Roulette Glossary & Terms: A Complete Guide to the Table Language

This glossary defines roulette layout, settlement and probability terms for Canadian readers. Conventional rules are identified where relevant; a familiar label does not establish every branded game’s paytable.

The Fundamentals: General Game Terms

Before diving into specific betting types, it is essential to understand the basic terms that govern the flow of a roulette round.

• Backtrack: This is the stationary outer rim of the roulette wheel where the ball is spun. It is often referred to as the “rim” or the “track.”
• Croupier: The formal title for the dealer or table official who operates the roulette game, spins the ball, and handles the payouts.
• Layout: This refers to the printed grid on the felt of the table where players place their chips to indicate their bets.
• Pockets: The small, numbered compartments on the wheel where the ball eventually comes to rest. In European roulette, there are 37 pockets; in American roulette, there are 38.
• Wheel Head: The central, rotating part of the roulette machine that contains the numbered pockets.

Inside Bets: Targeting Specific Numbers

Inside bets are located on the inner portion of the table layout. These bets offer higher payouts but come with a lower mathematical probability of hitting.

• Straight Up: A bet placed on a single, specific number. The payout for this is typically 35:1.
• Split Bet: A wager placed on two adjacent numbers on the grid by placing the chip on the line separating them.
• Street Bet: Also known as a “Row Bet,” this covers three numbers in a horizontal row.
• Corner Bet: Sometimes called a “Square” or “Quad” bet, this is placed at the intersection of four numbers.
• Six Line: This bet covers two adjacent rows of three numbers, totaling six numbers in all.

Outside Bets: Playing the Probabilities

Outside bets cover categories around the number grid. More frequent small payouts do not make them safe or guarantee a longer session. Zero and double zero are outside these categories for settlement.

• Even Money: Bets that pay out at 1:1. These include Red/Black, Odd/Even, and High/Low (1-18 or 19-36).
• Dozen Bet: A wager on one of the three groups of twelve numbers: 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36.
• Column Bet: A bet on one of the three vertical columns of twelve numbers on the layout.
• High/Low: A bet on whether the ball will land on the “Low” numbers (1-18) or the “High” numbers (19-36).

Advanced French Terms and Special Rules

If you are exploring sophisticated versions of the game, you will likely encounter French terminology. These often relate to specific “announced” or “call” bets that cover sections of the wheel rather than sections of the layout.

• En Prison: A rule holding a qualifying even-money stake after zero. A later favourable result returns the held stake without profit; repeated zeros require an explicit settlement rule.
• La Partage: A rule returning half of a qualifying even-money stake on zero. The remaining half loses. It differs from holding the stake under En Prison.
• Voisins du Zéro: Translated as “Neighbors of Zero,” this refers to a bet on the 17 numbers that surround the zero on the wheel.
• Tiers du Cylindre: An announced grouping covering 12 specified numbers on the wheel’s sector opposite zero. Component stakes must be included in its total cost.
• Orphelins: “Orphans.” This bet covers the eight numbers that are not included in the Voisins du Zéro or Tiers du Cylindre sections.

Technical Terms and Mathematical Concepts

Understanding the mechanics of the game requires a grasp of how the house maintains its edge and how the results are generated.

• House Edge: Expected loss as a percentage of stakes under stated rules. Conventional single-zero bets have approximately 2.70%; most conventional double-zero bets have approximately 5.26%, with the five-number basket an exception. Special settlements can change these values.
• RNG (Random Number Generator): A software component used to generate outcomes in digital games. The label alone does not prove correct implementation, independence or testing.
• Marker (Dolly): An object identifying the winning number on a physical layout. Betting closure and reopening follow the table’s procedure and, online, the accepted-bet system.
• Biased Wheel: A wheel whose outcome probabilities differ from the intended model. A short streak is not evidence of bias; establishing it requires appropriate data and analysis.

The Social Language of the Table

When playing live dealer games or visiting a physical floor, there are verbal cues you should recognize to ensure you follow the etiquette of the game.

• “Place Your Bets”: The signal from the croupier that the table is open for wagering.
• “No More Bets”: The crucial moment when the croupier waves their hand over the table. Any chips placed after this call are not valid.
• Hot or Cold Number: A label for frequent or infrequent results within a selected history. It does not predict the next independent outcome.

Profit, Total Return and Turnover

A 35:1 profit payout returns 36 times a winning stake when the original stake is included. Turnover is the sum of all stakes, while net result is all returns minus all stakes and charges. A winning component does not necessarily make a combined layout profitable.

Related Explanations

Read inside and outside bets, French roulette zero rules, roulette odds and table limits and turnover. WinnerOnline provides information and does not host games.

Explore the full section: live and digital roulette formats.