each of these aspects of the game in the following article.
- High Stakes Roulette
- Low Limit Roulette
- Fibonacci Roulette System
- Parlay Roulette System
- Martingale Roulette System
- Inside Bets
- Outside Bets
- Roulette Rules
- Roulette Strategies
- American Roulette
- French Roulette
- European Roulette
- American and European Wheel Sequences
- Roulette – From a Perpetual Motion Machine to a Casino Landmark
- Roulette's Bet Types
- The French Roulette Layout
- Independent Trials, Odds, and Casino Edge in Roulette
- En Prison and La Partage
- Taking Your Roulette Game to the Next Level with Call Bets
- The Many Faces of Roulette – Interesting Variations to Try
- Progressive Roulette Systems
- Reading Biased Wheels and Other Predictive Methods
- The Master of the Wheel Gonzalo Garcia Pelayo
- Improving Your Roulette Game
- Dispelling Roulette Myths
- How to Protect a Roulette Bankroll
- Software Providers of Online Roulette
- Roulette Games with Progressive Jackpots
- Live Dealer Roulette
- Roulette Goes Mobile
- Roulette in Literature, Film, and Television
Equipment at the Roulette Table
A roulette table consists of a betting layout and a spinning wheel, which is typically positioned to the side. The wheel’s design itself ensures the randomization of results. The most obvious way this is achieved is through the alternating red and black pockets. The numbers on the wheel are not arranged sequentially but are distributed randomly, with different sequences for American and European wheels.
Components of the Wheel
The Roulette Ball The Betting Layout The Roulette Chips The Dolly and the RakeComponents of the Wheel
A roulette wheel consists of two main components: a wheelhead and a bowl. The wooden bowl normally has a diameter of 32 inches and contains a spindle that supports the rotating wheelhead, along with upper and lower ball tracks. Metal deflectors on the ball track cause the ball to bounce, further ensuring a random outcome.
The wheelhead is the rotating component of the wheel, with a diameter of 20 inches. It is placed inside the bowl so that it fits between the two ball tracks. The numbered pockets are positioned on the wheelhead’s outer edge.
The inner part of the wheelhead has a conical shape and is called the cone. Its purpose is to guide the ball so that it can settle into a pocket. At the center of the wheel is a decorative turret that hides the height adjuster.
The dealer spins the wheelhead in one direction while tossing the ball into the bowl in the opposite direction. Initially, the ball presses against the bowl’s vertical rim due to inertia, but it gradually loses momentum and falls onto the slanted part of the wheel. It then bounces until it eventually settles in the winning pocket. Many casino operators insist that the ball should make at least 4 revolutions around the track for a spin to be valid.
Most roulette wheels have pocket separators of equal height at both ends. Some casinos use wheels with pocket separators that slant toward the center, making it harder for skilled players to predict where the ball will settle. At some tables, the separators are curved to make prediction even more difficult.
The Roulette Ball
Most larger land-based casinos use bigger roulette wheels with a bowl diameter of 32 inches. The size of the ball should be proportionate to the diameter of the wheel and the size of the pockets. Many roulette tables use balls with a diameter of either 18 or 21 millimeters.
Casino operators are resourceful when it comes to preventing players from predicting where a roulette ball will land. Some establishments even switch from 18-millimeter to 21-millimeter balls throughout the day. The spare ball is placed on top of the turret until the dealer decides to make the switch.
In the past, gambling halls used roulette balls made of ivory, but this is no longer common practice for obvious reasons. Today’s roulette balls are normally made of synthetic materials that replicate the look and feel of ivory. Other materials, such as ceramic and Teflon, are also used.
The material from which the ball is made affects how it behaves on the wheel. The lighter the material, the more revolutions the ball makes around the track. Lighter ceramic balls also tend to be bouncier, which further increases the unpredictability of the outcome. The material is never magnetic, preventing players from directing the ball into specific pockets with magnets.
The Betting Layout
The betting layout is quite similar across most roulette tables. The inner section contains the numbers 0 through 36 in numerical order. The numbered boxes are red or black to match the pockets on the wheel. The outer section contains boxes for outside bets such as red/black, odd/even, high/low, dozens, and columns.
If the table allows call bets on entire wheel segments, the layout includes an oval-shaped section called a racetrack, which is usually located in front of the dealer. French roulette layouts list the outside bets in French. Both European and French layouts have a single zero, while American tables feature an additional betting box for the double zero. Most casinos use baize for their roulette layouts.
The Roulette Chips
Many roulette tables are equipped with sets of chips in different colors. At these tables, the chips are not assigned fixed denominations. Each player uses a different color so that the dealer knows which chips belong to whom.
The player determines the denomination of their chips upon purchase. The dealer then marks the value specified by the player on the rail next to the roulette wheel. Some casinos prefer to use standard chips with fixed denominations at their roulette tables. However, colored chips are more convenient for both players and dealers because they help prevent misunderstandings when winning wagers are settled.
The Dolly and the Rake
When the ball settles in a pocket at the end of a betting round, the dealer needs time to settle the wagers. They mark the winning number on the layout with a translucent marker called a dolly, which resembles a chess pawn.
This makes the outcome of the spin clearly visible to everyone at the table. Placing bets is not allowed while the dolly is on the layout. The dealer first scoops the losing chips off the felt with a rake and then pays the winning outside and inside bets. Once the dolly is removed from the felt, a new round of betting can begin.
Rules of Proper Table Conduct
Roulette is a simple game with straightforward objectives and rules. However, to fully enjoy your time at the wheel-equipped tables without any drama, you should learn how to conduct yourself properly. Even a small breach of table protocol can completely spoil the experience.
Purchasing Your Chips Placing Your Bets When Not to Bet Settlement of the Bets Tipping the Roulette Dealer Cashing Out Your WinningsPurchasing Your Chips
Buying in is the first thing you must do. Make sure you join a table with limits you are comfortable with. Roulette tables are often crowded during peak hours, which can complicate the settlement of wagers. Table personnel may ask you to leave if you only observe the game without placing any bets.
Make sure there is an open seat before you buy in. Place the cash you want to exchange for chips on the felt in front of you. If a round is in progress, you will have to wait for the dealer to settle the bets before purchasing chips.
Remember that you must specify the value of each of your colored chips. When the minimum table limit is $5, players can usually request that each chip be valued at $1. You can assign other values, such as $5 or $10, if you want to bet in larger increments.
Placing Your Bets
Check whether the dolly is still on the winning number before placing your first bet. If it is, do not place any chips on the layout yet. Wait for the dealer to settle the wagers from the previous round and remove the dolly so that betting can begin again. The dealer announces “Place your bets, please” at the start of each round.
The layout has betting boxes for all the types of wagers the game supports. If you want to place a straight-up bet on an individual number, you must place your chips on the box that corresponds to your chosen number. If you want to back the same number as other players, place your chips on top of theirs.
For outside bets, place your chips in the boxes marked odd/even, red/black, or 1-18/19-36. Chips for dozen bets go in the boxes marked 1st 12, 2nd 12, or 3rd 12. Chips for column bets belong in the boxes labeled 2 to 1 or 2-1.
We provide more detailed information about chip placement for all available wagers in our article on roulette bet types.
When Not to Bet
Sometimes the dealer spins the wheel while players are still placing their bets. At a certain point, the dealer waves a hand over the table layout and announces, “No more bets.” This clearly indicates that wagers are no longer accepted for the current round. The hand gesture is made shortly before the ball leaves the track.
In some casinos, the ball may make up to three revolutions around the track before the dealer calls, “No more bets.” If you place a wager after the dealer has announced the end of betting, your bet will be disqualified.
Settlement of the Bets
Once the ball lands in a pocket, the dealer will call out the winning number along with its color or parity. The dealer then places the dolly on the layout to mark the corresponding number. If someone has won with a straight-up bet on that number, the dolly is placed directly on top of their chips.
The dealer clears away the losing chips with a rake and pays those who wagered on the winning number or a group of numbers that includes it. If you win, wait for the dealer to pay all the winners before collecting your chips. Once everyone has been paid, the dolly is removed from the table. You can then place your next bet.
Tipping the Roulette Dealer
Like other members of the casino staff who serve the tables, roulette dealers are usually permitted to accept tokens of appreciation from customers. So, should you tip, and if so, how much? It depends mainly on a) where you play and b) whether you have made a significant profit.
Tipping is common at roulette tables in U.S. casinos. You are encouraged to follow this custom when playing there. The exact amount is up to you, but it should be proportionate to your winnings.
If you are $500 ahead, you may give the dealer a larger tip of $25 or even $50, especially if they have helped you place a bet at the far end of the layout. That said, a small tip can be a nice gesture even when you end a session in the red. After all, it is not the dealer’s fault that you lost.
Forgetting to tip is not a significant breach of etiquette in the UK. Some gambling establishments even disallow this practice. When tipping is allowed, you can either give the tip directly to the dealer or place a bet for them. Remember to state clearly that the chips you are placing on the layout are for the dealer.
Cashing Out Your Winnings
Because they lack fixed denominations, colored chips only have value at the roulette table and are not accepted at cashier cages in land-based casinos. When you are ready to stop playing, you must arrange all your chips in neat stacks and push them toward the dealer so that they can exchange them for standard chips with printed values. You can use the standard chips to play another casino game if you wish.