How the roulette table and wheel are laid out, which numbers are red and black, how European, American and French tables differ, and where your chips go for every bet.
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A roulette table has two parts: the wheel, where the ball lands, and the layout, the felt where you place your chips. Every number on the wheel has its own box on the layout, plus larger boxes around the edge for bets on groups of numbers such as red, odd or the first dozen.
Online, the layout is drawn on screen: you pick a chip value, then click the spot where you would put the chip on a real table. Everything below applies to online, live dealer and land-based roulette alike.
The Roulette Table Layout
The number grid: 1 to 36 in three columns and twelve rows, counting across: 1, 2, 3 on the first row, 4, 5, 6 on the next, down to 34, 35, 36.
The zero: a single green 0 at the head of the grid on a European table. An American table has two boxes there, 0 and 00.
Columns: the three “2 to 1” boxes at the end of the grid. The first column is 1, 4, 7 and so on up to 34; the third is every multiple of 3 up to 36.
An easy way to remember it: from 1 to 10 and from 19 to 28, odd numbers are red and even numbers are black. From 11 to 18 and from 29 to 36 it is the other way round. Zero counts as neither odd nor even, so an even-money bet loses when the ball lands on it, unless the table uses la partage or en prison (see below).
The Roulette Wheel Layout and Number Order
The numbers on the wheel are not in order. They are spread out so that red and black alternate all the way round and high, low, odd and even numbers are mixed.
On the American wheel, 0 and 00 sit directly opposite each other, and each odd number sits opposite the even number that follows it (1 opposite 2, 3 opposite 4 and so on). The order of the European wheel is what the French called bets are built on: Voisins du Zéro, Tiers du Cylindre and Orphelins cover sections of the wheel rather than the layout. See our roulette rules guide for how those bets work.
European, American and French Roulette Tables
Table
Zeros
Pockets
House edge
European
0
37
2.70%
American
0 and 00
38
5.26% (7.89% on the top line bet)
French
0
37
2.70%, or 1.35% on even-money bets with la partage
European: a single zero and 37 pockets.
American: the extra 00 pocket nearly doubles the house edge, from 2.70% to 5.26%, while every payout stays the same.
French: the same single-zero wheel, with the layout labelled in French. On a French table, the la partage rule returns half of an even-money bet when the ball lands on zero, which halves the house edge on those bets. In a land-based casino the French table has the wheel in the middle and a layout on each side, a style rarely found outside Monte Carlo.
French name
English
Rouge / Noir
Red / black
Pair / Impair
Even / odd
Manque / Passe
1–18 / 19–36
P12, M12, D12
First, second and third dozen
Where to Place Your Chips: Every Bet on the Table
Inside bets go on the number grid; outside bets go in the boxes around it. Chances are for a European single-zero wheel, except the American top line.
Every bet on a European table carries the same 2.70% house edge, however you combine them. The only American bet that differs is the top line, which pays 6 to 1 for five numbers and costs 7.89%. For worked odds on every bet, see the roulette odds page.
Reading the Table Before You Play
Count the zeros. One green box at the top means a European or French table; 0 and 00 means American.
Check the limits. The table rules show the minimum and maximum stake before you bet.
Look for la partage or en prison in the rules if you mostly bet on red, black, odd or even.
Look for a racetrack: an oval copy of the wheel next to the layout, where you can place called bets such as Voisins du Zéro on a whole section of the wheel at once.
For which bets suit which budget and how betting systems hold up, see our roulette strategy guide. Low-stake players may also like 20p Roulette.
A roulette table has a wheel and a felt layout. The layout shows the numbers 1 to 36 in three columns of twelve, a green 0 at the top (0 and 00 on an American table), and boxes around the edge for dozens, columns, red or black, odd or even and 1–18 or 19–36.
How many numbers are on a roulette table?
A European or French table has 37 numbers, 0 to 36. An American table has 38, because it adds a 00.
How many red numbers are there in roulette?
There are 18 red and 18 black numbers. The red numbers are 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 32, 34 and 36. Zero is green.
Is 0 red or black in roulette?
Neither. Zero is green, and it is not counted as odd or even either, so red, black, odd, even, low and high bets all lose when it comes up unless the table uses la partage or en prison.
What is the order of numbers on a roulette wheel?
On a European wheel the numbers run clockwise 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. Red and black alternate all the way round.
Why are the numbers on the wheel not in order?
They are spread out so red and black alternate and high, low, odd and even numbers are mixed around the wheel, rather than grouped together as on the layout.
Which roulette table has the best odds?
A French table with la partage, where even-money bets carry a 1.35% house edge. Otherwise a European single-zero table at 2.70%. An American double-zero table costs 5.26%.
Where do you place chips for a split bet?
On the line between the two numbers you want. A split pays 17 to 1. A corner bet goes where four numbers meet and pays 8 to 1.
Fadi Hayek
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After going through several successful experiences with several industry pioneers, Fadi Hayek has managed to excel in the world of content for online gaming by providing unique content for several projects that allowed him to obtain the necessary experience to launch his career. Last but not least, Fadi also holds several certificates, including but not limited to content marketing and iGaming.
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