Casino games are often straightforward, but the language used in them is less so. If you’ve ever played a game of roulette, but found yourself bamboozled by the talk rather than the wheel, then RTP has just the thing, our guide to roulette terms.

Roulette is a truly global game, so a lot of the terms here are specific to French, European, or American roulette, but we have included all of them here so you can be in the know no matter which you play. With that out of the way, let’s get started!

The Terms and Phrases

American Roulette

This form of the game is played on a wheel with 38 pockets comprised of numbers ranging from 1-36, a zero, and a double zero.

Bet on the Layout

This refers to any wager placed on the numbers section of the table.

Biased Wheel

A biased wheel is one where certain numbers have been historically proven to payout more often than others. This is generally based on a player’s own analysis of a table over a long period and won’t be as big a factor in virtual roulette.

Block Betting

This is when a player bets on a group of numbers in one part of the wheel.

Carre

The French roulette term for a corner bet, which is a sole wager that one of the four layout numbers will win.

Cheval

The French roulette name for a split bet.

Colonne

Another French roulette bet, this time for a column bet. This is when a wager is made on one of the three columns, for a 2/1 payout.

Croupier

In a physical casino, this is the employee who regulates the play at the roulette table. Basically, it’s a fancy name for a dealer, so you’re unlikely to see it in an online casino. It’s a decent Clive Owen movie too!

Dozen Bet

This is when a player bets on one of three groups of numbers going up in increments of 12, which are 1-12, 13-24, and 25-36, and will award a 2/1 payout.

Double Up Betting

If a player suffers a loss and they respond in the next round by upping their stake by two, they are ‘double-up betting’. Essentially, this is a strategy used to try and recoup some of the lost money.

Double Zero

This is a pocket that only appears in American roulette and is designated with an ‘00’.

En Plein

In French, this means a straight-up bet.

En Prison

Translated as ‘in prison’, this can only work with even-money wagers. It occurs when the house allows a player who has landed zero to take out half of the lost bet. However, they can choose to keep it ‘in prison’, i.e with the house, in exchange for another spin. If you lose that, the whole stake will be lost.

European Roulette

The European variant of the game. There are some key differences here, with only one zero pocket and a generally lower house edge. This version also utilises the en prison rule, so the player has a few more options when playing European roulette.

Even Money

Any bet you make with a payout of 1/1.

French Bets

If a player is making a ‘French Bet’, they are placing several wagers on certain parts of the reel, sometimes so that all the numbers are covered in each. Generally speaking, this strategy is reserved for big-money players, so if you’re new to the game, you probably won’t be using them much.

House Edge

This refers to the calculated advantage lent in the casino’s favour. This is shown as the average percentage they expect to keep off a stake.

Inside Bets

This applies to any wagers made on the inside of the roulette wheel and typically cover single numbers or small groups. These usually have quite high odds attached.

La Partage

Similar to the En Prison rule, but there is no chance for the player to recoup their money with an extra spin. Applies to even money bets made on the ‘outside’ that lead to a zero result.

Marker

This is used by the dealer, or croupier as we have learned, to make note of the winning number after each spin.

Mini Roulette

This is an online variant that features a much smaller wheel with just thirteen numbers. Because of this, the payouts are different and many offer half losses back if a spin leads to zero.

Orphans/ Ophenlins

In European casinos, this is a bet three number bet on 6, 34 and 17, which are all next to each other on the wheel, but separated on the layout.

Outside Bets

This term extends to any wager that is placed on the outside of the reel layout. As these often comprise a large portion of the roulette wheel, they offer lower odds and are generally things like even money bets.

Pockets

This is one of the indents on the wheel where the roulette ball may land and each has a designated number, anywhere between 1-36, split into two halves of black and red. There is also one for zero, coloured green, plus a double zero pocket, if you are playing on an American roulette wheel.

Six Lines

This is a wager comprised of six numbers, covering two rows next to each other, and typically pays out 5/1.

Split

This is a wager placed on two adjacent numbers or, specifically, the intersection between them and is usually priced at 17/1 odds.

Straight Up  

A wager on a sole number, which offers a high payout, usually 35-1.

Street

Another wager, this time made on three numbers lined in a row, with a typical payout of 11/1.

Tiers Du Cylindre

A French roulette term for when you bet on a selection of numbers of the roulette wheel, which will show as paired neighbours on the layout.

Transversale

The French version of a street bet.

1. Voisins du Zero

This French term refers to a wager placed on a group of numbers adjacent to the zero.

Zero

The pocket on the roulette wheel designated by the ‘0’, which can be found on all roulette wheels.

Play Roulette at these Casinos!

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