Essendo uno dei giochi da casinò più popolari e semplici, la roulette è spesso considerata facile anche per i principianti. Ma per vincere davvero questo gioco, i giocatori devono avere una profonda conoscenza delle sue regole, che si sono evolute e modificate nel corso degli ultimi secoli.
Da quando la roulette è stata introdotta per la prima volta in Francia alla fine del XVIII secolo, si è diffusa in tutti i casinò e gli stabilimenti di gioco d’azzardo del mondo. Gli storici ritengono che sia stata ideata dal matematico e inventore francese Blaise Pascal nel tentativo di creare una macchina a moto perpetuo. In questa forma primitiva, il gioco era molto diverso da quello che conosciamo oggi. Eppure, è riuscito a diventare il gioco da casinò più facilmente riconoscibile al mondo.
Gran parte della sua popolarità potrebbe contribuire alla sua semplicità e al fatto che il risultato di ogni giro della ruota della roulette si basa sul puro caso piuttosto che su qualsiasi altra cosa. I giocatori non hanno bisogno di avere una particolare abilità o di usare strategie complesse per vincere – semplicemente scelgono un numero, fanno una scommessa e sperano che la fortuna sia dalla loro parte. Avere familiarità con le regole del gioco, tuttavia, può aumentare notevolmente la possibilità di vincere perché, in effetti, alcune scommesse sono migliori di altre.
In questo articolo, ci concentreremo sulle regole standard della roulette che si applicano praticamente a tutte le forme di roulette dei giorni nostri – sia che si giochi in un casinò vero e proprio o che si preferisca la versione virtuale della roulette che si trova nei casinò online.
Le basi della roulette
In traditional casinos, roulette is played on a large wooden table, and the seats around it are reserved for players only. A casino employee, known as the croupier, announces the winning numbers, collects the bets, and pays out the winnings. In the classic version of the game, the croupier spins a ball around a wheel that has numbered pockets from 0 to 36, and American roulette includes an additional 00 pocket.
When the wheel stops, the croupier calls the number whose pocket the ball has landed in. Anyone who has placed a wager on that number (or on the color or category that includes that number) receives a fixed payout according to the rules of the game. Bets are made with casino chips that represent various amounts of money (€1, €5, €10, €50, and so on). Once the ball is released, or once the croupier calls “No more bets”, every stake on the table is final and cannot be moved or removed.
This brings us to another key element of the game, the table layout. The betting surface is covered with green felt (sometimes blue, red, or purple) that displays a chart with every number from the wheel. It is a simple rectangular diagram that shows all possible wagers along with their respective payouts, and chips are placed directly on top of it. As you can see, the rules are fairly straightforward and usually become clear after just a few spins. There are, however, a few details players should watch for, such as the different wheel types and table layouts.
Le ruote della roulette
Disposizione del tavolo della roulette
Le ruote della roulette
The roulette wheel consists of two main sections: an outer part called the bowl, and an inner part known as the wheel head. Depending on the type and build quality of the gaming table, the construction can vary, but the bowl typically includes the ball track, the lower back track, a spindle, and the canoe stops. The lower track is where the ball rolls, and you can see small diamond-shaped deflectors on it (also called disruptors, diamonds, or canoe stops) that cause the ball to bounce unpredictably across the wheel.
The inner part contains the numbered pockets as well as the rotor, the main moving element of the wheel, and the central turret. There are many other mechanical parts, of course, but players usually focus on the pocket section. The wheel has black, red, and green pockets, with 37 pockets in European and French games and 38 pockets in American roulette. The numbers appear random, with half of them red and half black, and the single zero and double zero pockets colored green.
- European/French wheel: 18 red, 18 black, and one green pocket for 0
- American wheel: 18 red, 18 black, and two green pockets for 0 and 00
Players will quickly notice that the numbers follow no obvious order except that red and black pockets always alternate. Whether you play American or European roulette, you will not find a wheel with two adjacent pockets of the same color. In addition, low numbers (1–18) and high numbers (19–36) alternate as much as possible, and even and odd numbers are spread out fairly evenly. As we can see, the sequence is anything but random; its purpose is to balance the wheel and make outcomes seem as unpredictable as possible:
- Number sequence on the European/French wheel: 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25, 17, 34, 6, 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33, 1, 20, 14, 31, 9, 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26
- Number sequence on the American wheel: 0, 28, 9, 26, 30, 11, 7, 20, 32, 17, 5, 22, 34, 15, 3, 24, 36, 13, 1, 00, 27, 10, 25, 29, 12, 8, 19, 31, 18, 6, 21, 33, 16, 4, 23, 35, 14, 2
These sequences can be confusing, but players do not need to memorize them. They simply need to understand why low/high, red/black, and even/odd numbers are distributed as evenly as possible around the wheel. Interestingly, the sum of all the numbers is exactly 666, which is why roulette was once nicknamed the Devil’s game. This is just one of the many quirks that add to the game’s appeal.
Disposizione del tavolo della roulette
As noted above, along with the wheel, the table layout is the other fundamental part of roulette. Also called the betting layout, it contains every number on the wheel (0–36). It is deliberately designed to look nothing like the arrangement of numbers on the wheel. On the layout the numbers are consecutive, in contrast to the seemingly random order on the wheel.
The main area of the layout is a numbered grid. It is rectangular and has three columns and twelve rows for the numbers 1 through 36. The 0 and 00 are placed at the top of this grid. At the bottom there are three boxes, one beneath each column. Several additional betting areas sit next to the main grid: sections for low and high numbers, red and black numbers, and even and odd numbers. There are also three boxes for the first dozen (1–12), the second dozen (13–24), and the third dozen (25–36).
Many players structure their wagers according to this grid. For example, they might bet on 1 and 2 because the numbers are adjacent on the layout, even though they sit on opposite sides of the wheel. While this makes no difference when you play virtual roulette at an online casino, it is an essential element of strategy in a traditional roulette game.
Players who want to place bets based on the arrangement of the wheel numbers can use the so-called racetrack layout. It is an addition to the main table layout and is not available in every roulette variant. The name comes from its oval, stadium-like shape. The racetrack is a graphic representation of the numbers as they appear on the wheel, allowing players to wager on actual sections of the wheel rather than on clusters of numbers that are not next to each other on the wheel.
Like the main betting layout, the racetrack is divided into several sections, each linked to a specific wager. These include Voisins du zéro, Le tiers du cylindre, Jeu zéro, and Orphelins, four bet types typically found in European or French roulette. We will discuss them in one of the next sections of this article.
Scopo e regole del gioco
Lo scopo del gioco è davvero semplice e diretto – prevedere correttamente dove la palla atterrerà dopo che la ruota smette di girare. Come potete immaginare, è più facile a dirsi che a farsi, soprattutto quando si gioca alla roulette virtuale. In confronto, quando si gioca al gioco fisico, nella vita reale, i giocatori professionisti possono individuare diverse irregolarità nella ruota a causa dell’usura. In base ad esse, possono vedere come e se la ruota è influenzata in qualche modo e se alcune sezioni e numeri sono in realtà più probabili che vengano colpiti.
Quando si tratta di roulette virtuale online, tuttavia, l’esito di ogni giro è casuale e non può essere previsto come garantito dall’uso di un software speciale chiamato Random Number Generator (RNG). Una volta che i giocatori mettono le loro fiches sul tavolo, devono premere il pulsante Spin e il computer determinerà il numero vincente. Il risultato non è influenzato dalle rotazioni passate o future – ogni volta, i giocatori ottengono 1 numero vincente e 36 numeri perdenti (o 37 numeri perdenti nella roulette americana a doppio zero).
Se i giocatori hanno indovinato con successo il numero vincente o i gruppi di numeri, vincono e ricevono una vincita che è un multiplo della loro puntata originale. Ogni tipo di scommessa ha una vincita diversa, ma la regola generale è che le scommesse, che hanno più probabilità di vincere, hanno una vincita inferiore. Più il risultato è improbabile, più alta è la ricompensa potenziale.
Per esempio, il settore Rosso sullo schema delle scommesse paga in modo uniforme – 1 a 1, che a volte viene visualizzato come 1:1 o anche 2:1, poiché riceviamo la nostra scommessa originale più 1 unità. Allo stesso tempo, questa scommessa è molto probabile che vinca, poiché ci sono 18 numeri rossi sulla ruota. Le probabilità di colpire il numero 5, invece, sono molto più basse – 1 su 37, motivo per cui la vincita è molto più interessante a 35:1.
Scommesse e vincite
One of the most important aspects of roulette is the betting itself, for a very simple reason: choosing the right type of bet can increase your chances of winning. As we showed in the previous example, some wagers have a higher probability of success than others. That is why players should understand the basic bet types before they start playing roulette for real money.
In addition, many roulette players like to combine several bets to cover more of the board. Even the best staking strategy, however, cannot alter the built-in odds of the game, meaning it is impossible to gain an edge over the casino. Knowing the different wagers and their respective payouts, on the other hand, is crucial for judging the value of each bet and its expected return.
Scommesse esterne
Scommesse interne
Scommesse annunciate
Scommesse esterne
Outside bets are probably the most popular wagers in roulette because they carry less risk. They generally have a higher chance of winning, but the payouts are lower. To place any of these bets, players put their chips in the areas outside the main numbered grid on the table, hence the name “outside” bets.
Although these wagers cover large groups of numbers, they all lose if the ball lands on 0 or 00. The zeros are neither red nor black, low nor high, even nor odd, and they do not belong to any of the three dozens or three columns. For that reason they are called casino numbers, the pockets that give the house its advantage.
- Red/Black: Each of these bets covers 18 numbers and pays 1:1.
- High/Low: Again, there are 18 low numbers and 18 high numbers. Payout is 1:1.
- Even/Odd: Players can also wager on even numbers (2, 4, 6…) or odd numbers (1, 3, 5…). Each bet includes 18 numbers and pays 1:1.
- Dozens: There are three dozens, and players can bet on the first (1–12), second (13–24), or third (25–36). Payout is 2:1.
- Columns: The three betting areas for the three columns of numbers on the layout each pay 2:1.
Scommesse interne
Inside bets are those placed within the numbered grid on the table. They cover fewer numbers, so the chances of winning are lower, but the payouts are higher. While outside bets require chips to be placed in the designated boxes around the layout, inside bets may be positioned on the border of two or more betting areas.
- Straight Up: A bet on a single number that pays 35:1.
- Split: A wager on two adjacent numbers on the layout, for example 1 and 2 or 1 and 4. It pays 17:1.
- Street: Covers any row of three consecutive numbers and pays 11:1.
- Corner (Square): This bet covers any block of four numbers that form a square and pays 8:1.
- Six Line (Double Street): Because it covers two adjacent streets, this bet spans six numbers in total and pays 5:1.
- Top Line (Basket): This wager involves the first four or five numbers on the layout, depending on whether you are playing American or European roulette. In single-zero games it covers 0-1-2-3 and pays 8:1, while in double-zero versions it is a bet on 0-00-1-2-3 and pays 6:1.
Scommesse annunciate
The other category of wagers comprises the so-called Called or Announced Bets. Although there is technically a difference between the two terms, they are used as synonyms in online roulette as well as in many land-based casinos. These bets are often referred to as French bets because their names are usually displayed in French and they are typical of European and French roulette. Many virtual American roulette variants also allow announced bets.
The most important thing about these wagers is that, unlike standard inside and outside bets, they are not placed on the main table layout but on the racetrack. They let players bet on wheel sections rather than on numbers in numerical order. French bets also give players an excellent opportunity to cover many numbers with a single wager, increasing their chances of winning without having to stake too much.
Please note that we are focusing on announced bets in single-zero roulette. When it comes to American roulette, both the bets and their payouts differ. There is also a minimum stake requirement for these wagers, and players usually have to put at least three or four chips on the table. Keep in mind that these are generally combination bets, and the casino pays only for the winning part, not for the entire combination.
- Voisins du zéro: This bet translates to “neighbors of zero,” which is exactly what it is, the 17 numbers around zero on the wheel, including the zero itself. The minimum stake is nine chips: two chips on 0-2-3; one chip on each of the splits 4-7, 12-15, 18-21, 19-22, and 32-35; and two chips on the corner 25-26-28-29.
- Le tiers du cylindre: The name of this wager refers to one third of the wheel, and it covers the sector directly opposite the Voisins. It includes 12 numbers and requires six chips to be placed on the following numbers: 27-13-36-11-30-30-8-23-10-10-5-24-16-33.
- Orphelins: Translating to “the orphans,” this bet covers the two small sectors of the wheel that are not part of the Voisins and Tiers wagers. The Orphelins cover eight numbers and can be placed with five chips: one straight-up chip on 1 and one chip on each of the splits 6-9, 14-17, 17-20, and 31-34.
- Jeu zéro: The “zero game” is a wager on five numbers: 0 and the four numbers nearest to it on the wheel. In total, the bet covers 12-35-3-26-0-32-15 and requires four chips.
- Finale Bets: Finale wagers cover numbers that share the same last digit. Finale 0 is a four-chip bet on 0-10-20-30, while Finale 1 is also a four-chip bet on 1-11-21-31. Some casinos offer two types of finale bets: Finales en Plein, as described, and Finales à Cheval, which combine two final digits, for example, a Finale à Cheval on 7 and 8 is a bet on 7-8-17-18-27-28.
- Neighbors: Neighbor bets are five-chip wagers on any specific number plus the two numbers on each side of it on the wheel, such as 19 and its neighbors 4, 15, 21, and 32.
Limiti di scommessa
Prima di iniziare un gioco con denaro reale, gli avventori del casinò dovrebbero sempre tenere conto dei limiti di scommessa. A seconda del tipo di casinò, della variante della roulette e, a volte, anche dello status VIP del giocatore, le puntate minime e massime saranno diverse. Questo è estremamente importante in quanto i giocatori con un budget di €100 non sarebbero in grado di giocare nemmeno qualche giro se il tavolo minimo è di €50. Si raccomanda di scommettere un massimo dell’1%-2% del proprio budget su un singolo giro. Quindi, quelli con un budget di soli €100 non dovrebbero scommettere più di €2 per giro.
Molti casinò online offrono ai loro clienti puntate minime di €1, ma i limiti variano da un casinò all’altro. Ci sono anche tavoli a basso limite con puntate da €1 a €10 per spin e tavoli ad alto limite con puntate da €50 a €500 per spin. La maggior parte dei casinò utilizzano un modello progressivo per determinare l’importo massimo delle puntate per ogni tipo di scommessa. Se, per esempio, il casinò accetta scommesse dirette fino a €250, la puntata massima su split sarebbe di €500 (2x). La puntata massima consentita su una street sarà di €750 (3x), su una scommessa all’angolo – €1.000 (4x), su una linea a sei – €1.500 (6x), su dozzine e colonne – €1.750 (7x), e su basso/alto, pari/dispari, e rosso/nero – €2.000 (8x).
Regole addizionali della roulette
There are several extra rules that appear in certain roulette variants. Three of them, known as Surrender, En Prison and La Partage, apply specifically when 0 or 00 wins. These rules are not always offered by casinos and are particularly rare in online roulette versions. Because they reduce the house edge, they are quite popular among professional and experienced players.
Resa
Regola “La Partage”
Regola “En Prison”
Resa
The Surrender rule appears in American roulette games and takes effect when the ball lands on 0 or 00. Players who have placed even-money outside bets (red/black, low/high, even/odd) lose only half of their stake. This reduces the casino’s house edge from 5.26% to 2.63%.
Regola “La Partage”
La Partage is essentially the same as the Surrender rule, but it applies to European roulette, especially in UK casinos. The rule activates automatically when the ball lands on 0, lowering the house edge from 2.70% to 1.35% on all even-money outside bets.
Regola “En Prison”
En Prison is a variation of the La Partage rule and appears in some French-style roulette games. Once again, the rule applies when a player has placed an even-money bet and the ball lands on 0. In this situation, the player has two choices: surrender half of the stake, as in the rules above, or leave the entire bet “in prison” for the next spin.
The second option is intriguing. The chips remain on the same box, and if the bet wins on the second spin, the player collects the winnings. If it loses, however, the entire stake goes to the casino. Games employing the En Prison rule offer a lower house edge of 1.35%.