Roulette Wheel Numbers & Table Layout Explained

Roulette is a casino game of chance where a ball is dropped on a revolving wheel with numbered compartments. Players can place bets on these numbered compartments, and if your lucky number lands, you’ll potentially win tons of cash! 

To give you an idea of what a roulette table is like, let’s help you build a picture of it in your mind. The wheel is found on the table’s left side, and the right side of the table is reserved for bets. The area for betting is covered in green cloth and has a white grid with cells containing numbers corresponding to those on the wheel as well as other cells. 

On each of these tables, chips are placed on inside bets and outside bets. Inside bets are those placed on the grid of individual numbers, whereas outside bets are those placed on the cells outside – these are broader bets such as red, black, odd, even, high, low, columns and dozens. The former offers lower chances of winning but greater payouts, whereas the latter provides higher chances of winning but smaller payouts. 

Players will encounter 3 types of roulette tables when playing – American, European, and French. 

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American Roulette 

American Roulette has a layout and wheel like the one described above. Players will see black and red numbers labelled from 1 to 36. There will also be a green zero and a double zero on opposite sides of the wheel. Keep in mind that the double zero is one of the things that sets American Roulette apart from European and French Roulette, which have only the single zero. 

So, in total, there are 38 numbers on the wheel, and to place bets, put your chips on the number you want to bet on. To bet on both the double zero and green zero, put your chips on the line that separates them. All bets on one number have a payout of 35/1, whereas outside bets such as on red or black payout 1/1. In online casinos, to place your bet, click on your chips and place them on the table. 

The entire setup of American Roulette is simple, and players shouldn’t have a tough time remembering it. The primary difference is the double zero pocket; this extra pocket results in a marginally higher house edge and slightly lower chances of winning.

European/French Roulette 

In European and French Roulette, players will find the wheel has 37 slots or pockets that consist of the numbers 1 to 36. Again, a green slot will be present for the zero, but unlike in American Roulette, there will be no double zero.

European Roulette

In European Roulette, the betting layout has the outside bets below the grid of numbers. 

Directly below are the ‘dozen’ bets; each is alongside a group of 12 numbers that provide a 2/1 payout if won. Below these are the broader outside bets that offer 1/1 payouts; these are the red, black, even, odd, high, and low bets. 

Finally, at the end of the grid of numbers are the column bets, paying out at 2/1; these allow you to bet on the ball landing in any of the numbers within that column.

French Roulette

However, in French Roulette, outside bets are placed slightly different from the European version. Instead of all being on one side of the grid, they sit on either side.

You will find the ‘Manque’ (low), ‘Impair’ (odd), and red on one side. On the other side is the ‘Passe’ (high), ‘Pair’ (even) and black. These are placed so that the complementary bets are opposite each other. The column bets still sit in the same position at the end of the numbers grid.

Other than that, 3 sections exist with the writing P12, M12, and D12. P represents the first dozen numbers, M for the second, and D for the third. 

There are also some exclusive bets that can be placed in European and French roulette; these are

• Jeu Zéro
• Voisins du Zéro
• Orphelins
• Tiers du Cylindre 

These bets are announced and made on the table generically. They’re easy to play, and the odds are the same as placing normal bets. These types of bets are called ‘announced’ bets. 

Some tables may have an oval-shaped area where these bets can be placed that lies separate from the main betting area. The names of these bets are all derived from the French language but are still available in European Roulette. 

Roulette Wheel Sequence Explained 

When playing Roulette, you come face to face with a wheel of 37 or 38 pockets. The wheel contains the numbers 0-36 and 00 if playing American Roulette.

The sequence of numbers in the roulette wheel is carefully designed to ensure that the game is balanced. The outside, even-money bets are made on the broader categories where there is an almost 50% chance of the ball landing in a pocket that falls within that category. So ensuring these categories are distributed as evenly as possible ensures as fair a game as possible.

Therefore, the pockets alternate between red and black, as well as between highs (1-18) and lows (19-36). 

Alternating between odd and even is not possible as the only way to do this would be in numerical order; this would then disrupt the fairness of the ‘dozen’ bets as they would all be next to each other. 

Even the distribution of which numbers are red and which are black is done systematically. In numbers 1-10 and 19-28, odds are red, and evens are black. In numbers 11-18 and 29-36, odds are black, and evens are red.

This ensures that the table isn’t set up in a way that favours one bet or another. It may seem confusing to some, but it keeps the game operating fairly.

Roulette Wheel Layout FAQs 

What number hits the most in roulette? 

Roulette is a game based entirely on chance, so no number hits the most. However, the numbers ’17’ and ‘7’ are both player favourites as they are considered lucky charms.

Why are roulette numbers not in order? 

Roulette numbers are not in order to ensure the game remains fair and balanced; having the numbers in order would unfairly favour the ‘dozen’ bets. This makes Roulette one of the most amazingly balanced games in theory.

Are all roulette wheels the same order? 

All roulette wheels will have similar layouts as long as the version of Roulette is the same (American, European, etc.). The American and European roulette wheels are known to have slightly different layouts. 

Does roulette have a pattern? 

The game of live roulette, whether in a land-based casino or an online casino, does not have a pattern. All spins of the roulette wheel produce completely random results.

Why do all the numbers on a roulette wheel add up to 666? 

The numbers of the Roulette wheel add up to 666 as a joke. Blaise Pascal invented Roulette and also invented probability. If you multiply 36 by 37 and divide it by 2, you will get 666. As you can see, Pascal was a mathematical genius who didn’t mind a joke or two! 

How many zeros does a roulette wheel have?

A roulette wheel can have up to two zeros. The American version is famous for having two zeros, whereas the European and French versions are known to have one.