A Glossary of Roulette Terms

You can’t play the game of Roulette unless you know some basic terms. Here’s a quick listing of some of the terms that every winning Roulette player must know.

American Wheel: There are multiple versions of the Roulette wheel. In the American version, the wheel has 38 total numbers—one through thirty-six, zero and double zero.

Cheque: The common name in the casino for a cheque is a “chip.” If you throw in some cheques to a dealer and ask for smaller ones, you may hear the dealer yell out “cheque change.”

Column Bet: This is an outside bet on the Roulette Layout. This bet contains twelve total numbers and pays 2 to 1.

Dozens: A bet on either the first, second or third set of 12 numbers. This bet pays 2 to 1.

European Wheel: The European version of Roulette is older than the American version. It’s also much better for the Roulette player. The European wheel has thirty-seven total numbers, which includes one through thirty-six and a single zero slot. The odds on a European wheel are better than the American version.

Low or High: If you think the winning number will be 1-18, place a bet on the low. Place a bet on the high if you think the winning number will be 19-36. This bet pays even money.

Odd or Even: When you place an odd or even bet, you are betting that the winning number will be odd or even. The bet pays even money.

Red or Black: When you place a red or black bet, you are betting that the winning number will be red or black. The bet pays even money.

Split Bet: When you place a bet on the line between two numbers, you bet wins if either of those numbers hit. This bet pays 17 to 1.

Straight-Up Bet: Placing a bet on a single number is called a straight-up bet. When you win, the bet pays 35 to 1.

There are many other slang terms and jargon floating around the casino floor, but knowing these basic terms will get you around the game. The game of Roulette is not as complicated as it looks. It can become over-complicated if you focus on many of the mathematical features of the game.