Roulette Table Layout and Betting Areas Explained

The classic roulette table layout might look confusing at first sight, but it only takes a moment to understand how it works. We’ll be looking at how this highly organised layout is used to help players understand exactly how to place bets.

The roulette layout varies slightly between American and European game formats, and you’ll also want to see how live games are adapted. Let’s go through the details now so that the layout of a roulette table holds no more secrets.

Roulette Table Layout Explained       

The first thing you’ll notice on the roulette table is that there are two separate betting sections. This is the same on any variant and no matter whether it’s a live-streamed or a virtual game. These are the inside bets and the outside bets, which provide two different ways of playing.

If we look at the inside betting area first, this is where you can place wagers on a single number or small groups of numbers. It’s the section where choosing the right number is more difficult because you choose fewer numbers.

• A straight-up bet is made on a specific number.
• Split bet covers two numbers sitting side by side on the grid, so you place your chip on the line between them.
• Street bet is the name of a wager that covers three numbers. Again, the chip goes on the line in the middle.
• The cornet bet lets you choose four numbers at the same time.
• With the six-line bet, the winning number has to be among the six numbers.

Outside bets are where you can place wagers on larger groups of numbers. Several options are offered to players:

• Red or black. By choosing a colour, you put your wager on a bet that covers almost exactly half the wheel. 
• Even or odd. This wager also covers almost 50% of the numbers.
• Low or high. This is a bet on 1 to 18 or 19 to 36, so only the zero is missing from it being exactly 50% of the wheel. 
• Dozens bet: You choose one of the three sets of 12 numbers on the wheel. 
• Columns: They also cover 12 numbers each.

The layout of a roulette table is cleverly designed so that it’s easy to find the type of bet you have in mind. If you want a low-volatility roulette experience, you can go directly to the outside bets for wagers that are more likely to be successful because they include more numbers.

When you want to place chips on bets with higher payout potential, you go to the inside bets. By covering fewer numbers, you lower the chances of success but raise the potential payout.     

American vs European Roulette Table Layouts   

American and European roulette games are very similar. The main difference is in the fact that the American wheel has a double-zero pocket that doesn’t exist in the European game. It makes little difference to the betting area, although the American game has an extra wager called the basket or five-number bet.

The other main difference is that some European games include an oval-shaped betting zone known as the racetrack. It’s a space on the roulette table for various wagers, also known as call bets. These are bets based on specific groups of neighbouring numbers:

• Voisins du Zero covers 17 numbers that surround the zero. You need to place nine chips to make this wager.
• Tiers du Cylindre requires six chips to cover 12 numbers. These are numbers that sit on the opposite side of the wheel from zero.
• Orphelins is a bet with six chips that covers the eight numbers on the wheel not included in either of the previous two options.
• Jeu Zero requires four chips, and it means covering seven numbers close to the zero pocket. 

As you would imagine, roulette odds and probabilities [link to roulette odds and probabilities guide] vary according to these changes. Yet, once you understand the basic layout of a roulette table, you have the basic information that you need to play any version.

Live Roulette Tables and Online Roulette Layouts

When you play online and live roulette games in our casino, you see the same layout presented in different ways. The traditional online roulette layout shows a computer-generated wheel and betting table. With live casino games, this is a physical setup that’s live-streamed onto your device, with a real croupier spinning the wheel.

Yet, the layout is almost always exactly the same. The American or European wheel is shown, with the betting table next to it, where you can place your chips on the wager you want to make. The process of placing chips is the same: the only difference is that they may go on a physical table or a computer-generated one. 

European games with call bets may have the racetrack on a different screen from the wheel and betting section. This means that players who want to place the simpler bets don’t get confused, while those who want the more complex wagers can easily find them.   

Roulette Table Layout FAQs

Is a Live Roulette Table More Complex Than a Virtual Game?

No, these tables are almost exactly the same. All that really changes is the presentation, so it’s simply a question of understanding the basics and then choosing the presentation style that makes the most sense to you.  

Do Different Roulette Tables Have Different Layouts?

The basic roulette layout varies slightly. Since European and American wheels have small differences, this is reflected in some bets. But the basic bets are placed in exactly the same way in both cases.

Do I Need to Understand the Layout of a Roulette Table Fully? 

No, you don’t need to understand everything. You only need to know how to place the bet you want to make and what it means. As you play more, you might find that you naturally start to understand the full table anyway.