Roulette is super easy to pick up, and is one of the best casino games for beginners. It’s simple, the bets are straightforward, and you don’t need to be a gambling guru to get started. But, with all the different types of roulette out there, things can get a little confusing. Don’t worry, our roulette terms guide will sort you out!
A to E: Roulette Terms
Action. The total money a player bets during a roulette session.
Airball Roulette. A roulette variant that uses air pressure to spin the ball instead of a traditional croupier.
American Roulette. A type of roulette commonly played in North and South America with 38 pockets, including 0 and 00.
Backtrack. The outer stationary rim of the roulette wheel where the ball is spun.
Ball-Track. Another term for the backtrack, where the ball is initially spun.
Bankroll. The total amount of money a player has set aside for gambling.
Basket Bet. In roulette terms, it’s a three-number bet on 0-1-2, 0-00-2, or 00-2-3 in American roulette.
Biased Wheel. A roulette wheel with an imperfection that causes certain numbers to be favored.
Big Number. A number that appears more frequently than statistically expected.
Black Action. A bet made with a black ($100) chip.
Black Bet. A wager that the next winning number will be black.
Block Betting. Betting on a group of numbers located together on the roulette wheel.
Bottom Track. The slanted inner area of the roulette wheel where the ball slides before landing in a pocket.
Cancellation Betting System. A system where numbers are canceled after a win and added after a loss.
Carre. In roulette terms, it’s French for a corner bet, which covers four numbers.
Call Bets. Bets announced aloud by the player without immediately placing chips on the table.
Cheval. French term for a split bet.
Choppy Game. A game where neither the player nor the house is consistently winning.
Column Bet. A bet on one of the three columns of numbers on the roulette layout, paying 2:1.
Combination Bet. A bet placed on two or more numbers at once.
Corner Bet. A bet placed on four numbers that meet at a corner on the layout.
Croupier. The casino employee who oversees the game, spins the wheel, and handles the bets.
Derniere. French term for the last 12 numbers in a dozen bet.
Double Zero. The extra pocket on an American roulette wheel, marked “00”.
Dozen Bet. In roulette terms, it’s a bet on a group of 12 numbers (1-12, 13-24, 25-36), paying 2:1.
En Plein. French term for a straight-up bet, where a player bets on a single number.
En Prison. A rule in European roulette that allows even-money bets to remain in play after a zero is spun.
European Roulette. A version of roulette with 37 pockets, including a single zero, and lower house edge.
Even Bet. A wager that the next number will be even, paying 1:1.
Even Money Bet: Any bet that pays out 1:1, such as red/black or odd/even.
F to Q: Roulette Terminology
Fibonacci Betting System. A betting strategy where the player increases their bet after each loss.
Five-Number Bet. A bet on 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 in American roulette, known as the worst bet due to its high house edge.
Golden Numbers. Numbers that frequently win within a short period.
High Bet. A bet on the high numbers (19-36), paying 1:1.
Hoca. In roulette terms, it is an early version of roulette.
House Edge. The percentage advantage the casino has over the player in the long run.
Impair. French term for an odd bet, where a player bets on an odd number.
Inside Bet. A bet placed on the numbers inside the main part of the roulette layout.
La Partage. A roulette rule similar to En Prison, but the player automatically loses half their bet if zero is spun.
Line Bet. A bet on six numbers in two adjacent rows, paying 5:1.
Low Bet: A bet on the low numbers (1-18), paying 1:1.
Manque: French term for a low bet.
Martingale Betting System. One of the roulette strategies where a player doubles their bet after every loss to recover previous losses.
Mayer Line. A betting strategy where a small increase in the bet is made after a loss.
Negative Progression. A betting system where the player increases their bet after a loss.
Noir. In roulette terms, it is French for a black bet.
Odd Bet. A bet that the next number will be odd, paying 1:1.
Orphans. A bet on 6, 17, and 34, numbers that are neighbors on the wheel but far apart on the layout.
Outside Bets. Bets placed outside the numbered section of the table, such as red/black or even/odd.
Pair. A French term for an even bet.
Parlay. Doubling a bet after a win.
Passe. French term for a high bet.
Pockets. The small compartments on the roulette wheel where the ball can land, numbered 1-36, 0, and 00.
Positive Progression. A betting system where the player increases their bet after a win.
Quarter Bet. Another term for a corner bet, where a player bets on four numbers.
R to Z: Roulette Terms
Red Bet. A bet that the next number will be red, paying 1:1.
Rouge. French term for a red bet.
Section Slicing. A betting strategy that involves dividing the wheel into sections based on previous outcomes.
Session. The duration of time a player spends playing a game.
Single-Zero Wheel. Another term for the European roulette wheel with only one zero.
Six Line Bet. A bet on six numbers in two adjacent rows, paying 5:1.
Sixain. In roulette terms, it is French for a six-line bet.
Split Bet. A bet placed on two adjacent numbers on the layout, paying 17:1.
Straight Bet. A bet placed on a single number, paying 35:1.
Street Bet. A bet on a row of three numbers, paying 11:1.
Surrender. A rule in some American roulette games where the player loses only half their bet if the ball lands on 0 or 00.
Table Layout. The design of the roulette table, which varies between American and European versions.
Tiers Du Cylindre. A French bet covering one-third of the wheel, opposite the zero pocket.
Transversale. French term for a street bet.
Tracking Board. In roulette terms, it is a board displaying the results of previous roulette spins.
Trio Bet. Another term for a street bet.
True Odds. The actual probability of an event occurring.
Visual Wheel Tracking. The skill of predicting where the ball will land based on observation.
Wager. Another term for a bet.
Wheel. The roulette wheel where the game is played.
Wheel Chips. Special chips used exclusively on the roulette table.
Wheel Head. The central part of the roulette wheel where the pockets are located.
Wheel Roller. The person who spins the roulette wheel, also known as the croupier.
Wheel Strategies. Strategies that attempt to exploit imperfections in the roulette wheel.
Wheel-Clocking. Tracking the results of spins to detect patterns or biases in the wheel.
Zero. The green pocket on the roulette wheel marked “0”.