Online Roulette: Learn How to Play Roulette at the Best Roulette Sites UK
Online roulette is one of the most popular casino games in the UK. And quite rightly, too! It’s relatively easy to learn a basic roulette strategy and the low house edge is appealing to new players.
In this article, we’ll show you the best roulette casino sites, explain the rules and go into the different roulette variations. So, let’s spin the roulette wheel and see where the ball lands…
Best Casinos with Online Roulette 2024
Key Takeaways for Online Roulette UK
How We Rate our Recommended Online Casinos?
Before we cover some of the intricacies of the different variants, let’s discuss how to choose a reputable casino for roulette players. Below, we’ve covered the many criteria we consider when reviewing roulette sites. Here, then, are the main areas we cover in our online casino reviews.
Welcome Bonus and Free Spins ☑️
First of all, we want to see an attractive welcome bonus. Plus, we love to see a healthy dose of free spins (or bonus spins, as they’re often called in the UK). Now, the bonus spins can’t be used on roulette games, of course, but the welcome bonus can. Therefore, we place more emphasis on bonus funds rather than bonus spins when reviewing an online roulette casino.
Wagering Requirements ☑️
Your welcome bonus and bonus spins will normally have wagering requirements attached. However, the good news is that you can often play roulette online to complete these. The bad news is that playing roulette online will often be weighted to contribute 5% towards wagering. Therefore, it might be wiser to complete the wagering requirements on eligible slot games.
Online Casino Games Selection ☑️
In addition to slots, there should be plenty of roulette casino games. This should include live dealer roulette (covered below) and video roulette. The latter uses a random number generator to produce results akin to a real roulette game. These are made by a variety of top game providers, so you should be spoilt for choice. Having a good number of game providers is key.
Live Dealer Roulette Games ☑️
For the real casino experience, be sure to play roulette online at a live dealer casino. Every live casino should be packed to the rafters with live roulette games from the likes of Evolution, NetEnt Live and many more. And if the live casino is doing things right, there will be plenty of roulette variations to suit all budgets and tastes. We cover more on live dealer roulette below.
Payment Methods ☑️
In order to play roulette online for real money, you’ll need a fast and secure payment method. Therefore, you should have access to a variety of deposit options – especially ones that enable you to claim that first deposit bonus. The same goes for your withdrawal options. So, we also take a magnifying glass to the details such as deposit limits, withdrawal times and service fees.
Customer Support ☑️
If you run into a problem, you’ll naturally want it solved sooner rather than later. Therefore, when playing roulette online, we want to see round-the-clock customer support. Not only should the contact hours be generous, but the contact methods should also cover the bare minimum of live chat, email and phone. That’s why we always test the support team for you.
UK Casino Licensing ☑️
We always look for the UK Gambling Commission seal of approval. That’s because the UKGC has the player’s back at every turn. From rules on the marketing of things like bonus spins to ensuring that independent organisations like eCOGRA test all roulette variants. And, finally, the UK Gambling Commission will resolve any player disputes with online casinos.
The Basic rules of all Online Roulette variations
Playing roulette is very popular in large part because of its simplicity. There are various bets a player can make in online roulette. And different bets have different payouts depending on the likelihood of them coming off. This is always done at the start of a round and confirmed by the croupier or software. But we’ll get to that and the different kinds of bets you can make below.
For now, the ways in which you win are always the same. A near frictionless wheel turns and the croupier releases a white ball, which runs around the outside track until gradually losing speed and dropping into the centre of the wheel. After bouncing around, the ball lands in a pocket numbered from 0 to 36. If one or more of your bets cover that number, you win. Easy!
The Different Bets available at Roulette Online Casinos
Most UK players know the common bet on either red or black. However, this is just one of the many outside bets that can be made. There are also inside bets, too. Their naming is due to the position on the table into which you push your virtual chips. Before we get onto the betting table (and the layout of the wheel), let’s go over all of the bets you can make in online roulette:
Inside Bets
Inside bets are the highest-paying bets in online roulette. Because of this, there’s less chance of landing a win each time. Here is the full list of inside bets, along with their chip placement:
| Bet Name | Numbers Covered | Chip Placement | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | A bet on a single number | A chip placed entirely within the square of a single number | 35 to 1 |
| Split | A bet on two horizontally or vertically adjacent numbers | A chip placed on the edge shared by two numbers | 17 to 1 |
| Street | A bet on three consecutive numbers in a horizontal line | A chip placed on the outermost edge of the two outermost numbers | 11 to 1 |
| Trio | A bet on three numbers containing at least one zero | A chip placed on the corner shared by the three chosen numbers | 11 to 1 |
| Corner/Square | A bet on any four numbers forming a square in the table | A chip placed on the corner where all four numbers meet | 8 to 1 |
| First four | A bet on the numbers 0, 1, 2 and 3 on a single-zero wheel | A chip placed on the outer corner shared by 0 and 1 or 0 and 3 | 8 to 1 |
| Basket | A bet on the numbers 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 on a double-zero wheel | A chip placed on the outer corner shared by 0 and 1 or 00 and 3 | 6 to 1 |
| Six Line/Double Street | A bet on six consecutive numbers in two horizontal lines | A chip placed on the corner of the two numbers at the outermost edge | 5 to 1 |
Outside Bets
Outside bets have a greater chance of landing you a win compared to inside bets. However, that also means that the payouts are lower. Here are all the outside bets and chip placements:
| Bet Name | Numbers Covered | Chip Placement | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red (Rouge) or Black (Noir) | All the red numbers or all the black numbers | A chip placed in the squares with a red or black diamond symbol | 1 to 1 |
| Low (Manque) or High (Passe) | The numbers 1 to 18 (Low) or 19 to 36 (High) | A chip placed in the squares marked High (Passe) or Low (Manque) | 1 to 1 |
| Even (Pair) or Odd (Impair) | All the even numbers or all the odd numbers | A chip placed in the squares marked Even (Pair) or Odd (Impair) | 1 to 1 |
| Dozen (Douzaine) | 1 to 12 (Première douzaine), 13 to 24 (Moyenne douzaine) or 25 to 36 (Dernière douzaine) | A chip placed in the squares marked P12, M12 or D12 | 2 to 1 |
| Column | All 12 numbers in a vertical column from top to bottom | A chip placed below the final number at the bottom of the column | 2 to 1 |
| Snake | The numbers 1, 5, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 23, 27, 30, 32, and 34 | A chip placed in the bottom corner of 34 or on the snake head | 2 to 1 |
The Roulette Wheel and other differences explained
Online roulette follows the standards set in land-based casinos. There are two main types of roulette wheels used, as well as a few different table layouts. Let’s quickly go over those now:
Single-zero Wheel
Both French roulette and European roulette use a single-zero wheel. That means there are 37 possible numbers. However, the sequence of numbers never changes.
Here’s the full sequence:
0-32-15-19-4-21-2-25-17-34-6-27-13-36-11-30-8-23-10-5-24-16-33-1-20-14-31-9-22-18-29-7-28-12-35-3-26
Double-zero Wheel
American roulette uses a double-zero wheel and 38 possible numbers. So, there are all of the numbers on the French/European wheel plus an additional 00 pocket.
Here’s the full sequence:
0-28-9-26-30-11-7-20-32-17-5-22-34-15-3-24-36-13-1-00-27-10-25-29-12-8-19-31-18-6-21-33-16-4-23-35-14-2
The Differences between American and European/French Roulette
Both American and European roulette use near enough the same table layouts – there’s just an extra square at the top of an American roulette table for the 00 pocket. Fundamentally, though, the games are played in almost the same way. However, the additional 00 pocket in American roulette has profound implications in terms of the casino’s chances of winning…
House Edge of Single-zero and Double-zero Roulette Games
The house edge in both French roulette and European roulette is 2.70%. This house edge is the same for all bets because of the ways in which the payouts are weighted due to overall probability. For example, you might think that betting on red or black is an even-money bet with a 50-50 chance of coming off. However, if a zero comes up, the house wins that bet.
The influence of the zero pocket gives the casino the upper hand. However, the additional double-zero pocket increases the house edge of American roulette up to a rather sizable 5.26%. This actually makes American roulette games nowhere near as good for the player compared to blackjack or baccarat. Therefore, we always advise picking French or European roulette.
How does French Roulette differ from European Roulette?
Both French roulette and European roulette use a roulette wheel with a single zero pocket. The table is similar too – the only difference being the layout of the bets. So, the French roulette tables seen in Monte Carlo split the outside betting areas into two sides. In European roulette, all of the outside bets are found in one area to the side of the inside bets.
How to play Roulette Online at UK Casino Sites
Now you may be wondering how to play roulette online. Perhaps you’ve been to a land-based casino or watched movies showing Las Vegas tables? Well, the good news is that you will get the real casino experience when playing roulette online. It’s just that a few physical actions have been replaced with intuitive controls. So, online casino players will pick it up in no time.
To illustrate just how easy it is to play online roulette, we will break down a game round. Don’t worry, this is one of the simplest online casino games out there – at least compared to other casino games. So, here’s a typical online roulette game round from start to finish:
- All players move their chips to place bets on whatever combination of numbers
- The croupier sends the ball around the outside track of the roulette wheel
- Before the ball lands, the croupier informs the players of the end of betting
- The ball drops into the centre of the wheel and eventually lands in a pocket
- All bets including the number/colour of the pocket are paid out accordingly
Other Roulette variations and Live Dealer Roulette Games
We’ve covered the classics of American roulette, European roulette and French roulette. Now let’s see how game providers have spiced things up in modern times. There are games that speed things up, add additional bets or raise the betting limit for high rollers. Let’s take a look at some of the best alternative ways to play online roulette…
❇️ Lightning Roulette
This version of live roulette spices things up by adding between one and five Lucky Numbers. So, if you’re the type of player who likes to go with Straight-Up bets on single numbers, this is the one for you. Not only could you win 35 to 1 on a Straight-Up bet but also a multiplier of anywhere from 50x to 500x! Table game online gambling rarely gets more money thrown into prizes.
❇️ Multi-wheel Roulette
Originally developed as an RNG version, multi-wheel roulette gives you up to 8x the action in each game round. So, your next bet need not only be for a single roulette wheel. Instead, you can place simultaneous bets on up to eight separate wheels at a time. So, if you don’t win on one, you might well do so on another. Plus, plenty of roulette sites feature versions of this game.
❇️ Double Ball Roulette
Rather than adding more roulette wheels into the mix, this one uses more than one ball instead. You might think that would cause a problem in non-RNG versions. However, live roulette sites use a special air pressure system to launch the two balls almost simultaneously. And with two winning numbers each time, this Evolution live roulette game pays out up to 1,300 to 1.
❇️ Mini Roulette
Mini roulette takes the online roulette wheel and scales it down to a manageable size. The betting table is also smaller. This makes mini roulette a great introduction for beginners. However, more experienced players will no doubt find the reduced options and slightly higher house edge a turn-off. For those who just want to start playing, its simplicity is welcome.
❇️ Salon Privé and VIP Roulette
If you want to play roulette online with a higher betting limit, look no further. Many online casinos offer VIP tables and live dealer roulette games called Salon Privé. The price of entry can be eye-watering, but for those who are looking to wager significant sums (and eventually win even bigger sums), these exclusive high-roller tables are perfect if you want to flash the cash.
Live Casino Roulette vs. RNG Roulette Games
Some players want to play roulette at online casinos without waiting around. If that’s the case, roulette players would be better off choosing RNG versions. These function much like a video game in that everything is rendered in (sometimes nostalgic) graphics with animations for key moments. And the results are produced by a random number generator, much like a slot.
For those looking to win real money in a more traditional land-based casino, live dealer roulette is your best bet. Many online casinos now feature live dealer games from multiple providers. Simply visit the lobby at your online casino, choose a table that suits your budget and join the game. You can even interact with your croupier as the action is streamed in HD.
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Top 5 Live Dealer Roulette Game providers
If you’ve decided that live roulette is the way to go, we’ve selected five top live roulette providers for you to check out. There are plenty of others, too, of course. We should give honourable mentions to the likes of Pragmatic Play, Authentic Gaming and BetGames.TV, too, among many others. However, if we want to play live roulette, these are our go-to providers…
Evolution Gaming Roulette Games
Evolution (formerly known as Evolution Gaming) is undoubtedly the king of live roulette. Operating around the clock, there’s sure to be an Evolution roulette table with your name on it any time. And if English isn’t your first language, there are multi-language versions too. Be sure to check out XXXtreme Lightning Roulette, Gold Bar Roulette and Immersive Roulette.
NetEnt Live Roulette Games
Although acquired by the aforementioned Evolution, NetEnt Live still maintains a plethora of live roulette tables. So if you want the thrills and spills of Vegas or Macau in your own home, be sure to check out NetEnt’s live roulette games. Streaming from sunny Malta, you can’t go wrong with the likes of Rocket Roulette, Automatic Roulette and Pro Roulette, among others.
Microgaming Roulette Games
Microgaming has been around since the very start of online casinos and online gambling back in 1994. And that level of experience really shows in the live roulette games released by the Isle of Man company. In fact, you can play roulette all day long with Microgaming live casino games. As for recommendations, try out the famous Playboy suite of live roulette games.
Playtech Roulette Games
Not content with regular live casino titles, game provider heavyweights Playtech also launched some Augmented Reality games, too – be sure to try them if you’re looking for something completely different when playing from your own home. That’s in addition to excellent live games like Single Zero Roulette, Prestige Roulette Lite and Speed Roulette.
Ezugi Roulette Games
Last but not least, plucky game-changer Ezugi has caused quite a stir in the live roulette space. For example, Jackpot Roulette took a game hundreds of years old and added the thrill of massive prize pools. And that’s in addition to the state-of-the-art filming in all their online gambling games. Also, check out live-location OTT Roulette, Auto Roulette and Live Roulette.
Playing Roulette Online on Mobile Devices 📱
If you’re rocking an iPhone, iPad or equivalent Android device, online casinos have you covered for roulette table games. In fact, playing online via your smartphone or tablet often trumps using a mouse or trackpad. That’s because you can use multitouch gestures to control the action. And that’s true regardless of playing online RNG games or live dealer versions.
Furthermore, there are two main options available at online casinos. Either you visit the online casino in question and the site switches to the mobile view or you download a dedicated app from a UK online casino. And the reason we always recommend online casinos over roulette apps is that you can win real money – many free apps are only to play for fun.
Strategies for winning at an Online Roulette Site
The best way to play roulette is to enjoy it. That means never spending too much if you can’t afford to lose. Therefore, we recommend setting yourself some limits, in line with responsible gambling initiatives. We’re talking about a loss limit, a time limit and even a win limit. If you reach your goal, it’s always best to walk away at that point – and never chase your losses!
The Martingale system and why it doesn’t work
In the Martingale system (and other systems like it, such as the Fibonacci and the Paroli), players attempt to exploit the 1-to-1 payout on even-money bets. And because the bets on red/black, odd/even and high/low are close to 50/50, they believe they can always recover their losses and make a small profit. However, they never overcome the house edge.
When using the Martingale, players pick a starting bet. They then double their wager each and every time they lose. And if they win, they return to the starting bet and begin the process again. The theory is that, no matter how many times in a row they lose, the next winning bet will cover their previous losses and give them a profit equivalent to the initial starting bet.
So, where does it all go wrong? Well, in a losing streak, the player will either run out of money to cover doubling again or hit the table limit. This can often result in catastrophic losses. After all, if we double a £100 starting bet over and over, just look at how quickly things can get out of control: £100, £200, £400, £800, £1,600, £3,200, £6,400, £12,800, £25,600, £51,200…
A Brief History of Roulette from 18th Century Paris to now
Roulette is said to have developed out of the Italian game of Biribi. But it wasn’t until French mathematician, philosopher and inventor Blaise Pascal failed in his attempt to create a perpetual motion machine that the roulette wheel was created in the late 17th Century.
The roulette wheel we know today was created in 1720. However, it’s widely accepted that the game itself didn’t gain popularity until around 1796 when it attracted the attention of Parisian casino parlours. The earliest mention of the game rules comes from a French novel by Jaques Lablee called La Roulette, ou le Jour. The zero pockets were actually described as house pockets.
While the first version had house pockets in black and red, these were switched to green in the 1800s. Then, in a German town called Bad Homburg, a single-zero version was created – hence the term European roulette. From there, it spread far and wide. However, the earliest American roulette wheels had three house pockets, giving the casino a huge advantage!
Online Roulette – Conclusion
We hope you’ve enjoyed our guide to playing online roulette. Regardless of whether you choose American roulette or European roulette, you’ll now be armed with the best tactics. Also, before signing up for a first deposit bonus, you’ll know how to pick the best UK online casino site offering real money roulette. We hope to see you at the roulette tables soon!
Online Roulette FAQ
Can you win real money playing online roulette?
Yes, so long as you play roulette at an online casino. There are many roulette apps available on the App/Play Stores, but these are often free-to-play roulette simulators. For the chance to win real money, you'll need to make a deposit and play real money roulette at an online casino.
Is online roulette rigged to make me lose money?
No, so long as you play at an online casino licensed by the UKGC. And that's because the UKGC protects players and ensures that all online roulette games are tested for fairness. Plus, as an online casino always has the house edge, there is no need to rig the games to make players lose.
Why is roulette called the devil's game?
Well, no matter if you're playing European, French or American roulette, the numbers on the wheel add up to an infamous number. Yes, that's right, if you add all the numbers from 0 to 36, you get a total of 666. As you probably know already, 666 is known as the Number of the Beast.
What is the house edge of American and European roulette?
The house edge of these two versions differs a lot, and that's because of the presence of an additional double zero pocket on the American roulette wheel – i.e., an extra house pocket. That takes the 2.70% house edge of European roulette up to 5.26% in American roulette.
What is the best strategy to win at online roulette?
First and foremost, forget about doomed-to-failure roulette strategies like the Martingale, Paroli or Fibonacci. Instead, make sensible bets that you can afford to lose and set yourself a win limit. If you hit that goal, walk away. And never, ever, ever try to chase your losses!
What is the safest bet in online roulette?
The safest in terms of your chances to win are the even-money bets. These are betting on red or black, odd or even or high or low. You have a 48.65% chance of winning in European/French roulette and 47.37% in American roulette. However, the payout is only equal to your wager at 1 to 1.
Can I play live roulette games with friends?
Yes, there are more and more live dealer roulette games with this feature built-in. But they aren't quite as popular as you would imagine. Therefore, it's worth searching around before choosing a live dealer game – to ensure that this feature is well implemented before playing.
Is it possible to cheat at roulette in casinos?
Many online casinos control things to such a degree that this is largely impossible – without hacking the code behind the game. However, there have been some famous cheats in land-based casinos that film the speed of the ball and use computers to predict where it will land.
Peter is our Editor-in-Chief at Gamblingauthority. He has more than eigth years of experience from the iGaming industry and is a valuable resource for everything related to online casinos.
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