How to Play Roulette Online for Beginners

The history of roulette

Roulette’s origins take us back to 17th-century France, with its invention credited to the mathematician and physicist Blaise Pascal. Intriguingly, the roulette wheel, conceived initially by Pascal as a perpetual motion machine, was played for centuries without a zero. 

It all shifted in 1842 when Francois and Lois Blanc crafted a Roulette wheel with a single zero for King Charles III of Monaco. This change significantly increased the house edge. 

Facing financial woes, Charles built a casino, introducing the roulette wheel, which generated significant income for Monaco. When, in turn, France banned gambling, Monaco became even more alluring. 

Roulette made its way to the US in the late 1800s, and an extra double zero was added to increase the house’s advantage. The American Roulette wheel was born and featured 38 numbers from 1-36, 0, and 00 instead of 37 on the European and French versions, with only one zero. 

Roulette basics

Roulette is a game featuring a board and a spinning wheel divided into numbered sections from 1 to 36 and alternate black and red numbers. You’ll also notice a green section labelled 0. 

In American tables, there’s an extra green section marked 00. Adding the additional zero tips the scales in favour of the house, making the American Roulette version less financially attractive than the European game. 

Players will place their bets with chips in a virtual live roulette game, similar to a real casino, within a set period. Once the dealer closes the bets, you must wait for the results. In a live casino setting, a croupier spins the wheel in one direction and sends the ball in the opposite direction. The ball will start spinning quickly, and as it slows down, it eventually finds its way into one of the numbered pockets. If you have a bet on one of the outside or inside bets featuring that number, you win. The croupier will pay out winnings before inviting new bets and spinning again.  

Parimatch has live dealer roulette tables and also tables without live dealers, which offers a slower pace. There are no time pressures in placing your bets with these, and it is a great way to become proficient in the basics of how to play roulette.  

There are many different types of bets you can play, like inside and outside bets. Let’s take a look. 

Outside Bets

Outside bets are like casting a wider net, covering whole categories of numbers. They’re fantastic for beginners as they provide a broad table coverage, increasing your winning chances, even if the payouts are lower. 

Red or black

A beginner’s go-to bet is on red or black. You’re betting that the winning number will fall into either of these categories. It’s a straightforward bet that pays out even money, doubling your original wager if you win, and gives you a 50/50 shot. 

Odd or even

Odds or evens is very similar to betting on red or black. Both odd/even or red/black numbers have 18 pockets each. The payouts are identical to red or black, and you will double your money on any win.  

High or low

Another of the popular outside bets also pays even money, and it splits the table down the middle. Low are numbers 1 to 18, and anything from 19 to 36 is considered high numbers. So, for a £1 winning bet, you will receive £2 back, a £1 profit.  

Column

There are three columns on the roulette table, so betting on this increases the odds as you are now looking at a three-in-one chance instead of a two-in-one, and the payouts increase to 2 to 1. So, for a £1 bet, you are looking at a return of £3, resulting in a £2 profit. The three columns have the following numbered patterns: 

• Column One: 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34 

• Column Two: 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 35 

• Column Three: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 31, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36 

Dozens

Another outside bet is the dozens bet divided into three sections. Your first dozen cover the numbers 1 to 12, the second is 13 to 24, and the last and third cover 25 to 36. Same as the column bets, it pays out for one of these at 2 to 1. 

Inside Bets

Inside bets are at the heart of the roulette action, placed on individual numbers or number combinations. They come with greater risk due to the higher odds of winning. However, when you do win, the payout is substantially greater, making it a high-risk, high-reward choice. 

Straight-up

A straight-up bet is the highest payer. You can choose one single number or place bets on a few on any of the numbers from 1 to 36, as well as the 0 or the double 0 if playing on an American roulette table. The odds are higher at 35 to 1 as the chance of hitting a single number is lower than, say, a black or red bet.  

Split

The split bet can cover any two numbers on the table that are adjacent. To place this bet, you must place your bets in the middle of two numbers, for example, between 8 and 9. The payout is 17 to 1, as you have increased your chances with two numbers rather than one. You will also notice that the split numbers on the board aren’t next to each other on the wheel.  

Street

A street bet, also known as a row bet, will cover three numbers in a row. To place this bet, you must set the chip on the line on the left-hand side of the first number in the particular line. Examples of this type of bet would be numbers 1, 2, and 3 or 4, 5, and 6. The payout is 11 to 1, as you have an increased shot of winning if one of three numbers drops.  

Corner/Square Bets

A corner or square bet is a wager on four numbers. Place the chip on one of the corners where the four numbers join. An example is placing the chip between numbers 8, 9, 11, and 12. The payout for a win on this type of bet is 8 to 1.  

Six line

As this name suggests, this bet covers a line of six numbers, and some call it a quint bet. It will cover the numbers on two adjacent rows, like 1 to 6 or 7 to 12. To make this bet, put your chip on the line that divides the outer and inner bets, positioned between the two rows of numbers you wish to include. Its odds are 5 to 1.  

Basket

A basket bet is also known as a sucker and a five-number bet. You won’t find this in European roulette tables, and it’s unique to the American version. This bet will include the zero pockets of 0 and 00 and numbers 1 to 3. It’s got a payout of 6 to 1. However, there is a reason for its name a sucker bet. It has a lower chance of winning and has a higher house edge. Most roulette bets come with a house edge of around 5.4%, while the basket bet is 7.90%, so we advise against this.  

Some Roulette Rules

La Partage 

In the UK, numerous single-zero roulette tables follow ‘La Partage’ rules, which means “Sharing” in French. Under these rules, when the wheel lands on 0, all even-money bets are split. Half of the bet goes to the house, and the other half is returned to the players. This significantly reduces the house edge from 2.7% to a more favourable 1.35%, making it one of the best bets you can make. 

En Prison 

The ‘En Prison’ rule, French for ‘In Prison,’ is a variation of the La Partage rule. Similar to La Partage, it means bets are halved when 0 comes up. However, with ‘En Prison,’ the money that’s been wagered must be placed again on the next spin, giving players a second chance. 

En Prison and La Partage rules only apply to the following wagers: 

• High/Low 

• Red/Black 

• Even/Odd 

Best Roulette Strategies

There are a few roulette betting strategies you can employ to switch up your gaming strategy:  

• Paroli 

• D’Alembert  

• Martingale 

• Fibonacci Sequence  

• Parlay  

• Double Street Quad  

We will look at the first two as they are tailored for beginners, while the others are for more experienced players with significant bankrolls. 

Paroli System

The Paroli betting system begins with a small bet that you double after each win, aiming to ride winning streaks. You should limit the number of consecutive wins or a profit target, at which point you return to your initial bet and start over. Unlike strategies that raise bets after losses, the Paroli system is a lower-risk approach that maximises wins while avoiding chasing losses. However, it’s essential to set clear limits to prevent significant losses, as there is no guarantee any winning streaks will continue. 

D'Alembert System

The D’Alembert strategy, tailored for even bets like red or black, is relatively straightforward. Start with a designated unit of money, say £1. If you win a bet, reduce the next wager by one unit; if you lose, increase it by one. 

The odds of winning each bet hover around 48%, depending on the roulette version. This strategy helps balance your bets over time. However, remember that roulette remains a game of chance, so strategies mainly aid in managing your bankroll. 

The reverse D'Alembert strategy

The Reverse D’Alembert strategy flips the original approach. When you win, you increase your bet, and when you lose, you reduce it. Like the classic strategy, you select your betting units and make gradual adjustments, increasing or decreasing your bet by one unit at a time and keeping the same rules in place. 

Whichever strategy you choose to use, it’s advisable to stick with it throughout the entire game. While it might be tempting to switch between strategies, doing so undermines the purpose of employing one in the first place. 

Parimatch Casinos Range of Online Roulette Games

Whether you’re a fan of classic blackjack or seeking a more modern twist, Parimatch Casino provides a wide range of online roulette tables to suit all preferences. Our tables cater to traditional blackjack enthusiasts and those wanting a fresh and innovative gaming experience. 

Virtual Roulette 

For a roulette experience without a live dealer, you can play on our virtual roulette tables. These games all come with Random Number Generators (RNGs) to provide fair and completely random outcomes on each game. They are perfect for beginners learning how to play roulette. Why don’t you try two of our top games, 10p Roulette or Quantum Roulette? 

Red Door Roulette 

Red Door Roulette combines the excitement of Evolution Gaming’s Lightning Roulette and the Crazy Time bonus game. Reveal bonus numbers and lucky keys and multipliers of up to 20x to boost your straight-up bets. Land a bonus number and open the iconic Red Door leading you into the Crazy Time world with a 64-segment wheel with multipliers and bonus rounds. If the flapper lands on a double, all the values double, and it spins again. It has a betting range perfect for beginners still learning how to play roulette, starting from £0.20 to £2,000. 

XXXtreme Lightning Roulette 

Another of Evolution’s offers is XXXtreme Lightning Roulette, where lightning strikes add multipliers up to five numbers. Straight-up bets can receive multipliers of 50x to 500x. Another fun feature is the chain lightning feature that can also strike, increasing the number of numbers to ten and the multiplier up to a maximum of 1,999x your bet. Its betting range caters for beginners to high rollers, with a betting range from £0.20 to £2,000. 

Double Ball Roulette 

Evolution has created Double Ball Roulette in partnership with Games Marketing. Instead of only one ball, two balls drop onto the wheel, a unique offering at the Parimatch live casino lobby with double the chance for a winning number. If you have bet on a straight-up number and both balls land together, the payout increases from 35x the bet to an incredible 1,3000x.  

Sign up to Parimatch Online Casino

If you still need to create an account at Parimatch, we have a simple and quick registration process that will only take a few moments of your time. Once you’ve opened and verified your account, we have multiple payment methods, tight security measures, and a casino welcome bonus offer perfect for learning how to play our roulette games.  

Before you head over to the roulette tables, please take a moment to read through our Safer Gambling section. A fundamental understanding of gambling is that it should be a fun activity, not a negative one. So please have a look through and put into practice some of the tools we provide. It is a great way to start your roulette betting journey on a solid footing.