Roulette Table Layout: Bet Types
If you’re new to roulette, the table might be a little hard to understand. But a pro player knows that it is a structured probability map with many ways to win. Before you can start playing, you need to know how the grid works, how the table is set up, and how much the house has the edge.
DealGamble has been reviewing gaming mechanics in various Canadian online casinos for the past 8 years. We do not just watch the wheel, but we also play the games and understand their dynamics. Our wealth of experience gives us the ability to give you the knowledge you need before you hit the roulette table in your next gaming session.
To play roulette, you need to know the layout. You are already hurting yourself if you choose the wrong wheel or place the wrong kind of bet. Read this article carefully so you can come up with a plan to win big at the roulette table.
Distinguishing the roulette table layouts
There is a table with a grid of numbers from 1 to 36 on the roulette body. There are twelve rows and three columns. They are not arranged in a sequence, but they do switch between red and green. This colour scheme is very important for how you place columns and make colour bets.
The number grid is just below the zero section. This is what makes the three main tables of roulette different from each other. The table below shows how European, American, and French roulette are different from each other.
| Wheel Type | Zero Pockets | House Edge |
|---|---|---|
| European | Single green 0 | 2.70% |
| French | Single green 0 + La Partage Rule | 1.35% |
| American | Green 0 and Green 00 | 5.26% |
The American double-zero layout is what makes North American casinos the most money. After eight years of checking them, we’ve found out some things about roulette tables that most people don’t know. You should always try to get the single zero, because when you hit it, the two green pockets will double your edge.
Some roulettes have a second layout that looks like an oval and is called the “racetrack.” Two good examples are Evolution Gaming’s Immersive Roulette and Lightning Roulette. They use this interface to place bets, and instead of a grid, it shows the numbers on the wheel. They are very important for betting on the French-style market.
Inside Bets: High-Risk, High-Reward
You can place insider bets directly on the number grid. They have the lowest chance of winning and the highest payouts in CAD in roulette. You should try to understand this before you sit down at the table.
| Bet Type | Numbers Covered | Potential Payouts |
|---|---|---|
| Straight Up | 1 | 35:1 |
| Split | 2 (Adjacent) | 17:1 |
| Street | 3 (One row) | 11:1 |
| Corner | 4 (Sharing a corner) | 8:1 |
| Six Line | 6 (two rows) | 5:1 |
| Five Number Bet (American Only) | 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 | 6:1 |
You also need to know how to use the digital interface. When you play online, move your mouse over the number grid to highlight the specific number chip you want to cover. For mobile players, all you have to do is tap on the grid.
You highlight two numbers next to each other at the same time to make a split bet. All four numbers that meet at the corner will be highlighted for a corner bet. You get instant and accurate feedback as soon as you hover or tap.
You should try to stay away from the five-number bet. There are 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 on the American wheel that this bet covers. The payout ratio is 6:1, and the house edge is 7.98%. This is the worst bet on the whole layout because it has the highest edge, which is 5.26%. The bet is called a “sucker bet” because there is no way for it to make sense mathematically.
Outside Bets: The Foundation of Strategy
An outside bet is when you bet on the big area around the number grid. They pay out a lot less, but they happen more often because the section covers more numbers per bet. These stakes make the rules for betting in roulette the strictest. The table below makes things easier to understand.
| Bet Type | Numbers Covered | Payout | Probability (European) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red/Black | 18 | 1:1 | 48.65% |
| Odd/Even | 18 | 1:1 | 48.65% |
| High (19-36)/Low (1-18) | 18 | 1:1 | 48.65% |
| Dozens (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 12) | 12 | 2:1 | 32.34% |
| Columns | 12 | 2:1 | 32.34% |
The mathematics of even-money bets is simple probability. Since there are 37 grids and 18 are red, the probability is 18/37, which is 48.65%. The single zero on an American wheel pulls the number below 50%, and the two zeros shift it to 47.37%.
The outside bets suit structured play because the Martingale and D’Alembert are built around even-money outside bets. The reason is that the 50% hit rate makes the sequences predictable enough to manage. Using the Martingale, you will double your stake after each loss on an odd/even or red/black position. The goal is to recover one unit at a time.
At DealGamble, one of the questions we get asked most often is how to win roulette online using Martingale. To be honest, no system can alter the house edge. A martingale can only help you restructure your risk by making sure you win small amounts frequently. This is better than having a losing streak capable of wiping out your whole bankroll.
It is also advisable to use the Martingale on European and French wheels because of their lower house edges. You should also set a hard session limit before you begin the game.
French “Announced” Bets and the Racetrack
There are three main parts to the racetrack. These are the layouts that let you see bets that have been placed on any part of the physical wheel. Here is how they are explained:
- Voisins du Zéro (Neighbours of Zero): This is the name for the 17 numbers on the wheel that are next to the 0, from 22 to 25. You need 9 chips to make a trio bet and a multiple split.
- Tiers Du Cylindre (Third of the Wheel): This includes the 12 numbers on the wheel’s other side from zero (27-33). You need six chips to make a split bet.
- Orphelins (Orphans): This includes the 8 numbers that are not in Neighbours of Zero and Third of the Wheel. You need five chips to make a bet.
Mobile gaming continues to evolve to make gaming easier. In 2026, live dealer titles from providers like Evolution Gaming now integrate the “Favorite Bets” feature. This saves your betting patterns and allows you to use one-click betting to save time.
How it Works Online: RNG vs Live Dealer
The RNG roulette games have a graphical interface. To start, you click or tap to put a chip on the layout. After that, you click “spin” to start the game, and the random number generator software makes the result.
There are no real wheels in RNG versions. Big developers like Games Global (Microgaming) and NetEnt use third-party RTP certification from testing labs like iTech Labs and eCOGRA.
There are some differences between the live-dealer version of roulette and the regular version. You put digital chips on a virtual layout that the camera feed shows on top of a real table. Then, in the studio, the dealer spins a real wheel. No more bets can be placed after the dealer says “no more bets.” The ball’s landing spot decides the game’s outcome.
Financial Value: The Impact of the Layout on Your RTP
The betting system you used is not as important as the table you used. The pure expected return of the three layouts is displayed below.
| Layout | House Edge | La Partage Rule |
|---|---|---|
| America (0 & 00) | 5.26% | Not available |
| European (single 0) | 2.70% | Not available |
| French (single 0) | 1.35% | Applies to even-money bets |
La partage is a French roulette rule that says you get back half of your even-money bets when the ball hits zero. That alone lowers the house edge to 1.35%, and no other effect comes close. The best way to play online roulette for real money is to choose the French layout, mathematically speaking. It gives you the best edge, and there are no other complicated betting systems that can beat it.
Choose Your Battlefield
The layout of the roulette wheel is your menu, and you have to pick the items that fit your level of risk. Each part tells you what you’re buying: the payout, the house edge, and the odds. Inside bets give you a lot of money for a small amount of coverage, outside bets help you stay in the game longer, and announced bets make you play like a pro. Make sure you choose the right wheel before each round, especially the single zero over the double zero. Always pick the French wheel if La Partage is an option. You can look through all of the roulette guides on our site here: http://dealgamble.com/casino-games/roulette/. You will also get a list of Canadian sites that have been checked and are safe to play on.
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