Roulette Glossary: Important Terminology for Game

Roulette Glossary

Roulette is one of the best gambling games. It has its own unique terminology and understanding what each term means goes a long way to not only better understanding the game as a whole but also assists in the variation you'll choose, the bets you make and your enjoyment of the game.

This Roulette Glossary provides you with all of the terminology you’ll need to know when you spin that Roulette wheel.

American Wheel - A roulette wheel with 38 slots numbered 1 to 36 plus two zeros, 0 and 00.

B

Ball - a small ball (usually white) is used in the game and spun on the roulette wheel.

Ball Track – this refers to the outside rim of the roulette wheel that the ball is spun on.

Boule (La Boule) - Originally referred to as the "little game", Boule is basically a simplified version of Roulette, popular in French casinos. The game features a table and a wheel with only 9 numbers and 3 different colours on which you can bet. The wheel is spun and a small rubber ball bounces around the wheel before settling into one of the coloured holes to determine the outcome. The game is simple and fast.

Call bets - Also known as 'Roulette Announced Bets'. Used in French and European roulette tables and common in most UK casinos with single-zero wheel American roulette tables. These bets consist of a group of numbers and there are 5 types: Number neighbours (Voisin du nombre, 5 chips bet), Zero neighbours (Voisins du zero, 9 chips bet), A third section of the wheel (Tiers du cylindre, 6 chips bet), Full orphans (Orphelin plein, 8 chips bet), Orphans split (Orphelin cheval, 5 chips bet). 

Carré - French for Corner bet. 

Cheval - French for Split bet. 

Column bet - One of the three longer divisions of the layout. (This is an outside bet.) 

Combination Bet – as the name implies, this type of bet occurs when a player bets on more than one betting option at any given time.

Corner bet - A bet on four numbers.

Croupier – also known as the "dealer" in card games, this is the real money casino appointed staff member who runs the roulette game.

Dolly - Unlike the French roulette where the croupier simply points with the stick on the winning number on the table, in the American roulette the croupier uses a marker made of wood or plastic and places it on the table in the square of the winning number. The score marker is called 'dolly' because it has the outline that looks like a doll. Its functionality is primarily to help the players know the winning number until all winnings are paid. 

Double Zero – also known as American roulette, a double zero table offers both 0 and 00 slots to wager on.

Dozen bet - One of three dozen numbers on the layout. (This is an outside bet.)

En plein - French for Straight up bet.

En prison - French phrase. A rule applied to even money bets only. When the outcome is zero, some casinos will allow the player to either take back half his bet or leave the bet (in prison) for another spin. In the second case, if the following spin the outcome is again zero, then the whole bet is lost.

European wheel - A roulette wheel with 37 slots numbered 1 to 36 plus one zero, 0.

Even Bet - This is a bet placed on the even numbers on the table only if it pays out 1:1.

Ficheur - In the American Roulette real casino each player gets chips with different colours so that they do not mix. The croupiers have at their disposal a sophisticated mechanism, also known as Ficheur, which is able to mechanically separate coloured chips making them always readily available to use. 

Five number bet - Common with American double zero roulette wheels. It is a bet covering 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3.

French Roulette Wheel - This is the European style wheel.

High or low bet - An even money bet, either for the top half (19-36) or the bottom half (1-18) of the numbers. (This is an outside bet.)

House Edge/Advantage - The house advantage is what the casino has over you and is based on a mathematical calculation.

Inside bet - A bet anywhere on the layout (on numbers).

La partage - roulette rule similar to the en prison rule, only in this case the player loses half the bet and does not have the option of leaving the bet en prison for another spin. This refers to the 'outside' even-money bets Red/Black, High/Low, Odd/Even and applies when the outcome is zero.

Layout - a term for the grid on the Roulette table.

Line Bet - This is when you bet on six numbers in the grid, where one of the numbers will be the winner. It is an inside bet with a payout of 5 to 1. The six numbers are in two rows.

Low Bet - This is a bet on one number from 1 to 18. It pays the same as the high bet.

Luminar or LuminAR - Illuminated roulette table made by John Huxley, suppliers of real money casino equipment. The LuminAR roulette table is eye-catching by illuminating the winning sections through the layout using high intensity LED’s. The effect is very similar to the Touch-bet Roulette flashing winning sections.

M

Martingale System - This is a betting system in which you double your bet every time you lose. In other words if you bet $5 dollars and lost the next round you would bet $10 to recoup your losses.

N

Neighbour bet (or Neighbor bet) - When you place a neighbour bet it means you are betting on 5 numbers that are next to each other on the roulette wheel, with your called main number in the middle. You call your bet to the dealer before the start of the spin (example: 7 and the neighbours). The minimum bet for this type of bet is usually higher than the table minimum.

Non-value Chip - A gaming chip which the dollar value is determined by the amount of the buy-in and the amount of chips taken (example: in roulette). Thus, a buy-in of $300.00 for 60 chips equals a value of $5.00 per chip. In roulette, this is uaually established by the "Table Minimum Bet" amount displayed on the table.

Odd Bet - You will bet on the odd numbers on the table with a payout of 1 to1.

Orphans - French phrase. Common in European casinos. It's a bet on three specific numbers 6, 34 and 17 that are neighbours on the wheel, but far apart on the layout.

Orphelins - French phrase. Common in European casinos. It's a bet on a specific group of numbers on a section of the roulette wheel that are neighbours on the wheel, but apart on the layout.

Oustide bet - Bets on 1 to 1 even money (red/black, odd/even, high/low) and 2 to 1 (dozen or column) payouts.

Payout (Pay Out) - The winning amount paid by the live casino to the player.

Q

Quarter Bet - This is a four number bet in which one of the numbers will win, see corner bet for more details.

Queen Theatre - A term used in electronic roulette (touchbet roulette) because of the way the seating is laid out. Altogether 24 players can play the Queen Theatre electronic roulette at the same time. The central part of the roulette with its wheel is designed for 8 players around it, whilst 16 players play from the "theatre", a second line around the first circle of 8 players.

Racetrack bets - Also known as 'Call bets'. The racetrack betting area is in front of the croupier on the table used for players wishing to make bets on sections of the roulette wheel. See "Call bets" above.

Rapid roulette - Rapid Roulette is just like a standard roulette game, except the table has been remodelled with the addition of individual player terminals and you play on your own individual screen layout. The principles of the game remain the same, with the wheel and dealer still determining the result. However, instead of having to stretch to place your bets on the table, you can place your bets on the screen in front of you.

Red or Black Bet - You will wager on 18 numbers of either black or red persuasion. The bet is an outside bet for even money.

Roulight/Roulite - A variety of Roulette. A table game that has been developed in the first instance by specialists at the Wiesbaden Casino, Wiesbaden, Germany. The game is dynamic and very fast. Players, who like to play sectors and neighbours love it. Bets can only be placed on full numbers (staight up), on two connected numbers (split), neighbours and sections of the wheel. No outside bets.

Sixainne - French for Six line bet.

Six line bet - A bet on six numbers.

Split bet - A bet on two numbers.

Stack – 20 roulette chips stacked on each other.

Straight up bet - A bet on one single number.

Street bet - A bet on three numbers.

T

Tiers du cylindre - French phrase. Common in European casinos. It's a bet on a specific group of numbers on a section of the roulette wheel that are paired neighbours on the layout.

Transversale - French for Street bet.

Trio Bet – this is another form of the combination bet, where a player bets on the ball coming to rest on one of three possible numbers.

V

Voisins du zero - French phrase. Common in European casinos. It's a bet on a specific group of numbers on a section of the roulette wheel neighbouring the zero.

Visual Wheel Tracking – when a player has the ability to foretell where the ball will land just by looking at it spinning on the wheel.

W

Wager is simply a bet.

Wheel Clocking – when a player keeps track of the result of the spins to determine patters as well as possibilities and bias. Another way to track this is using electronics, in the hope of predicting where the ball will drop. 

Wheel Head – a part of the roulette wheel that has the numbered pockets.

Wheel roller – a croupier or roulette dealer.

Wheel strategies – those strategies that exploit the imperfections of the wheel to garner edge.

Z

Zero - You have a green number that is either a single or double zero, this is not bet on in the game, except for the five number bet in American roulette. You will not be betting if you place the chip on the zero or double zero like a straight bet.