Roulette Terms
Roulette has a host of variations, rules and different bets. There are so many that very often, even seasoned pros can come across words and terms they have not encountered before. Below, we give an essential glossary of roulette terms.
American Roulette
A popular version of roulette. It differs from the French version in that it has an extra 00 space on the roulette wheel. This gives it a reduced house edge compared to the French version. Both types also use tables with different layouts.
Bet on the Layout
In roulette, there are several ways bets can be placed. They can get grouped, bets can be made on columns, or you can even bet on colours. A bet on the layout refers to one of the most popular bets which is a wager placed anywhere on the central numbers section of the table.
Biased Wheel
A roulette wheel should produce results at random. Wheels that do not and have pockets where balls fall more times than others are biased wheels. They are not always the result of foul play. Wear and tear can cause roulette wheels to do this.
Bankroll
A bankroll is an amount a player has set aside for betting. This may be per session or over some time. Sticking to a bankroll and managing it effectively is very important.
Blacks
Blacks are certain roulette numbers with a black colour attached to them. In roulette, all even numbers between 1-10 and 19-28 are black. Between 11-18 and 29-36, black numbers are odd.
Block Betting
A bet placed on a block of numbers in the same section. This applies to where they are on the table, not on the wheel.
Backtrack
This is the outside rim of the roulette wheel. It does not move but is the area where the ball spins before it descends into a pocket. Also referred to as the ball track.
Boule
This is a simplified version of French roulette. It only uses numbers between 1-9 with each appearing twice on the wheel. Players may only bet on one number at a time. This increases the odds of the player winning greatly compared to the standard game.
Call Bets
Call bets are a special type of bet that cover certain sections of the wheel. They are Voisins du Zéro, Tiers du Cylindre and Orphelins. Neighbours and Finale are two other optional call bets.
It may also refer to a bet that does not require a player to place money on the table. Instead, they are given credit by the croupier who will mark the bet for them once they tell them their wager. In many parts of the world, this is illegal. It differs from an announced bet, where players must show their credit at the table itself.
Cheval
This is a term used for a split bet. These can be placed on any two numbers that lie next to each other on the table. They pay out at 17:1.
Colonne
The French term for a column bet. This involves placing your bet on twelve numbers grouped by the columns on the table.
Column Bet
A bet placed on a 12-number column residing on the roulette table. Working in multiples of three, these are 1–34, 2–35, and 3–36.
Corner Bet (Carre)
On the cloth, a square is created by four digits placed next to one another. The chip is positioned at the intersection of the four numbers to place the wager on the carré. If this wager is successful, an 8:1 payout is given.
Croupier
The croupier is the person who runs the games in a casino. They will help place wagers, calculate odds, deal and shuffle cards, collect losing wagers and generally enforce all the rules of the game. In roulette, they will also be responsible for spinning the wheel and dropping the ball.
Double Zero
A double zero is a green pocket you will find on American roulette wheels. If the ball lands on this, all other bets become forfeit. You can bet on this with a payout of 35:1.
Dozen Bet
Bets are made on three blocks of twelve numbers. These cover numbers 1-12, 13-24, and 25-36. They pay out at 2:1.
En Plein
A French term for placing a simple bet. It involves wagering on one single number. This term applies in many other casino games and outside the realm of gambling.
En Prison
A rule in which the player can recover their bet if a 0 is spun. This only applies when the bet is of even odds. If a player is in a casino where the La Partage rule is in play, which lets them keep half a stake on the roll of a 0, they may use the bet for En Prison. This will see their bet kept on the table for the next round. On a win it gets returned, on a loss it is forfeit.
Even Money Bet
Even money are the bets that pay out 1:1 . For example, if you bet $100 and win, you will receive $200 ($100 of winnings plus your bet). Red/Black, Odd/Even are even bets common in roulette.
European Roulette
European Roulette is very much like French roulette, with all the same betting options. They often have slightly different table layouts. The main difference is that European roulette does not tend to have the additional rules of La Partage and En Prison found in the French version.
French Bets
French bets are wagers made on various combinations of numbers. Not all casinos and tables will allow these. They often cover numbers in various sections of the wheel, from thirds to neighbours of the 0 pocket.
Finale
An advanced type of announced bet that can only be made at certain tables. It involves betting on certain groups of numbers, usually not found on the table layout.
House Edge
A percentage that shows how much of a player's bankroll gets returned to the table and how much is kept by the casino over some time. For example, a house edge of 5% would mean the house would keep 5% of the money gambled as profit and 95% would return to players.
Inside Bets
Inside bets are placed on the inside of the table layout, which corresponds to numbers on the wheel. They have less chance of appearing but yield higher payouts.
La Partage
A rule that can let players keep half of a losing wager. Should a 0 fall, all even money bets can take part. Bets get divided in half and split between the house and the player. If the En Prison rule is in play, the gambler can then choose to take part in this additional bet.
Marker
A small device that shows where the ball has fallen on the roulette wheel.
Mini Roulette
A smaller version of roulette that has only thirteen pockets. Easier to play and bet on, it is popular in online gaming offerings.
Orphans
The orphan numbers fall on either side of the roulette wheel. They are ones not covered by Tier du Cylindre or by Voisins du Zéro. There are three numbers on the right-hand side: black 17, red 34, and black 6. On the left, there are five numbers: red 1, black 20, red 14, black 31, and red 9. To play the bet, you need multiples of five chips.
Orphelins
The French name for orphans. This is a set of numbers, as detailed above.
Outside Bets
These are the second category of bets in roulette. They reside outside the numbered area. They give the option to bet on colours or odds and even numbers, among others.
Pockets
These are the small indentations on the roulette wheel. Each has a number and is coloured red, black or green. When the ball spins, the pocket it lands in denotes the colour and number that will win a game for that round.
Racetrack
A racetrack is an addition to the table layout. It allows you to place call bets much quicker and easier. You use it like a normal layout but can place money on the specialized French bets.
Six Line
A bet placed on two lines of the roulette table. These lay next to each other, combining to bet on six numbers. It does not relate to betting on six different lines.
Sixianne
A French term used in roulette for the six-number line bet.
Split
This is an inside bet made on two numbers. They must be adjacent on the roulette board but do not need to be sequential. For example, you may choose 16 and 19, or 22 and 23. They pay out at 17:1.
Straight Up
The simplest bet on a roulette table. It's wagered on one solitary number. It pays out at 35:1.
Street
A type of bet made in roulette that concentrates on the street numbers. They cover a row of three consecutive numbers, using only one chip. They have a payout of 11:1.
Snake Bet
A snake bet is a type of strategy that is also allowed as a fixed bet in some casinos. It involves betting on a line of twelve numbers in a snaking line going down the table. They all have to be of the same colour.
Table Limit
The roulette table usually imposes minimum and maximum bets, and these rules usually apply separately for all of a player's inside and outside bets for each spin.
Tiers Du Cylindre
This is one of the call bets. Translated as a third of the wheel, it covers the numbers on the opposite side to the Voisins du Zéro bet.
Transversale
This is another term for a six-line bet. It covers two lines of three consecutive numbers on the roulette table. They pay out at 5:1.
Voisins du Zéro
This translates as the neighbours of zero. It refers to seventeen numbers that surround the 0 on the wheel, going from 22 to 25. It can be made as one of the call bets.
Wheel Checks
These are the markings denoted on a roulette wheel, along with the designs on chips.
It can also refer to checks made to check how well a wheel brings up numbers in a random pattern. These can be conducted by independent bodies or the house itself.
Zero
The spaced coloured green and marked 0 on the roulette wheel. If this comes up, all bets are forfeit.
Roulette Glossary FAQ
What do roulette croupiers say?
Croupiers in land-based casinos may use some French phrases, such as “ Faites vos jeux” which means “place your bets”, or “Rien ne va plus” for “no more bets”.
What is the courtesy line in roulette?
The courtesy line in roulette is a line between the "2nd 12" and "3rd 12" bets on the roulette table. It is used when players are sitting at the end of the table not easily within reach of the zero and double zero spaces to place a bet on zero or double zero.
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