Roulette Basics Online: A Beginner’s Guide
Matt Bourie
Casino Expert
Roulette has a timeless appeal: the clean geometry of the table, the small ritual of placing chips, and that unmistakable moment when the wheel settles and a single number becomes the focus of the room. On sites like Jackpot City, the vibe shifts from velvet and brass to crisp digital design, but the underlying rules stay reassuringly consistent.
Below are the roulette basics I consider must-knows before you place any wager, especially if you’re playing online for the first time.
What Roulette is
Roulette is a game where players place wagers on where a ball will land on a spinning wheel. This could be a specific number or a broader category, such as colour or number group. That’s it. Everything else is just how specific your wager is.
The Roulette Wheel: Numbers, Colours, and Zeros
A roulette wheel is divided into numbered pockets. Most numbers are either red or black, and there are also green pockets for zero(s). You’ll commonly see two main wheel types online:
- European roulette: With numbers 1 to 36, plus a single 0
- American roulette: With numbers 1 to 36, plus 0 and 00
That extra green pocket in American roulette matters because it changes the math of the game. From a pure rules perspective, though, both versions follow the same flow: bets go down, the wheel spins, the result is announced, and winning bets are paid based on the table’s payout rules.
The Roulette Table Layout
The roulette betting table is basically a map of the outcomes on the wheel, designed so you can place chips on:
- Individual numbers (more precise)
- Groups of numbers (less precise)
Online tables usually show a clear grid for numbers 1 to 36, plus dedicated spaces for 0 (and 00, if present). You’ll also see larger ‘outside’ sections for categories like red/black and odd/even.
In many online interfaces, you can toggle different views, sometimes including a compact layout, a zoomed table, or a ‘racetrack’ style panel that visually traces the order of numbers around the wheel. Those are just design choices to make chip placement easier on a screen. They don’t change the rules of the game.
What Happens in a Typical Roulette Round
One thing I like about online roulette is how the rounds are structured and repeatable. This creates a steady rhythm.
A standard round looks like this:
- Betting opens: You select a chip value and place it on the table.
- Betting closes: Once the timer ends (or the live dealer closes bets), no more wagers are accepted for that spin.
- The wheel spins and the ball drops: In live roulette, you’ll watch a real wheel in a studio. On the other hand, in virtual roulette, the outcome is generated by software designed to produce random results.
- The winning number is announced and highlighted.
- Payouts are resolved automatically: The winning bets are paid according to the posted payout table, and losing bets are cleared.
When I first played online roulette, I noticed that the online version felt cleaner. The table highlights winning areas, my bet history is easy to view, and payouts are handled without any chip-counting drama.
Common Roulette Bet Types
I find the layout more sensible when players understand what bets they’ll commonly see first. Inside bets (number-focused) are placed on the numbered grid and generally cover fewer outcomes. Common examples include:
- Straight-up: one specific number
- Split: two neighbouring numbers (a chip placed on the line between them)
- Street: a row of three numbers
- Corner: a block of four numbers
- Line (six numbers): two side-by-side streets combined
The second bet type is the outside bet (category-focused). These wagers are placed on the larger, simpler sections around the grid and cover broader outcomes. Common examples include:
- Red or Black
- Odd or Even
- High (19 to 36) or Low (1 to 18)
- Dozens (1 to 12, 13 to 24, 25 to 36)
- Columns (vertical groupings on the number grid)
Payouts vs. Probability
Roulette payouts are tied to how many numbers your bet covers. A wager on one number pays more because it’s harder to hit. Similarly, a wager covering many numbers pays less because it’s more likely to hit.
At Jackpot City, the exact payout schedule is typically available in the game’s Help or Info section. I always recommend reading that page before wagering, because it’s the single source of truth for that specific roulette variant.
Online Roulette Formats: Virtual vs. Live Dealer
Whenever I explain online roulette to a newcomer, I separate it into two experiences: virtual and live roulette. The virtual version is fast, clean, and interface-driven. I use this type whenever I want to enjoy quiet, self-paced sessions. The results are generated by a random number generator (RNG), and the table usually animates the wheel and highlights the winning result.
Live dealer roulette feels more like a hosted experience: a real wheel, a real ball, and a video stream from a studio. The game interface still handles chip placement and payouts, but the visual is unmistakably real roulette. What stands out to me is the game’s immersive nature. It can replicate the feel of socializing at a casino table.
Both formats follow the same core rules; the difference is in presentation and pacing.
Final Thoughts: The Simplest Way to Feel Confident
To me, roulette confidence comes from understanding three things: what the wheel looks like, how the table groups outcomes, and where to find the game’s posted rules/payouts in the Help section. Once those are clear, the rest comes down to choosing the pace and presentation you enjoy. For me, virtual roulette is great for faster sessions, while live roulette feels better when I want a slower experience.
About the author
Matt Bourie, together with his brother Steve, founded the American Casino Guide Book platform. Together they produce articles and videos on topics ranging from online casinos to gambling news. Matt is known for delivering accurate, factual and easy-to-follow information.