A Beginner’s Guide to Roulette Terminology

Welcome to the captivating world of roulette! As you step into the realm of this iconic casino game, you’ll quickly realize that understanding its terminology is crucial to fully enjoying the experience. 

Just as a seasoned sailor knows the difference between port and starboard, a roulette player must be familiar with terms like “straight up” or “column bet.” Let’s start with the basic roulette terminology so you can start playing and learn all about Roulette as you practice. 

Wheel & Table Layout

In every casino, there’s a special corner with the roulette game. At the center is the Wheel. It’s like a big spinning plate with numbers from 0 to 36. Some even have a “00”. Each number has a color: red, black, or green for zeros.

Beside the wheel is the Table. It’s where players place their chips to guess where the ball will land. There are spots for each number and other spaces for different bets like “red” or “even numbers”. The person in charge of the game is called the Croupier. They spin the wheel, toss in the ball, and announce the winning number.

If you’re playing online, the setup is usually the same, it’s just virtual. In some games, you might see the table and wheel only. And in live dealer games, you will play online but with a real croupier.

Types of Bets

Now, you’re going to learn the types of bets you can make: 

• Straight Up: It’s a solo venture where you wager on one unique number. Plant your chip directly on that number.
• Split Bet: Fancy two neighboring numbers? Straddle your chip on the boundary that divides them.
• Street Bet: Think three numbers in a tidy row are lucky? Anchor your chip to that row’s fringe.
• Corner Bet (or Square): Imagine a quartet of numbers forming a tight square. Position your chip where they all converge.
• Column Bet: A vertical journey, you bet on a whole column of 12 numbers. Deposit your chip in the designated zone at its commencement.
• Dozen Bet: Select a continuous series of 12 numbers. Whether it’s the starting dozen (1-12), middle set (13-24), or the final sequence (25-36), you choose.
• Red/Black, Even/Odd, High/Low: Simplify with these 50/50 bets. Pick a color, decide on even or odd, or gauge the range: high (19-36) versus low (1-18).

Special Roulette Terms

Like any game, roulette has some unique terms: 

• Inside Bets: Bets placed on the numbers on the roulette table. This includes straight-up, split, street, and corner bets.
• Outside Bets: Bets placed on the additional sectors outside the main number grid, like red/black or column bets.
• En Prison: A rule in European roulette. If the ball lands on zero in an even-money bet, the player can leave the bet “in prison” for another spin.
• La Partage: Another European roulette rule. If the ball lands on zero, players get half of their even-money bets back.
• House Edge: The casino’s statistical advantage over the players. In European roulette, it’s 2.7% due to one zero, while in American roulette, it’s 5.26% because of the double zero.

Familiarizing yourself with these basic terms will not only help you play with confidence but also allow you to engage more deeply with the game’s strategies. As you spin the wheel and watch the ball dance to its final resting place, knowing the lingo will make every turn an exhilarating adventure.