Reader-recommended
Welcome bonus
25% to $250 + 400 free spins
Spinbetter
Updated Fact-checked 6 min read
Daniel Whitmore
Senior Editor 9+ yrs
Every answer on this page was written by an editorial team member, reviewed by Daniel Whitmore, and re-checked against the certifying lab's math where probabilities are quoted.
- Published
- Updated
- Fact-checked
Get help from our Roulette Wizard
Send a roulette question to our editorial desk and we'll reply within 48 hours. Rules, strategy, game choice, casino recommendations — anything. Below: every question we've already answered, plus reader-submitted threads.
Q&A Hub · 60+ answers60+ answers archived48-hour reply windowEditor-reviewed
Welcome to Roulette.team's question-and-answer section. You can send any roulette question to our Roulette Wizard and we'll reply within 48 hours. Rules, strategies, casino picks, or anything else — don't hesitate. Use the contact form to submit; or browse the most-asked questions below.
Most-asked questions
Is online roulette legal?
Yes, with caveats. online gambling law was amended in 2017 to legalise certain online gambling formats, including casino games. The state-licensed operator is Total Casino (run by Totalizator Sportowy). International operators with MGA, UKGC, or Curaçao licences also accept players but aren't technically licensed FOR the market — they fall in a regulated grey zone many players use safely. Always check the operator's licence display before depositing.
Is online roulette rigged?
Licensed operators are not rigged. Every legitimate roulette title — RNG or live — is audited by independent labs (eCOGRA, iTech Labs, GLI) and certified against its published RTP within tight statistical margins. The house edge IS built in; that's the math, not rigging. If you can't find a licence and audit report on a casino's website, walk away — those are the operators worth being cautious about.
What's RTP and which roulette has the best one?
RTP = Return To Player. The percentage of every wagered unit the game returns to players over millions of spins. French Roulette tops the chart at 98.65% on outside bets (thanks to La Partage). European: 97.30%. American: 94.74%. Variant choice matters more than strategy choice — pick French if it's offered, European otherwise.
Can roulette be beaten?
Mathematically, no — the house edge guarantees losses over enough spins. Practically, yes, in the short term: every spin is independent, so a session can finish profitable. The only consistent way to 'beat' the game is to walk away when you're ahead. See our deep-dive on this topic for the full math.
How can you cheat at roulette and does it work?
No, it doesn't. Historically people have tried biased-wheel detection (still possible at very specific old land-based tables), magnets, laser-prediction, past-posting, and dealer collusion — all illegal, most prosecuted. Online roulette uses certified RNGs or HD-streamed live tables with cameras everywhere; cheating is functionally impossible.
Which numbers come up most often in roulette?
None do, in the long run. Every pocket on a fair wheel has a 1/37 (European) or 1/38 (American) probability. Over short samples some numbers cluster — that's variance, not bias. 'Hot' and 'cold' numbers are useful for entertainment, not for prediction.
What's the house edge in roulette?
European: 2.70%. American: 5.26%. French with La Partage on outside bets: 1.35%. The math: house edge = (number of zero pockets) / (total pockets). One zero in 37 = 2.70%; two zeros in 38 = 5.26%; one zero halved by La Partage = 1.35%.
Are there free spins for roulette?
Free spins are a slot-specific bonus type — they don't usually apply to roulette. What does apply: deposit-match bonuses, no-deposit bonuses, and cashback offers. These can be used on most roulette titles, though many bonus terms exclude live tables or weight roulette bets at 10-20% toward wagering requirements. Read the fine print.
How do I win at online roulette?
You don't, consistently. Short-term wins absolutely happen — variance ensures roughly half of all sessions are profitable. The strategy is bankroll management: bring an amount you can afford to lose, set a stop-loss AND a stop-win, leave the table when either triggers. Patient discipline beats any 'system'.
What's the courtesy line bet?
A regional name for the 5-number basket bet on American Roulette (covering 0, 00, 1, 2, 3). The name comes from US dealer parlance where 'courtesy line' refers to the betting line you place the chip on. Worst bet on the table — house edge 7.89%. Don't use it.
Do online casinos ban winners?
Licensed casinos don't ban winners arbitrarily — they're legally bound to pay out under their licence terms. Some operators reduce account limits or restrict bonus access for advantage players (very-high-volume bettors), which is a contractual right. Outright closure of an account for winning is illegal at MGA/UKGC operators.
How big is a roulette wheel?
Standard European wheels are 81 cm in diameter, weight 30-40 kg, with 37 numbered pockets. American wheels share the same physical dimensions but with 38 pockets. The wheel head spins on a precision spindle calibrated to <0.001° tilt — perfect levelling is what makes the game fair.
Can I recover money lost at roulette?
No. Losses are final once the spin completes and the dealer (or RNG) declares the result. Some casinos offer cashback bonuses that return a percentage of weekly losses, but that's a marketing perk, not a refund. If you've spent more than you can afford, contact a problem-gambling helpline (GamCare, BeGambleAware.org) — they help with both recovery support and stop-loss tools.
Why do casinos ask for ID when withdrawing?
KYC (Know Your Customer) compliance. Licensed casinos are legally required to verify identity before processing significant withdrawals — usually anything over a small threshold (€2,000 EUR equivalent). It's standard banking-level verification: ID, address proof, sometimes source-of-funds for very large amounts. Operators that skip this are operating illegally.
Does Martingale work?
Beautifully in theory; badly in practice. Every roulette table has a maximum bet cap. Once a losing streak forces your next bet above the cap, the system breaks — and that streak wipes out hundreds of small wins. Martingale's a good system to study; it's a bad system to bet your rent on.
Are roulette wheels biased / can numbers be predicted?
Modern wheels are precision instruments — manufactured by Cammegh, TCS John Huxley, Abbiati — and casinos rotate them on a maintenance schedule. Biased wheels were a real exploit in the late 1800s and occasionally up to the 1990s; today they're effectively eliminated by maintenance routines and continuous monitoring. Don't waste time looking for them.
Reader-submitted Q&As
Some recent questions from readers, with our answers. Submit your own via the contact form — replies within 48 hours.
Recently answered
How many numbers should I bet on? (Elvin, 15.11.2024)
Strategically, it's a trade-off. Betting many numbers (15-20) raises your hit probability but caps the per-spin payout — wins barely cover prior losses. Betting few numbers (1-5) lowers hit probability but makes wins meaningful. Most players settle on either a single outside even-money bet (covers 18 numbers, 1:1 payout, 48.6% probability) or 4-6 split bets (12 numbers, 17:1 payout). Match the choice to your variance tolerance.
Can I skip rounds or do I have to bet every spin? (Stanislaw, 12.09.2023)
You can skip as many rounds as you want. In live roulette, the table runs whether or not you bet — just watch a few rounds without placing chips. Useful when you're observing patterns, tracking dealer rotation, or simply taking a break. Many strategies actually require skipping (Andrucci, Hot/Cold tracking).
How many numbers are on a roulette wheel? (Lucjan, 28.01.2023)
Depends on the variant. European and French: 37 (0 plus 1-36). American: 38 (0, 00, plus 1-36). Triple-zero (rare): 39. Mini Roulette: 13. Numbers 1-36 are coloured red and black in alternating segments; zeros are always green.
How many pockets are on a roulette wheel? (Roscislaw, 13.05.2022)
Same as the number count. 37 on European/French, 38 on American. Pocket order around the wheel head is deliberately non-consecutive — adjacent numbers on the betting layout sit far apart on the wheel itself, which spreads any clustering bias evenly. You can find the full pocket sequence on our /roulette-table/ page.
Is online roulette legal? (Nadzieja, 02.05.2022)
It's complicated. international gambling law was amended in 2017 to legalise certain online formats. The only state-licensed casino is Total Casino. International operators with MGA, UKGC, or Curaçao licences accept players — they aren't licensed FOR the market specifically, but using them is a regulated grey area many players navigate safely. Always check the operator's licence display.