Glossary

Live dealers’ equipment and announcements for playing roulette. Whether you’re in a gambling house in England, a resort in Las Vegas, or in an online casino, here are all the basics to know before betting chips at a gambling table.

Roulette

The wheel is composed of a cylinder and pockets with inlaid numbers. There are also canoes on the surface of the wheel, above the numbers. On the edge of the wheel there’s the groove where the ball is thrown by the dealer. When the ball is thrown, it is at full speed. When it slows down it ricochets several times on the canoes, then ends up in a numbered pocket.

The wheel’s cylinder

The dealer spins the cylinder so that the wheel turns. This manual gesture is iconic in casinos. At each turn, the cylinder is spinned in one direction, and the ball is thrown in the opposite direction.

The ball

As soon as the cylinder is turned, the ball is thrown into the wheel’s groove. On the surface of the wheel, small inlaid canoes make the ball bounce in all directions. When the ball loses speed, it falls into a numbered pocket.

The ball is white, but in the VIP rooms it is often solid gold or platinum.

The layout

The layout is green. But in high-tech casinos, it may sometimes be blue or red. Numbers in the rectangle range from 1 to 36. Zero is green (as is the double Zero in American Roulette). On the layout, numbers are lined up in rows of three. Around the rectangle, there are the areas for straight up and dozen bets.

Inside bets

This is when you bet on a number on the layout. You can bet on a single number or on a series of numbers that touch each other. The odds of winning on these bets vary from 5 to 35 times the stake.

External bets

These bets are placed around the layout’s rectangle. There are simple odds that pay 1:1 on wins (red / black, odd / even, low / high), and 2:1 bets that are made on 12-number series.

Chips

When playing roulette, one never bets with cash. Money is exchanged at the casino cash desk only. Debit cards are also accepted, but not credit cards (law of 2020 to fight against compulsive gambling in the UK). On a reliable casino website, a single page manages all operations.

When you have won money or when you just want to stop playing, go to the cash desk to exchange your chips for cash!
 

Betting limits

Every casino roulette game has low and high betting limits. Why is there a maximum limit on betting? To avoid mad players from trying to blow up the Bank!

Roulette rateau

It’s a rake that the dealer uses to move the chips on the layout. You’ll only see it at the VIP tables of wealthy players! The dealer uses it to remove losing bets from the layout, or to payout the winners.
 
The dealer’s dexterity allows him to move chips on the layout without physically touching them. At a live VIP online casino, the same process is used.

Dealer announcements

The dealers’ announcements are all part of the splendour of the game. Whether you are on a roulette website in the UK or anywhere else, announcements add value to the game. Common phrases are:

Number history

At each roulette table, the numbers drawn are displayed on a light board. Looking at it is relevant to follow the cycles of the numbers. It’s not uncommon to see a colour come out five times in a row. When the same number comes up twice in a row, excitement is at its highest among the most superstitious players! You will then see players getting restless and betting on that number. They think everything comes in threes, and often go ALL-IN.