How to Play Online Roulette - Basic Rules
On the most fundamental level, you're really just spinning a wheel and trying to guess which number it lands on. With that said, learning the most basic roulette rules will show you how much depth a game can have even when it's based on such a straightforward premise. In what follows in our Online Casinos Canada guide, we'll walk you through the process of how this works from start to finish for an individual game round. From there, you can keep playing or switch things up however you want no matter which particular style or variation you're getting in on the action with.
Select Your Game
Game selection is all about knowing all of the different real money online casino roulette rules and how the different styles compare to each other. This is a genre where most of the games are pretty similar in most regards, and it's small changes that ultimately make a big difference in the gameplay, potential payouts, and other elements of the experience. Along these lines, selecting the title that you want to focus on is more about identifying small differences than what you find in any other genre.
Generally speaking, the European or French variants are what most people will want to play. If you aren't sure what to pick, those two styles are where you should start. They have the best payouts because they have the lowest house advantage of all of the major styles. Additionally, they don't have any trap bets that you can fall into as a beginner when compared to something like Craps or Baccarat. If you want to familiarize yourself with the numerous variants online, make sure to check out our free roulette guide where you can play in demo mode before wagering real money in 2024.
Place Your Bet
Once you've chosen your title and have the table up in front of you, it's time to place your bets. Multiple wagers can be placed at the same time, but not everything pays out the same. In fact, the roulette winnings rules are set up so that you can get paid proportionately higher for the amount of risk that you take on. This means making a more risky wager that wins less often will give you a better prize when you do hit a payout. Conversely, you can choose less risky options that pay out more frequently but for smaller amounts.
A big part of this decision comes down to playing with the inside or outside bets. The inside bets are placed on the grid of actual numbers (typically 0-36), while the outside wagers are placed around the outside of that same grid. Generally speaking, the outside is the place to be if you're starting out, particularly if you want wagers with less risk and a lower volatility level.
The Wheel is Spun
When the wagers are placed, the wheel is then spun. While this is done virtually in RNG-based titles, the live tables handle it in a very specific way to keep things fair. In all traditional roulette casino rules, the wheel is spun one way while the ball spins in the opposite direction. This keeps the two from "syncing" up with their spin, which would cause less randomness in results. By keeping the ball and wheel going in opposite directions, this problem is avoided.
Outcome Revealed
A moment or two after the spin begins, the ball will fall down, bounce around a bit, and land on one of the numbers. This reveals the outcome of the turn, and it also shows you all of the wagers that win. If any bet was placed that included that number, then the player receives a payout for it. Since the real money roulette rules allow for a wide range of numbers to all be placed under the same bet, you don't have to actually match up the exact number unless you're making a straight-up wager.
At this point, you'll have the option to decide on your next wager. However, most tables have a simple "re-spin" or "repeat bet" option that allows you to play a new spin for the exact same bets that you had on the previous one. This makes things much more convenient for players who like to use the same set of bets for several turns in a row.
Getting to Know the Roulette Wheel
Something virtually every online roulette rule set has in common is that their wheels are made up of pretty much the same numbers and spots. For the most part, they all show the numbers 1-36 with half of them backed by red and the other half backed by black. Additionally, they show at least one green zero. In the case of the American style, however, you'll also have a green double zero (00) on the wheel as well.
The numbers on the wheel do not go in order. Instead, they're all mixed up in a predetermined pattern. The reason that this is the standard is that, back in the day, it made it much more difficult for the dealer or croupier to deliberately make a ball land near a certain set of numbers. That standard has held up over the years, and so we have standardized wheels for each of the European, French, and American versions.
Casino Roulette Betting Rules and Table Layout
It's important to learn early on that each type of roulette table is not made the same. Most of the differences come from the single-zero or double-zero versions, but some other variations exist. Nonetheless, you should still learn the basics of each of these common types even if you only plan to enjoy the most favorable variations because they can help you to better understand the genre as a whole. This makes it easier to pick strategies, and it also makes it harder for you to fall into the wrong variations that will give you a lower payout rate.
Single Zero European Roulette Table
The single zero style is often called the European variation for short, but some non-European styles use a single green zero as well. However, in most cases for both the European and French games, you'll have the numbers 1-36 on a grid with a single large green zero shown down on the end. If you're starting out learning how to win at roulette, you'll want to stick to these games because they tend to have the lowest house edge.
They also have a special wager called a 0-2-3 trio that can only be found in the single zero format. Additionally, it also has the first four bet that's a wager on the 0-1-2-3 combination. Neither of these are available with tables that have the double green zero.
- Single Zero Roulette House Edge: 2.70%
- You can find European Roulette tables at the online casinos below:
Double Zero American Roulette Table
The American style has a second green zero that's actually a double zero to designate it from the original. As far as real money roulette rule sets go, most of the gameplay is actually the same as the European and French versions. The only major difference is that the house edge of most bets is about twice as high, making it a worse game for players all-around. With that said, it has a similar table with the numbers 1-36 with spots for both the 0 and 00 off to one side.
A wager called the top line can be found in the double-zero games only. It's a combination wager on the 0-00-1-2-3 set of five numbers, and there's no other bet quite like it in the genre because it has a slightly different house edge than all other wagers in the game. Additionally, the 00-2-3 trio is only available on tables with this double-zero format.
- Double Zero Roulette House Edge: 5.26%
- You can find American Roulette tables at most online casinos.
Inside Bets Explained
In our experience, the element of roulette casino rules that Canadian players get tripped up with the most when they're first starting out is how inside bets work. They aren't as straightforward as the outside wagers because they don't have simple labels placed directly on the game board. Instead, you have to place your chips in different positions on the grid of numbers to place wagers on specific groupings. To help you along, we want to point out exactly what's available and how to place these various wagers on the inside part of the table.
- Straight: A straight up wager is a bet on a single number. The chips are placed in the center of that number, and it pays 35:1.
- Split: Two adjacent numbers are wagered on with a split bet where the chips are put on the middle of the line that separates them. It has a 17:1 payout.
- Street: You can wager on three vertically stacked numbers by putting your chips in the middle of the top line of that row for a payout of 11:1.
- Six Line: For a payout of 5:1, this is a wager on two adjacent street bets with the chips placed on the top corner between the two rows.
- Corner: By placing your chips on the corner where four numbers meet, you wager on all four of them for a potential win of 8:1.
- Trio: Putting your chips at the intersection of the 0-1-2 or 0-2-3 (or 00-2-3 in double zero games) pays out at a rate of 11:1 for the trio bet, also known as a basket.
- Basket: In double zero games, you can bet on 0-00-1-2-3 for a payout of 6:1 with the basket bet.
Outside Bets Explained
One of the most convenient rules of roulette is that the outside wagers are labeled in very clear and straightforward ways. While also having low-risk, low-variance payouts of either 1:1 or 2:1, these bets are perfect for players who are new to real money play or simply want a more relaxing style. Down below, we'll show you each of these wagers, how they work, and what you can expect in terms of payouts.
- Black or Red: These win if the number's background is black or red, respectively. It pays 1:1, and like all even money wagers, neither wins on a green zero.
- Even or Odd: The odd (1, 3, 5, etc.) and even (2, 4, 6, etc.) numbers win for each of these wagers as you might expect. Note that green zeroes count as neither even nor odd, and each pays 1:1.
- 1-18 and 19-36: Also called first and second halves, they win when a number hits inside of their respective ranges for a 1:1 payout.
- Dozens: The first 12, second 12, and third 12 wins on 1-12, 13-24 and 25-36, respectively. These all give you wins of 2:1 and give plenty of coverage on the roulette wheel.
- Columns: On the far end, three spots listed as "2to1" payout 2:1 for the top, middle and bottom columns of 12 numbers each on the grid.
Bets and Payout Rates
In virtually all sets of real money online casino roulette rules, the payouts for wins are based on how many numbers were bet on with a specific wager. You can divide 36 by the number of spots covered and then subtract one as a mental math shortcut, or you can simply refer to a chart. In what follows, we'll show you the payouts for wagers that cover particular numbers of positions on the table as a quick reference.
- Single Number: The straight-up is the only single number bet with a 35:1 payout.
- Two Numbers: You can win at 17:1 with the split, the only two-number wager.
- Three Numbers: The trios and street wagers both bet on three numbers with a solid 11:1 prize.
- Four Numbers: Corner bets wager on four numbers for a win at a rate of 8:1.
- Five Numbers: A five-number bet is only found in the American/double zero style with a wager on the basket combination of 0-00-1-2-3 with a 6:1 win.
- Six Numbers: With the double line, you can wager on six consecutive numbers in two adjacent streets with a prize of 5:1.
- Twelve Numbers: The column and dozens wagers each allow you to bet on sets of 12 total numbers with a 2:1 payout.
- Eighteen Numbers: All of the even-money bets are wagers on a total of 18 numbers. This includes the even, odd, red, black, 1-18, and 19-36 wagers.
Win Probability For European and American Roulette Games
The easiest way to really understand the differences between the main two types of online roulette rule sets is to look at the differences in your winning chances for specific wagers. For example, you can see that a straight-up wins at a different rate in a single-zero, European-style game than in a double-zero, American-style game. In what follows, we'll give you a look at these win percentages for each major type of wager, which makes the difference absolutely clear.
How to Play Roulette at Online Casinos
Getting started playing for real money players in Canada is easy and straightforward, and it only takes a few moments to get right into it. You'll follow a few steps that we outline in the following, and we have some specific roulette rules and tips for what to do at each of these stages.
- Choose a Licensed Casino: It's absolutely critical that you choose a site that's fully licensed. We have several top picks that we recommend that we have rated and reviewed for your convenience.
- Register Your Account: Put in the correct personal information when you register so that you don't run into unnecessary delays when requesting a withdrawal later on.
- Claim a Bonus Offer: Select a good bonus that allows play in this type of game while giving you a strong value.
- Pick Your Game: From the different variations and styles of play, choose the one that you want to play with based on which has the most favorable payouts or that appeals to you the most otherwise.
- Make Your Bets: With the table up in front of you, it's time to choose which wagers you'd like to place.
- Spin the Wheel: Once your wagers are in place, spin the wheel to see if you come up as a winner.
- Collect Any Winnings: If your wagers won, you'll collect your payouts at this stage of the game.
- Play Again: Here you can decide to make the same wagers again or to switch things up with a different set of bets.
Roulette Betting Strategies
Players like to use a variety of different types of betting strategies in these games. Many of them are based on placing even money wagers and then changing your bet size based on whether you win or lose. A number of different roulette betting strategies use this pattern like the famous Martingale that doubles your wager after each loss until you hit a win. Deciding on which strategies you'd like to use and coming up with your own approaches is a big part of the fun in this type of game.
Real Money Roulette Rules to Keep in Mind
When you play roulette for real money, there's a bit more on the line compared to if you were simply playing for fun. In particular, the differences in the roulette winnings rules can make a big difference in your bottom line. Here we want to show you what each of the most popular variations and styles has to offer in this particular arena and how to choose which of them is the best for you.
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American Roulette Rules
The main difference with the American style is that it has the second zero, also listed as a double zero. This has the effect of increasing the house advantage on all of the available wagers. Along these lines, it's why we don't recommend ever playing it in most circumstances. There's simply no reason to when you can play single zero variations that are virtually identical except that they have better payout rates.
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Rules for European Roulette
In the European style, you get to learn the most basic online roulette rules out there. The payouts are good, and you don't have to worry about choosing incorrect strategies because every single wager available has the same low house edge. With that said, you do miss out on the La Partage and En Prison mechanics that give you a slightly better payout rate in the French version.
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La Partage and En Prison Rules for French Roulette
The French style is the same as the European with one difference. That difference is the En Prison and La Partage options, of which you get to choose one or the other. They effectively lower the house edge of all even money bets by quite a bit. With En Prison, losing an even money bet on a green zero causes your wager to stay on its spot until it either wins or loses again. However, the La Partage gives you back half of your bet if you lose on a green zero.
Comparison of Popular Games
Game selection between the different types of real money roulette rules can seem a bit more complicated than it is. Here we want to give you a simple and straightforward overview of the three major types to make it a lot easier to pick out the one that's right for you.
Best Roulette Rules and Tips to Keep Winnings
If you ask, "What are the rules of roulette?," then you may be thinking more along the lines of how the game itself is played, but there are other guidelines and policies to be aware of as well. This isn't just about the mechanical functionality of what happens at the tables but also other things that are good to know. In what follows, we'll show you some of the most important of them that can help you to have the best experience and get your winnings quickly and reliably, especially while using one of our generous roulette bonuses.
- Always try to play with a bonus available because that's free money for playing at tables you'd already be at.
- Stick to the European and French styles because the payout rates are typically the best available.
- Canadian players can use fast withdrawal methods like Interac to get their winnings sent to them as quickly as possible.
- Don't be afraid to use free money or demo versions to get used to how these tables operate.
Rules for Playing Live Dealer Roulette
The basic functionality of the games is mostly the same at the best live dealer roulette tables. However, one major difference is that you can't just play the next round whenever you're ready. Instead, everyone has to be given enough time to place their wagers for the next spin. Because of this, you'll tend to get in fewer spins per hour in most live games than if you were playing in a traditional online RNG style environment.
Dealer and Player Etiquette
You also have the opportunity to use the chat function to talk to other players and to speak with your dealer at the live tables. With that said, certain guidelines of etiquette are expected for these interactions. Avoid insults or talking about controversial topics, and make sure to only use polite language. Outside of that, if you're respectful and do not celebrate the losses of other players, you'll be in position to have a tremendous time.
Best New Player Bonuses to Use at Real Money Online Casinos
When you're a new player at a given casino site, you typically have some different options on how to get a great bonus or promotional deal. These options can come in a variety of forms, and many of them have terms and conditions that allow you to play roulette. Down below, we look at some of the most popular options for Canadians and what goes into each of them to help you decide which might be the best fit for you.
No Deposit Free Chip Bonuses
A good option for players on a budget is a no deposit roulette bonus. These bonuses simply give you free money for starting an account, and you can use them to land some real money winnings if you handle the wagering requirements properly. Since the potential reward is real, and since there's no downside since you don't even risk anything, it's a great way to go that a lot of players love.
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Get $31 Free Chips at Slotocash
For 2024, Casino Slotocash is an excellent place to start with their $31 free chip. Using the code 31FREE, you'll have a simple 60x wagering requirement with a sizable $180 maximum cash out. This means that you can run up some serious winnings with a few different styles of online roulette rules. They also have plenty of other types of titles if you want to mix things up a bit.
Minimum Deposit Bonuses
For Canadians in 2024, minimum deposit casino offers are another budget-friendly avenue to get you into some real money play without breaking the bank. You can often find sites that have deals with minimum deposits of just $1 or $5 min deposits that are exclusively for playing slots. However, you can play table games at the $10 minimum deposit level in most cases, especially if you're playing with sites that accept Canadian players. That makes it a perfect small budget scenario.
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Luxury Casino is Best for Minimum Deposit
Despite the name, Luxury Casino is excellent for players who want to make smaller deposits. One reason why is that you get up to $1,000 in deposit rewards across your initial five deposits. This includes a 150% match on your initial deposit. All of these transactions have a deposit minimum of only $10. That makes them a premier option for people who want to shoot for some serious payouts without having to add a ton to their accounts in the process.
Best Online Casinos in Canada for Big Wins in 2024
It's hard to say which site overall is the single best for all Canadian players. Some players simply like certain things more than others. Because of this, instead of offering a "one size fits all" solution, we have a list of the top names overall. From this list and our detailed reviews with full ratings of each casino on it, we're sure that all players can find a place to call their online home. Once you've settled on a gaming establishment, you can use our roulette betting strategy guide to greatly increase your chances of winning big in 2024.
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Play on the Go with Mobile Apps
Mobile players on both iOS and Android have plenty of options to play these games online. With roulette in particular, because the layout is so wide, some players wonder if they'll have trouble placing their bets, especially on small screens. However, you can use the pinch motions on your screen in mobile online casino sites to zoom in like with a photo, so you'll have no problem placing chips in exactly the right spots to make the wagers you're aiming for.
Practice Roulette Rules and Play for Fun with No Download
If you're ready to get started, then free-play casino games are an excellent place to start. You can learn the real money roulette online casino rule sets in an environment where there's no risk to getting familiar with the flow of the game and how everything works. No registration and no download are required either. Once you're ready to get in on the action for real, you can check out our list of our highest-rated sites to pick out a great bonus to maximize your chances of coming out on top.
FAQs
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What are the rules of roulette at online casinos in Canada?
You essentially pick a game, place your bets, spin the wheel and see if it lands on a number that gives you a win. -
What are the best bets to place?
The even money wagers are the easiest for new players. -
Can I increase my chances of winning by using roulette strategies?
Game and wager selection are two strategies that can boost your winning chances. -
Are there any progressive jackpots?
Yes, some variants have progressive jackpots. -
Can I learn how to win at roulette by playing free roulette?
Yes, the free play games are a great place to learn. -
What is the best casino bonus to claim for this game?
We like the Luxury Casino offer for up to $1,000 in rewards inside of five deposits. -
What is the neighbours bet and how do I use it?
The neighbours bet is a wager on five consecutive numbers on the wheel, and you simply break your total bet up into five parts with one part on each number. -
Is it better to play this game on iPhone or iPad?
Either can work well with the zoom function, but an iPad has more screen real estate. -
Is this a game of skill or chance?
This is primarily a game of chance. -
Can I get a no deposit bonus to play this game for real money?
Yes, no deposit offers are available that allow you to play this game.
