Donna Kamal | December 29, 2023 | Updated on: September 9th, 2024
Roulette can seem like a confusing game if you are unfamiliar with popular roulette terms. Some players around you may be calling out what seems like random words stringed together, leaving you feeling unsure.
But roulette is a fairly simple game. There are a few terms we suggest you learn to help you understand gameplay situations better. So, we have set up this online roulette glossary to help beginners learn the basics of the game quickly. Read on and get down with the lingo!
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Roulette Terms: A-L
A
- American Roulette – a variation of the game which is played more commonly in the United States. This game version has a wheel with 38 pockets, including a 0 and double 00 pocket. As such, the standard house edge is higher than in European roulette.
B
- Backtrack – this is the name given to the outer rim of the roulette wheel where the ball spins.
- Biased Wheel – a wheel where not every number has an equal chance of winning. Many years ago, both casinos and players would frequently use biased wheels to win more often.
- Black Bet – a bet on all black numbers on the roulette wheel. The bet accounts for almost half of all the numbers on the wheel.
- Block – the set of numbers on a particular area of the wheel that meets the needs of some roulette strategies.
C
- Call Bet – also known as an announced bet. A bet that is made while the wheel is spinning. Usually, you won’t have any chips on the table, but the croupier will move some over there to take note better as the wheel spins.
- Chameleon Strategy – a player who mimics the strategy of a successful player at the table.
- Column Bet – a bet on one of the table’s three columns of numbers. The bet pays 2:1 because it covers 12 numbers.
- Croupier – the name for the roulette dealer.
D
- Double Zero – this is the additional pocket on the American roulette wheel. It is not available on European or French roulette wheels.
- Dozen Bet – this is a bet on 12 numbers. Unlike column bet, numbers go up in sequential order. It pays out 2:1.
E
- En Prison – a rule in French roulette where an even-money bet is kept on hold if the ball lands on 0. If the ball lands in the correctly predicted pocket on the next spin, you get
- European Roulette – this is the original form of roulette. It is played in most countries outside of the United States, including Australia. The wheel only features a single zero, which means a standard house edge of 2.70%.
- Even Money – a bet that pays 1:1. Examples include red/black, high/low, and odds/evens.
F
- Five Number Bet – a bet on the first five numbers on the American roulette wheel. It is very unlikely to get correct.
- French Roulette – another variation of roulette played using a European roulette wheel. The game features two unique rules called La Partage and En Prison, making it the best variation of roulette to play for a low house edge.
H
- House Edge – the advantage that a casino has over a player. Casinos always have a statistical advantage to remain profitable.
- High Bet – a wager on all the numbers between 19 and 36.
I
- Inside Bets – bets made on options made in the centre areas of the roulette table. So, where the numbers are.
L
- La Partage Bet – another rule exclusive to French Roulette. Similar to the En Prison rule, the La Partage rule pays you half your money back if your bet is in prison and it lands on the correct area of the wheel on the next spin.
- Line Bet – a wager on six numbers, including two rows of three numbers.
- Low Bet – a bet on all the numbers between 1 and 18.
Roulette Terms: M-Z
M
- Marker – a chip or similar object used to mark your bet.
- Mini Roulette – a variation of roulette that uses a smaller wheel than the standard version. What this means is fewer bets and a greater chance to win.
N
- No Action – if no action is called on a spin, all bets are cancelled on a spin. They will be reactivated for the next spin with the option to remove them.
O
- Orphelins – a called bet on a set of numbers that are neighbours on the wheel.
- Outside Bets – these are bets that are made on the outer part of the table. Bets cover a larger section of the wheel and are easier to win.
P
- Parlay – in roulette, this term refers to situations where you double the bet after a win.
- Pockets – refers to spaces on the wheel where the ball could land. Each pocket has a number and a colour.
R
- Red Bet – this is an outside bet where you bet on all the red numbers on the wheel, which make up approximately half of the options. The payout on the bet is 2:1.
S
- Six Line – this is a bet on two adjacent rows of numbers on the roulette table. The payout for this bet is 5:1.
- Split – this is a bet on two adjacent numbers on the table. Usually, the numbers are split across the wheel. The payout for this bet is 17:1.
- Straight Up – this is a bet on a single number that can be placed by putting your money on a specific area of the table. The bet pays out 35:1.
- Street Bet – this is a bet on three numbers on the roulette table, which can be placed by putting your chips on the edge of the row. The bet pays out 11:1.
T
- Trio Bet – this is another name for the street bet. You bet on three numbers and hope that one of them comes up. The bet pays out 11:1.
V
- Voisins du Zero – this is a wager on a section of numbers on the roulette wheel near 0.
Z
- Zero – this is a space on the wheel with the number 0. On European roulette wheels, it is the only number marked with a zero. On American roulette wheels, there is a second green pocket with a double “00”.
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