American Roulette

See also Where to Play Roulette?

Lots of people have seen roulette wheels, but few ever sit down to play. The game is actually quite easy to learn and can be a lot of fun to play. It does, however, have a huge house advantage, so keep that in mind.

Here are the basics of playing American roulette: A ball is spun on a wheel with 38 numbers (0, 00, and 1 through 36). The 0 and 00 spaces are green, and the other numbers are either red or black (divided evenly between the two colors). You place your bets on the field, which is a grid layout on the table showing all the numbers and a variety of different combinations (see figure). Inside bets are those placed on the 0 through 36 number part of the field. Outside bets are placed in the boxes surrounding the numbers and include red, black, even, odd, 1 through 18, 19 through 36, 1st 12, 2nd 12, 3rd 12, and the columns bets. The object is for the ball to settle on one of the numbers (or other options) that you've placed bets on.

Note that you can win on more than one bet on a single spin, depending on the outcome. For example, if you place a bet on 8, even, and 1st 12, you can potentially win all three bets if the ball lands on 8.

How to bet on roulette.
After you choose your table, you can exchange some cash or chips for special roulette chips. Each player at the table has a different color of chips, so it's easy to keep track of yours. Then you can start placing your bets on the field (see figure). You are allowed to bet even after the ball begins spinning; but once the ball starts to fall toward the numbers, bets are cut off.
Inside bets are complicated, so we're going to stick to the outside bets, with one exception: single-number bets. Outside bets don't pay out as much, but beginners should probably stick with them at first.

• Odd-Even: If you place a bet in the Odd field and an odd number comes up on the wheel, you win double your bet placed on that field. If it comes up as an even number, you lose that bet. It follows, then, that if an even number comes up, you win for bets placed in the Even field. If either 0 or 00 comes up, you lose bets placed in either field.
• Red-Black: This one is really simple. Place your chips on a color, and you win if a number comes up in the color you bet. If you bet red, and the ball lands on a red number, you double your bet (but you lose if black comes up). If 0 or 00 comes up - you lose.
• 1-18, 19-36: If you place chips in either of these boxes, and the winning number falls within the range listed, you double your money for that bet. Suppose that you bet on 1-18, and the number 15 comes up on the wheel; you win. If the number 32 comes up, you lose. If 0 or 00 comes up on the wheel, you lose these bets.
• 1st 12, 2nd 12, 3rd 12: This is similar to the 1-18 and 19-36 bets, only a little more specific. Bet on the 1st 12, and if any number between 1 and 12 hits, you win triple your bet. If any other number hits, you lose your bet. The same concept applies with bets on the 2nd 12 (numbers 13-24) and the 3rd 12 (numbers 25-36).
• Column bets: At the end of the Inside fields are three boxes that are marked 2 to 1 (refer to figure). If you place chips here, you're betting that the winning number on the wheel is going to be one of the numbers in the column above that box. If it is, you triple your bet. If it isn't, you lose it all.
• Single-number bets: This is the one inside bet that you may want to try. Place your chips on any single number on the field (17 or 34, for example), and if that number comes up, you win 35 times your bet. This is fun to play, and the winnings can be big, but the odds are way against you.