Online Roulette at Betfair Casino

Roulette online brings the world’s most iconic casino game directly to your screen, combining tradition with modern convenience. Choose from multiple variants, live dealer tables, and helpful betting tools in one of the UK's best online roulette experiences.

How Roulette Works

Whether online or in person, roulette’s goal is simple: predict where the spinning ball will land on a wheel numbered 1–36, with red, black, and one or two green zero pockets, depending on variant.

Here are some key terms you should know before playing online casino roulette:

• Croupier: The person who spins the wheel and announces results in live roulette online.
• Inside Bets: Wagers placed on specific numbers or small combinations.
• Outside Bets: Wagers placed on broader outcomes like colours or number ranges.
• European Roulette: The standard and most popular version of the game, featuring 37 pockets and a single zero.
• La Partage: A French Roulette rule that returns half your even-money stake if the ball lands on zero.
• House Edge: The mathematical advantage held by the casino. European Roulette has a lower house edge than American versions.

How to Play Online Roulette

If you're new to the game or moving over from land-based casinos, you’ll find that online roulette gameplay is straightforward.

Live vs. Online Roulette: What’s the Difference?

At Betfair Casino, you can choose between digital roulette online and live dealer roulette.

• Online Roulette: In this version, the wheel spins automatically after betting closes. Like online slots and other virtual games, results are generated instantly and determined by Random Number Generators (RNGs).
• Live Roulette: Playing this version allows you to watch a real croupier spin a physical roulette wheel online. The pace is more like a land-based casino, and you’ll need to wait for the croupier to clear bets and announce the result before a new round begins.

Placing Your First Wager

Here’s a simple walkthrough of how to place your bets and play a round of online roulette in the UK:

1. Choose a roulette game: Browse Betfair’s collection of table games and select a version that suits your preference.
2. Check the table limits: Every table has minimum and maximum bet amounts. Pick one that fits your budget and style.
3. Place your chips: Use your digital chips to bet on specific numbers, combinations, or outside bet options like red/black.
4. Confirm your bets: Make sure everything is placed as intended before the betting window closes.
5. Watch the spin: In digital games, the spin begins automatically. In live games, the croupier spins or activates the wheel.
6. Review the result: The winning number is highlighted, and payouts are automatically deposited.

Choosing the Right Table

If you're new to the online roulette game, consider titles with lower minimum bets and simple layouts, such as European Roulette. As you gain experience, you might prefer faster rounds or live tables with unique features.

Roulette Betting Options

Roulette bets are generally divided into two types: inside and outside bets. Understanding both types of bets will help you choose a betting style that suits you.

Inside Bets

These types of bets cover specific numbers or small groups of numbers and offer higher potential payouts.

• Straight Up: A single number, such as 17, that pays 35:1.
• Split: Two numbers next to each other on the table, such as 8 and 11. This bet pays 17:1.
• Street: A row of three numbers on the roulette online table, such as 10, 11, and 12. Street bets pay 11:1.
• Corner: Four numbers meeting at a point on the table, such as  1, 2, 4, and 5. Corner bets pay 8:1.
• Line: Six numbers across two adjacent rows on the roulette table, which pay 5:1.

If you’re curious to learn which betting options are the most popular among UK players, these are the 10 most popular numbers in roulette.

Outside Bets

These cover broader sections of the wheel and offer more frequent, smaller payouts. As a result, they are often included in basic roulette strategy guides, including ones for absolute beginners.

• Red or Black: Predict the colour of the winning number. Either bet pays evenly, or 1:1.
• Odd or Even: Choose between odd or even numbers, with a payout of 1:1.
• High or Low: Bet on numbers 1-18 or 19-36, with a payout of 1:1.
• Dozens: Wager on groups of 12 numbers, namely 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36. This bet pays 2:1.
• Columns: Choose one of three vertical number columns on the table, with a payout of 2:1.

Roulette Variants at Betfair

Our platform offers a wide selection of online roulette formats, and our guide to roulette variations and strategies explains how each version plays.

European Roulette

This is the go-to version for many UK players. With 37 pockets and a single zero, European Roulette has a house edge of approximately 2.70%, giving it one of the most player-friendly odds among online roulette variants.

American Roulette

Featuring an extra pocket with 00, American Roulette features a total of 38 numbers. This increases the house edge to around 5.26%, so it’s typically chosen by players who enjoy a faster, more volatile game.

French Roulette

French Roulette uses the same layout as European Roulette, but includes rules like La Partage, where you recover half your stake if the ball lands on zero with an even-money bet. This reduces the effective house edge to as low as 1.35% on some bets.

Lightning Roulette

Lightning Roulette adds a fresh twist by applying random multipliers of between 50x and 500x to random numbers. This live roulette online variant is based on European rules, so the base house edge is still 2.70%, though payouts for Straight-Up wins are adjusted to balance the added multipliers.

Quantum Roulette

Like Lightning Roulette, Quantum Roulette is another enhanced variant featuring random multipliers on selected numbers. It is also based on the European layout and features the same house edge of 2.70%.

Roulette Strategies and Tips

While roulette is a game of chance, many players use simple strategies to help manage their bankroll and structure their bets. These approaches don’t alter the odds of the game, but they can support better pacing, budgeting, and decision-making during each session.

The Double Dozen Strategy

One popular approach is the double dozen strategy, where you place equal bets on two of the three Dozen bets. This covers 24 out of 37 numbers on a European wheel, giving you a roughly 64.8% chance of winning on each spin.

However, it’s not foolproof, and if the ball lands in the third dozen or on zero, you lose both bets. It’s best used as a way to cover more of the table while still accepting the risk of occasional losses. Like all betting systems, including advanced roulette strategies, it doesn’t change the house edge.

Other Popular Betting Systems

As you’re playing online roulette for real money, you may wish to use structured betting systems to manage stake sizes over time. These systems don’t affect the odds or outcomes, but they can help guide how much you wager and when to adjust your bets:

• Martingale: This controversial strategy involves doubling your stake after each loss, aiming to recover with one win. However, it assumes unlimited funds and ignores table limits making it unrealistic beyond a few rounds. We do not recommend this approach and suggest that you always set limits, stick to them, and never chase losses.
• D’Alembert: This approach adjusts your stake up after a loss and down after a win. While less aggressive than Martingale, it still relies on the flawed idea of chasing losses. As such, we don’t recommend it or any strategy based on previous outcomes.
• Fibonacci: Based on the famous number sequence, this method adjusts bet sizes in a structured way after every losing bet.

None of the roulette strategies we’ve mentioned will help you beat the wheel. In fact, there’s no betting system that guarantees a win as roulette is entirely based on chance. At best, these methods may help structure your play. It is, therefore, essential to set a budget, stick to it, and never chase losses.

RNG Games

At our online casino, fairness means every game is run with integrity and complies with strict regulation, independent testing, and transparent processes.

For online roulette, results are determined by a certified RNG. This technology simulates real-world randomness and is independently tested by approved auditing bodies to ensure it cannot be manipulated.

Responsible Gambling

At Betfair, we’re committed to supporting responsible play and giving you tips to stay in control:

1. Set a deposit limit before you start, and always stick to it.
2. Decide how long you want to play, and use session reminders to keep track of time.
3. Avoid chasing losses, and take breaks regularly.
4. Only gamble with money you can afford to lose.