Roulette is one of the most straightforward casino games: a ball spins around a numbered wheel and lands in a pocket, and you win if you bet on that pocket or a group containing it. The house edge is fixed by the number of zero pockets on the wheel. Nothing you do changes the probability of where the ball lands. What you can control is which variant you play and which bets you place — choices that determine the edge you face.
This guide covers the three roulette variants available at NZ online casinos, every bet type and its payout, and the single rule (La Partage) that cuts the house edge on even-money bets by half.
The three variants and their house edges
European Roulette
The standard wheel has 37 pockets: numbers 1–36 (half red, half black) and one green zero. The house edge on every bet is 2.70%.
The formula is simple: the wheel has 37 pockets but bets pay as if there were 36. The single zero is the casino’s mathematical advantage built into every spin.
House edge: 2.70% on all bets.
American Roulette
The American wheel adds a second green pocket — the double zero (00). This gives 38 pockets total. The house edge rises to 5.26% on all bets except the five-number bet.
The five-number bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) has a house edge of 7.89% — the worst bet on the American wheel. There is no reason to place it.
House edge: 5.26% on all standard bets.
There is no reason to play American roulette if European roulette is available. The double zero adds nothing for the player and adds 2.56 percentage points to the house’s advantage.
French Roulette with La Partage
French roulette uses the same single-zero wheel as European. The difference is the La Partage rule: if the ball lands on zero, half of all even-money bets (rouge/noir, pair/impair, passe/manque — equivalent to red/black, odd/even, high/low) are returned to the player. The other half goes to the house.
This halves the house edge on even-money bets:
House edge on even-money bets: 1.35% House edge on all other bets: 2.70% (La Partage does not apply to inside bets)
Some casinos offer En Prison instead of or alongside La Partage. Instead of returning half the stake, En Prison leaves the full stake “in prison” for the next spin. If the next spin wins, the full stake is returned; if it loses or lands on zero again, the stake is lost. The expected value of En Prison and La Partage is identical on a single zero wheel.
House edge comparison
| Variant | House edge |
|---|---|
| French Roulette, even-money bets (La Partage) | 1.35% |
| European Roulette | 2.70% |
| American Roulette | 5.26% |
| American Roulette, five-number bet | 7.89% |
The practical rule: play French or European roulette, never American. If French roulette is available and you are placing even-money bets, use it.
All bet types, payouts and house edges (European wheel)
Outside bets (lower payout, higher win probability)
| Bet | Covers | Payout | Win probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red / Black | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 48.65% |
| Odd / Even | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 48.65% |
| Low (1–18) / High (19–36) | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 48.65% |
| Dozen (1st/2nd/3rd) | 12 numbers | 2:1 | 32.43% |
| Column | 12 numbers | 2:1 | 32.43% |
Inside bets (higher payout, lower win probability)
| Bet | Covers | Payout | Win probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up (single number) | 1 number | 35:1 | 2.70% |
| Split (two adjacent numbers) | 2 numbers | 17:1 | 5.41% |
| Street (three-number row) | 3 numbers | 11:1 | 8.11% |
| Corner (four numbers) | 4 numbers | 8:1 | 10.81% |
| Six Line (two rows, six numbers) | 6 numbers | 5:1 | 16.22% |
All bets on the European wheel have the same 2.70% house edge. The payout differences reflect the probability of winning — a straight-up bet wins less often but pays more.
Called bets and announced bets
Roulette tables, particularly in live dealer, offer called bets that cover groups of numbers based on their position on the wheel rather than the betting grid:
- Voisins du Zéro (Neighbours of Zero): covers 17 numbers adjacent to zero on the wheel; costs 9 chips
- Tiers du Cylindre (Thirds of the Wheel): covers 12 numbers on the opposite side of the wheel from zero; costs 6 chips
- Orphelins (Orphans): covers 8 numbers not in the above groups; costs 5 chips
- Neighbours of a number: covers a specific number plus the two numbers on each side of it on the wheel; costs 5 chips
These bets are standard at live dealer roulette and available in some RNG French roulette variants. They do not change the house edge — each chip placed still faces a 2.70% disadvantage. Their appeal is in covering specific sections of the wheel.
Is there a roulette strategy that works?
No strategy changes the house edge. The Martingale, Fibonacci, D’Alembert and other betting systems are all mathematically equivalent in expected value to flat betting, and they all face the same house edge per spin.
What betting systems do: They change variance. The Martingale (doubling after a loss) produces many small wins and rare large losses. Flat betting produces consistent results. Neither changes the long-run expected loss.
The only effective strategies are:
- Play French roulette with La Partage on even-money bets (1.35% edge)
- Avoid American roulette
- Set and keep a session budget before you start
- Use a casino with no restrictions on bet sizing or cashing out
The bonus calculator can show you the expected cost of any roulette session based on your stake size, session length and house edge.
RNG roulette vs live dealer roulette
RNG (software) roulette generates each spin result using a certified random number generator. Each spin is independent; the outcome of previous spins has no effect on future results. RNG roulette typically allows NZ$0.10 minimum bets and plays quickly.
Live dealer roulette uses a physical wheel and ball in a broadcast studio or real casino. It plays slower and minimum bets are usually NZ$1–NZ$5. The house edge is identical to RNG roulette with the same rules. The advantage of live dealer is the visible randomness of a physical spin and the social aspect of a shared table.
For New Zealand players with smaller budgets, RNG roulette at lower minimums is the better choice for extended play. For the authentic casino atmosphere, live dealer delivers it.
Which NZ casinos have the best roulette
The quality of roulette at an online casino depends on the number of variants available and the software providers used. Evolution Gaming is the dominant live dealer provider for roulette globally.
Reviewed NZ casinos with strong roulette offerings:
- Ice Casino — 14,100+ games including multiple live dealer roulette tables
- Casino Heroes — MGA licensed; Evolution Gaming live roulette
- V.Vegas — 11,000+ games; live dealer and RNG variants
- BitStarz — established since 2014; multiple roulette variants
For more on live dealer options including table limits and software providers, see the live dealer casino guide. For a full casino comparison, see the compare page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best roulette bet? On a European wheel, all bets have the same 2.70% house edge. On French roulette with La Partage, even-money bets (red/black, odd/even, high/low) carry a 1.35% edge — the best available. The choice between inside and outside bets is a variance preference, not a mathematical one.
Can I beat roulette with a system? No betting system overcomes the house edge. The Martingale and similar systems can produce short-term wins but all face the same long-run expected loss. Table limits also prevent indefinite doubling — the casino’s maximum bet caps the Martingale at a finite progression.
Does it matter which casino I play roulette at? Yes, in two ways. First, the variant available determines the house edge — a casino offering only American roulette gives you a higher edge than one offering French roulette. Second, withdrawal speed and reliability affect whether you can access your winnings after a session. See our fastest payout casinos guide for withdrawal benchmarks.
What is the difference between announced and called bets? Technically: a “called bet” is placed verbally before the bet is covered with chips (historically in land-based casinos where credit was extended). An “announced bet” requires chips to be on the table before the call. In online casino terms, the distinction does not apply — you click to place the bet. Both terms refer to the wheel-section bets (Voisins, Tiers, Orphelins, Neighbours).