Dictionary of Roulette Online Casino Games Terminology

You can always find a way to describe what’s going on at the roulette wheel but if you want to sound like a pro when playing online casino games, roulette in particular, you should become familiar with roulette terminology. Roulette terminology involve the words and phrases that advanced players use when they play roulette. It’s not hard to learn these terms – acquire a few new ones every day and within a week or two, you’ll be talking like a pro. 

Some of the most commonly used roulette terms include: 

Airball Roulette

Referring to auto roulette machines that operate without a real dealer. In an airball roulette game the ball is propelled into the roulette wheel by air which gives it the name “Airball Roulette”. Airball roulette involves a digital machine where you place digital bets.

American Wheel

There are two main types of roulette, American roulette and European roulette. The American roulette wheel has an extra pocket called the “Double Zero.” So, while the European roulette wheel has pockets numbered 1 - 36 and one single zero pocket (“0”), the American roulette wheel has those same pockets numbered 1 – 36 and the single zero pocket PLUS a double zero pocket (“00”).

Bankroll

The player’s bankroll is the money that s/he has set aside with which to gamble. High-rollers set aside a large amount of money that they have budgeted for gambling entertainment and low-rollers have a small bankroll.

Biased Wheel/Biased Numbers

A “biased roulette wheel” describes a wheel that gives results that are different than those expected by chance. This can happen when the wheel has imperfections that lead to biased results (one number comes up more often than it should, based on the laws of probability) or the casino has rigged the wheel (unlikely, since regulators check the casino whels on a regular basis).

Biased numbers refer to the numbers that come up more often than they should based on theoretical average because the wheel is biased.

Black Bet/Red Bet

A bet that the color of the next number will be black or red.

Cancellation Betting System

A betting system involving a series of numbers that adds numbers after losing a bet and cancels numbers after winning a bet.

Casino Advatage

The house edge which involves a percentage that the house has over the player.

Chasing Losses

A system in which the player increases his bets in order to recoup what he’s lost. Most casino advisors say that this is not advisable as players who use this system generally end up losing more than they win.

Cold Table

A table where there have been no wins over a period of time.

Column Bet

A bet on one of the columns of 12 numbers on the roulette table.

Combination Bet

A bet on two or more numbers.

Corner Bet

A bet that four numbers in a given segment of the roulette betting table (on the corner) will win.

Dozens Bet

Bets on a sequence of 12 numbers on the layout.  1-12, 13-24 or 25-36.

European Wheel

Roulette wheel that has only a single zero (0)  plus pockets numbered 1-36.

Even Bet

A bet that an even number will  come up on the next spin.

Five-Number Bet

A single wager that 0, 00, 1, 2, or 3 will hit next. Can only be made on an American roulette wheel. Considered the single worst bet in roulette.

Hot Table

A table where the players have been winning. Opposite of a “Cold Table.”

House Edge

The mathematical edge that the house has on a given bet.

Inside Bet

One of the roulette game’s riskier, but better paying, bets. Made on the central, numbered portion of the roulette layout. Inside bets come up less often but they give better paying wins.

La Partage

A bet that’s accepted in French Roulette where the player loses half the bet but does not have the option to leave the bet as-is for another spin.

Line Bet

A wager that one of six numbers --two rows of three numbers separated by a line on the layout -- will win.

Mayer Line

Roulette betting strategy. If  the player loses the bet he makes a small incremental increase in the next stake. Ten numbers in a line are then erased which leads to a win of ten units.

Odds

The likelihood of an event happening.  For instance, on an American Roulette wheel, the likelihood that a one number will come up  is one in 38 because there are 38 pockets (36 numbered pockets plus a “0” pocket and a “00” pocket).

Outside Bets

One of the roulette game’s less risky, but lower paying, bets. Made on the outside of the roulette layout. Outside bets come up more often but they give lower payouts.

Parlay Bet

A bet that’s doubled after a win.

Positive Progression

Any system of wagering where you increase bets after a win.

Quarter Bet

Same as Corner Bet and Square Bet. – A wager that one of four numbers will be hit on the next spin. 

Red Bet

An even-money bet that the next number will be red. 

Six Number Bet

Same as Line Bet.

Split Bet

A bet that one of two particular numbers will hit on the next spin.

Straight Up Bet

A bet on one number.

One of the Inside Bets - Street Bet

A bet that one of three specific numbers will hit on the next spin.

Surrender

When the casino takes only half a player’s losing wager on the even-money bets if the 0 or 00 hits.

Table layout

The way the betting table is laid out. There are two main types of tables:  French and American.

Wheel Strategies

Strategies that try to exploit imperfections in the wheel in order for the player to get the edge.

Wheel-Clocking

There are two types of Wheel-Clocking:

• Keeping track of the results of roulette spins to ascertain patterns and possibility of wheel bias.
• Visually or electronically clocking the speed of the wheel in an effort to predict where the ball will land.