Roulette: Rules, Bet Types and Variants

Roulette may be the most iconic gambling game of all — a spinning wheel, a rolling ball, a table laid out with numbers and fields. The rules are explainable in five minutes; the fascination lies in the variety of bets. This page covers the layout, the major bet types, and the differences between the three main variants. Up front: Wunderino in Germany offers virtual slot machine games exclusively. Roulette is part of this informational knowledge page, not part of our German game offering — more on that at the end.

How roulette is built

Roulette has two central elements:

• The wheel – a rotating disc with numbered pockets. European and French roulette have 37 pockets (numbers 0 to 36). American roulette has 38 pockets (0, 00, and 1 to 36). Numbers alternate red and black; the zero (and double-zero) are green.
• The table – a betting layout where you place your stakes. It shows all the numbers, plus fields for outside bets (Red/Black, Even/Odd, High/Low, Dozens, Columns).

The ball is launched against the wheel's spin direction. It slows down, bounces, and settles in one numbered pocket. That pocket is the winning number.

The major bet types

Roulette bets are split into inside bets and outside bets.

Inside bets — higher payouts, lower hit probability

• Straight Up – Bet on a single number. Payout 35:1.
• Split – Two adjacent numbers. Payout 17:1.
• Street – Three numbers in a row. Payout 11:1.
• Corner – Four numbers meeting at a corner. Payout 8:1.
• Six Line – Six numbers from two consecutive rows. Payout 5:1.

Outside bets — lower payouts, higher hit probability

• Red or Black – Payout 1:1. Hit probability in European roulette: 48.6% (not 50%, because of the zero).
• Even or Odd – Payout 1:1.
• High (19–36) or Low (1–18) – Payout 1:1.
• Dozens (1–12, 13–24, 25–36) – Payout 2:1.
• Columns – Payout 2:1.

The three main variants

European roulette

One zero pocket, 37 pockets total. House edge: 2.7%. The most common variant in Europe and the standard at online operators.

French roulette

Identical layout to European roulette (37 pockets, one zero), but with two special rules:

• La Partage – on an even-money outside bet (1:1) and a zero, half your stake is returned.
• En Prison – alternative to La Partage: your stake stays "in prison" for the next spin.

These rules cut the house edge on even-money outside bets to 1.35% — the most player-friendly roulette variant.

American roulette

Additional double-zero pocket, 38 pockets. House edge: 5.26%. The worst figure among the main variants. Given the choice, play European or French.

Myths around roulette

"After five reds, black is due." False. Every spin is independent of the previous one. The ball has no memory. Even after ten reds, the probability for the next spin is unchanged.

"There are 'hot' numbers you should bet on." False. Long observations of past results don't change the probabilities of future spins.

"The Martingale system (double after a loss) guarantees a win." False. In theory the doubling mechanic recovers losses — until you hit the table limit or run out of budget. Then you lose everything at once. Mathematically, Martingale contains a guaranteed-ruin path on long play.

Roulette is pure chance: no strategy can eliminate the house edge. What a smart variant choice can do (French over European over American) is minimize the house edge.

What Wunderino offers

Wunderino is licensed in Germany to offer virtual slot machine games (GGL licence number 208.1.1-12254). Roulette falls under different licence categories that we don't hold in Germany. It is therefore not part of our offering.

If the simple, clear playing principle of roulette appeals to you, classic three-reel slots might be interesting — they have a similar base tempo and similar clarity. More in the Slots Guide and the Slot Machine Types overview.

Common questions about roulette

How high is the house edge at roulette?
European roulette: 2.7%. French roulette: 1.35% on even-money outside bets (thanks to La Partage). American roulette: 5.26%.

What's the difference between Red/Black and Straight Up?
Red/Black is an outside bet with a 1:1 payout and just-under-50% hit probability. Straight Up is a bet on a single number with a 35:1 payout and 1-in-37 hit probability.

Which roulette variant is best?
Mathematically French roulette — because of La Partage. If unavailable, European. American roulette has the highest house edge and is mathematically the worst pick.

Does the Martingale system work?
No, not long-term. It leads to fast stake escalations that fail at table limits or your budget — with the risk of big sudden losses.

Does Wunderino offer roulette?
No. Our German licence only permits virtual slot machine games.

Play responsibly

Roulette is a simple game with clear maths — and exactly for that reason it tempts some people into systems that, long-term, go wrong. Set a budget before each session and stick to it. Wunderino offers limits under Play Safe. If your gambling is starting to worry you, free counselling is available through buwei.de.