A Guide to Roulette Terminology

One of the best ways to get started playing roulette is to learn roulette terminology and slang. Not only will this allow you to understand the rules better, but it will show the others at the table that you’re a seasoned player. In this guide, you’ll discover the most helpful terms and phrases for this iconic game.

We want to make sure that players of all experience levels can learn something from this guide. This is why we’ve kicked off the page by briefly explaining the rules of roulette. We’ve then covered the complete list of terms in our roulette glossary, before discussing some common variations of the game.

To round out this page, we’ve discussed the common roulette betting options and whether they can impact your payouts. To round off the guide, you’ll learn about online roulette and if it’s as good as land-based roulette. For more information, check out our guide to the best online roulette sites and find out where to play.

• Roulette Rules Explained
• Roulette Terms
• Roulette Variations
• Roulette Betting Options
• About Online Roulette

The Rules and Roulette Glossary

While roulette is one of the most famous casino games in the world, it can be somewhat intimidating for new players. Fortunately, the rules of roulette are very simple. To begin with, roulette is played using a spinning wheel that has either 36 or 37 red or black slots around the edge.

The number of slots will depend on which variant you play, which we’ve discussed in a later section of this page. To get started, you’ll need to determine the value of your colored chips with the croupier. Then, place your bets using the chips on a betting mat.

The mat will include the numbers of the slots and other alternative betting options. These options will have varying payout rates and odds. For example, if you wanted to believe that the ball would land on red 30, you would place your chips on the corresponding section of the betting mat.

This is called a straight-up bet, and a win would pay out 35 to 1. Once your bets are placed, the croupier drops a ball in the spinning wheel. When it comes to a stop, the ball will land in one of the slots. You will only win if your bet corresponds with this result.

When you’re done, you’ll need to cash out your chips at the table. This is important as the value of the chips won’t mean anything to tellers outside of that table. When playing online roulette, chips will have pre-determined values, so you won’t need to worry about this.

As you can see, this is a very simple game that has a very small learning curve. It is also entirely a game of luck, unlike poker and blackjack which can benefit from skill. To best communicate with the croupier and to get a better grip on the gameplay, it’s extremely helpful to know the roulette common terms described in the next section.

Roulette Common Terms from A-Z

The roulette terminology described in this section refers to the gameplay, the betting options, and certain variants of the game. By understanding these, you’ll have a much better chance of finding the right games to suit your preferences and to accurately communicate with the people at the table.

• Action – the total amount you have bet over a certain period.
• All-In – when a player bets their entire bankroll.
• American Roulette – a variant of the game that includes two zero pockets. This lowers the payout rate of the game.
• Ball Track – the outer rim of the wheel where the ball is spun.
• Bank Roll – a player’s budget for the roulette session. This should be strictly adhered to.
• Black Bet – a wager that the ball will land on a black number.
• Black Chip – a $100 chip that players make a “Black Action” with.
• Bottom Track – the track of the wheel that the ball spins into before landing in a slot.
• Capping – an illegal bet where players add more chips to a winning bet after the betting has been stopped.
• Cheval – a split bet on French roulette.
• Chip – special coins that indicate your bet size. These are usually colored differently to differentiate between players at the table and may not have a set denomination.
• Column Bet/Colonne – a bet on a column of numbers that covers one-third of the mat. “Colonne” refers to a French roulette column bet.
• Combination Bet – a bet when one or more chips are placed on two or more numbers.
• Corner Bet/Carre – a bet on four numbers placed on the corner of the mat. “Carre” refers to French roulette.
• Croupier – the name of the dealer who takes bets and spins the wheel.
• Derniere – the last dozen number bet in French roulette.
• Dozen Bet/Douzaine – a bet on one of the three dozen sections. “Douzaine” is the French roulette term
• En Plein – a straight-up bet on one number in French roulette.
• Flat Betting – the name of the betting strategy to only bet the same amount every round.
• En Prison – a rule in French roulette. If you make a straight-up bet and the ball lands on a 0, you get an extra spin. If it loses again, you forfeit your wager, and if it lands, you get your money back.
• Even Money Bet – an outside bet that pays 1:1, such as on Red or Black.
• European Roulette – a variant that has only one zero pocket. This has a higher payout rate than American roulette.
• Five Number Bet – a wager exclusive to American roulette that covers 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3
• French Roulette – a single-0 variant of Europe that offers the En Prison Rule and an alternative table layout.
• Gaffed Wheel – a table that has been rigged by the casino.
• Green Chips – chips that are valued at $25.
• Green Pockets – the zero slots on the roulette wheel.
• High/Low – an even-money bet on the high or low numbers on the mat.
• Hot (Table, Numbers) – when winning streaks are occurring at a table or certain numbers are regularly landing.
• House Edge – this is the advantage that the casino has over players. This will depend on the variant played. One of the more important roulette common terms.
• Impair – an odds bet in French roulette.
• Inside Bet – bets made on the inside of the mat. This includes corner bets and straight-ups.
• La Partage – a similar bet to En Prison in French roulette, though players lose half their bet if the wheel lands on 0.
• Line Bet – a bet placed on the line between three numbers on the betting mat, so includes six numbers. Also called a Six Number bet or “Sixainne” in French roulette.
• Manque – a Low bet in French roulette.
• Martingale System – a betting strategy where players double their bets after a losing bet.
• Odd Bet – a bet on all odd numbers.
• Outside Bet – a wager on the outside of a betting mat. Could include dozens, red/blacks, etc.
• Pair – a bet on even numbers in French roulette.
• Passe – a High bet in French roulette.
• Premiere – a bet on the first dozen in French roulette.
• Positive Progression – a betting strategy where bets are increased after every win.
• Red Chip – a chip usually worth $5.
• Red/Rouge – an even-money bet on red numbers. “Rouge” is the term in French roulette.
• Split Bet – a bet on two side-by-side numbers on the mat.
• Straight/Straight-Up Bet – a bet on a single number.
• Street Bet – a wager on three numbers to land.
• Visual Wheel Tracking – the ability to track where the ball will stop by sight.
• Wager – another word for a bet.
• Wheel – the roulette wheel containing the slots.

Roulette Rule Variations

There are essentially two different main variants to roulette that our roulette terminology applies to. These are European and American roulette. The primary distinction between these games is that European roulette has one zero-slot while American roulette has two zero-slots. The return to player rate for European games is therefore 97.3%, while for American games it’s 94.74%.

This is a considerable difference, so it’s better to play European games if you can. However, these can be harder to find at US land-based casinos. French roulette uses the same wheel as European roulette, but its betting mat is slightly different. There are usually enhanced betting options such as La Partage and En Prison too.

Roulette Betting Options

Now that you’re familiar with the glossary of roulette terms, you may be interested to see an overview of the betting options and their odds. In the following table, you’ll find the payouts and odds for each bet type in American and European variants so you can make more informed bets.

If you need another reminder of what each bet type is, refer to our roulette glossary above.

About Online Roulette

Suppose you are located in a state that permits legal online casino gambling. In that case, you’ll be able to enjoy virtual or real dealer roulette games at licensed operators like the best roulette sites in Pennsylvania. Often, you’ll be able to find both European and American variants that appeal to all budgets. Some real dealer games even add boosted multipliers.

Our online roulette glossary applies to online roulette games too. These provide a great opportunity to practice the game and the many betting options for less than you’d have to pay at a land-based casino. Just be sure to set a bankroll before you play and adhere to it to guarantee responsible gameplay.