How To Play Roulette - Roulette Rules

Roulette may fall in the lower end of the spectrum when it comes to having a following, eclipsed as it is by the other casino games as slot games or blackjack, but roulette is no doubt one of the most enjoyable games one can play at the casino and it is very easy to learn how to play roulette.  There is something entirely entertaining about that spinning wheel that makes one feel like he really is living it large.  It gives him a sense of danger; by placing his fate in Lady Fortuna’s hands, he turns his back on the rigid systems of the real world, forgetting skill and talent and just focusing on luck, embracing his intuition and his gut.  However, roulette is not exactly the easiest game in the casino.  With such a high house edge, you have to learn how to win at roulette- exactly how you can maximize your chances of winning and minimize your chances of ending up a pauper.

But first and foremost, before you learn how to win at roulette you actually have to learn how to play roulette and understand roulette rules.

Roulette Basics

To understand the basics of the game and to learn to play roulette, you must first understand its components and learn roulette bets.  First is the roulette wheel.  The roulette wheel is probably the first thing you will notice once you start to learn how to play roulette game.  Roulette which means “little wheel” in French, in fact, is named for this very vital component.  The wheel is composed of alternating red and black slots allotted with random numbers.  However, the number of slots varies depending on the type.  American wheels, for example, have 38 slots with two zeroes; this gives the player a handicap.  European and French wheels are much more preferable with their 37 slots that have only one zero.  In a roulette game, the dealer will spin a ball on one direction and the wheel in the other.  The ball is located atop a pin in the center of the wheel, and it will fall off into the wheel which will gradually come to a stop.  The number and color in which the ball rests is, of course, the winning slot.

The next component is the roulette layout, which is the betting area.  There are two betting areas in all.  First is the inside betting area, which contains individual numbers.  This area is used for the more specific bets. The outside betting area, on the other hand, refers to the more general bets like black/red or even/odd or even a range of numbers. Bets in the inside generally have a bigger payout but lesser chances of winning while those on the outside. It is very easy to learn roulette bets.

Next step in the process of learning how to play roulette is to learn roulette bets placement. To place a bet, one must place a special roulette chip on the corresponding area.  Should you find that the area you want to place your bet on is full of chips, just stack your chip above the others neatly.  One has to “buy in” or purchase a round of chips in order to play.  Each player gets a specifically colored chip (not in all casinos) so that there will not be any confusion as to who placed the bet.  Remember, though, a basic rule of etiquette in the roulette table is to always be careful when placing your bets.  Try not to knock over other people’s chips when you make your bet and, of course, don’t push and shove.  Furthermore, there is only a certain time period allotted for placing bets.  The dealer would usually give 60 seconds for this.  Then, he will raise his hand and say ‘no more bets’.  When he does, be respectful and just wait patiently for the next spin if you missed the last one.

Roulette Rules

It is very easy to understand and learn how to play roulette as it has very few rules.  However one should always check and learn roulette rules before you play roulette online or at land-based casino because, roulette rules may vary from one casino to another. There are also additional rules in popular multiplayer roulette tournaments at brick and mortar or online casinos.

The ‘En Prison’ Rule, for example, is used only by certain casinos with European roulette and forgone in some.  It applies only to even money bets and goes as such: should the outcome of the spin be zero, the player can either take back half of his bet or leave his bet on the table for the next spin.  Should the outcome be zero again, for the second time around, then the player will lose his whole bet.  Another rule is the ‘La Partage’ Rule.  It is very similar to the En Prison Rule. However, the option of leaving the bet for the next spin has been removed, and the player may only take back half.  It is good to pay attention to these rules as you learn how to play roulette, as it lessens the casinos edge by half.

At some casino games you can gain advantage, for example if you were playing perfect strategy blackjack and counting cards, then the edge would probably be yours and not the houses. It is much more complicated at roulette. After you learn how to play roulette there are not many effective roulette strategies one can learn to beat roulette. According to experienced and professional players, while winning at roulette one should just except and realize that it’s a negative expectation game. After you learn roulette rules and start playing you should always enjoy the game and have some interaction and chat with other players. Even enjoy having some drinks and if you are lucky enough, you will definitely win the game. The best advice would be that one should never play with money he cannot afford to lose.