What Is Roulette? Wheel, Bets and Odds
Roulette is a casino table game in which players bet on where a spinning ball will land on a numbered wheel, choosing single numbers, colours, or groups of numbers before each spin.
A standard wheel carries either 37 or 38 numbered pockets depending on the variant, and the outcome is decided by certified random number generators in digital versions or by physical spin dynamics in live dealer streams. Each bet type carries its own payout ratio and probability, so the potential return always mirrors the underlying risk. For Canadian players, roulette remains popular because the rules are easy to learn, licensed online casinos offer several wheel variants, and understanding the odds supports more informed, responsible betting decisions.
Roulette Wheel and Variants
The roulette wheel carries alternating red and black pockets numbered 1 to 36, plus one or two green zero pockets that determine the house edge. European roulette uses a single zero, producing a house edge of 2.70%, which makes it the more favourable option for most players. American roulette adds a second zero (00), doubling the effective house edge to 5.26% because the extra pocket increases the casino’s mathematical advantage without changing payout ratios. French roulette keeps the single-zero layout and adds rules such as La Partage and En Prison, which return half or all of an even-money bet when the ball lands on zero, lowering the effective house edge to roughly 1.35% on those specific wagers. Licensed Canadian operators typically offer these variants in both RNG and live dealer formats, with table limits and rules clearly displayed before play, often through providers such as Evolution Gaming or Pragmatic Play Live.
Betting Types and Payouts
Roulette bets split into two broad groups: inside bets, placed on specific numbers or small groups, and outside bets, placed on larger categories such as colour or parity. A straight-up bet on a single number pays 35:1 but wins only about 2.7% of the time on a European wheel, while an even-money bet like red/black or odd/even pays 1:1 and wins close to 48.6% of spins. Dozen and column bets sit between these extremes, each covering 12 numbers for a 2:1 payout and roughly 32.4% win probability. Higher payouts always correspond to lower win probability, since the underlying mathematics keeps the house edge constant across nearly every bet type on a given wheel. In Canada, licensed operators must run certified random number generators and publish return-to-player data, with oversight from provincial bodies such as Ontario’s AGCO and iGaming Ontario or British Columbia’s Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch, ensuring fair and transparent outcomes for regulated players.
| Bet Type | Coverage | Payout | House Edge (European) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Up | 1 number | 35:1 | 2.70% |
| Split | 2 numbers | 17:1 | 2.70% |
| Red/Black | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 2.70% |
| Dozen | 12 numbers | 2:1 | 2.70% |
| Column | 12 numbers | 2:1 | 2.70% |
