Roulette Wheel and Table Layout

🎲History 🎲Design 🎲Types of Roulette Wheels 🎲European wheel 🎲American wheel 🎲French wheel 🎲All Bets
It is always advisable to understand the basics of the game before starting to play roulette, especially for beginners. Even as a professional roulette player, the knowledge of roulette wheel layout and the roulette table payout come in handy in making informed decisions. Ideally, the Roulette wheel is the cornerstone of the game and the court that determined the outcome. There are 37-38 numbers on the wheel where the ball lands. On the other end, the roulette table is the interface for betting.
In this article, we will highlight all you need to know about the roulette wheel and roulette table layout, the different roulette wheels designs, how to place chips on the roulette table, and why the numbers on the roulette wheel are not in order.

History of the Roulette Wheel

The history of the roulette table dates back to the 18th Century in France, but some people still believe that it could have originated back to 1720 in Italy. Blaise Pascal was the inventor of the roulette cylinder while he was trying to devise the perpetual motion machine. Although his project did not succeed, his invention was later used as the roulette wheel by Francois Blanc. This invention would later on in 1796, pave the way for roulette and live roulette casino games. The sum of all roulette numbers is 666, and this fact played a role in some of the gaming superstitions.
The term ‘roulette’ is a French name meaning a small wheel. The original roulette table boards, however, differ with the modern version in various ways. For instance, in the 1700s, the table was designed to feature a ‘green zero’ and a ‘black zero’. The black zero was later changed to the current second green zero ‘00’. However, this double zero roulette game was mostly adopted in North America (look photo), and it did not make its way to Europe and France, which is the reason why they still vary up today. European roulette is particularly popular among UK casinos and players

Roulette Wheel Design

As earlier mentioned, there are several casino roulette table variations. Despite the type of game you choose to play, roulette table manufacturers produce tables with the same size and dimensions. The table layouts will feature an 80 centimetres circumference which is equivalent to 32 inches. This large design ensures there is ample space for multiple players to place their bets. The foundation of the spinning wheel is mostly built with hardwood which could vary from maple, mahogany, or oak. The inner base of the wheel is constructed mainly with aluminium.
The roulette wheel comes with numbers 1 to 36 and depending on the variation, and you will find a 0 or 0+00. The sequence of these numbers has nothing to do with their mathematical value. Numbers 1 to 36 are displayed in alternate black and red colours, while the 0 and 00 are in green.
In terms of weight, the roulette wheel in land-based casinos weighs up to 45 kgs in total. The manufacturing of this wheel goes through vigorous testing to ensure that the outcomes of each game are random and fair.
For online roulette games and downloadable apps, fairness is based on the RNG algorithm. Therefore, you cannot beat with any ‘secret strategy’.

The Main Types of Roulette Wheels

There are three roulette variations which include
American, European, and French Roulette.

European Wheel Sequence

Unlike the American variation, the European roulette wheel features 37 pockets with only a single zero. Most players prefer this option since the single zero offers better odds for players since the house edge is significantly reduced by half compared to the American variation. The house casino advantage of this variation is around 2.7%.
The zero slot is coloured green while the other 36 numbers are split in half: eighteen black and eighteen red. The clockwise sequential order of the numbers in the European Roulette table layout is as follows.

American Wheel Sequence

The main distinction between the American Roulette wheel and the other two variations is that its wheel features 38 numbers while the other two have 37 pockets. The numbers range from 0 to 36 and an additional 00. Eighteen pockets are red, and eighteen are coloured black, while the 0 and 00 are green. The ‘zero’ slots are placed on opposite sides of the cylinder.
Here is the clockwise sequential order of the numbers in the American Roulette table layout.

The double zero increases the house edge, and this variation is known to have the highest casino advantage of up to 5.26%.

French Wheel Sequence

Similar to the European variation, the French roulette wheel has 37 pockets. However, with the French variation, the odds are quite favourable, compared to the European variation. Ideally, if you place an even-money bet and the ball ends up landing on the single green zero, you will receive 50% of your stake back.
The sequence of the numbers in the French roulette wheel table is similar to the European version.

How to Place Chips on the Roulette Table?

When planing your bets and how to play, you need to understand where the chips are placed. The main thing, however, is that despite the roulette version you choose to play, the standard table rules remain the same. There are two sections where you can place your chips: outside bet and inside bets.

Outside Bets

These are bets placed outside the number field, and this section covers the biggest groups of numbers. The five main types of outside bets include

• Odd or Even
• Red or Black
• 1 to 18 or 19 to 36
• Dozens
• Columns

Inside Bets

Inside bets are bets placed on the numbers themselves. The main types of inside bets include:

• Straight – This option bets on the single number.
• Split – Two adjacent numbers are covered by this option.
• Street – It can cover three numbers in a row, perpendicular on the betting table.
• Six-Line – This variant covers six numbers or two Streets
• Corners – It is a four-number bet, takes a square.
• Trio – It is a three-numbered bet that features the 0 or 00.

Why Are the Numbers Not in Order? The Logic of the Wheel Layout

The layout of the numbers on the roulette wheel in all roulette variations differs from their arithmetic value, and they are all different, among the three types of wheels. But why is this the case
Here are a few assumptions:

1. To Confuse Players. It is hard to look at the wheel and notice any relation between the numbers and sectors. Although advanced players with a lot of practice are likely to figure out the sequence and come up with a gaming strategy, for an average player, this is completely random.
2. Red and Black Colors Should Alternate.There is an absolute condition that two consecutive numbers must have different colours. This ensures a balance in colour distribution.
3. High Numbers (19-36) and Low Numbers (1-18) Should Alternate as Much as Possible. You are less likely to see a low and high number next to each other, except for the numbers 5 and 10. The European wheel has managed to meet this custom condition, unlike the American version.
4. Even and Odd Numbers Are Evenly Distributed. Similar to low numbers and high numbers, you will hardly find more than two odd or even numbers adjacent to each other.