What all versions share
A wheel with 37 pockets (one zero) or 38 (two zeros), a betting window that closes with "no more bets", and the same two bet families: inside bets on numbers and small groups, outside bets on colours, odd or even, high or low, dozens and columns.
Single-zero wheels carry a 2.70% house edge; double-zero wheels 5.26%. Our roulette page lists casinos with both.
A roulette round has three stages. The betting window opens, the dealer or software closes it, and the ball settles in one pocket. Roulette settles every bet against that single result, so a new variant changes what is paid and not how the wheel is read.
Inside bets cover few pockets and pay more. Outside bets cover many pockets and pay less. This trade between coverage and payout sits under every roulette bet, and it stays the same in new variants.
A straight-up bet on a single number pays 35:1 on a standard wheel.
That straight-up bet carries a house edge of 2.7% on a single-zero wheel.
New variants are easiest to learn once the standard rules feel automatic. Roulette beginners can start with the table basics before they try a multiplier game. Our guide to casino games for beginners covers those basics in plain steps.
The main new variants
Lightning Roulette (Evolution)
After betting closes, one to five lucky numbers get multipliers between 50x and 500x. A straight-up bet on a lucky number pays the multiplier; a straight-up win on any other number pays 29:1 instead of 35:1. Outside bets pay as normal.
Lightning Roulette sells the multiplier as the prize. The lower base payout is the cost of that prize, because the casino must fund the large wins from somewhere. Lightning Roulette therefore suits players who accept long dry spells in return for a rare large hit.
Quantum Roulette (Playtech)
The same idea with multipliers on selected numbers and extra boost events. Straight-up wins without a multiplier are also reduced.
Quantum Roulette follows the same trade. Quantum Roulette draws its multipliers before each spin, and the help screen lists the boost values in play. Read that screen at the start of every session.
Double Ball Roulette
Two balls on one wheel. Inside bets pay less per ball, special bets pay large fixed odds if both balls land on your number, and outside bets usually need both balls to qualify and pay more when they do. Read the paytable; it differs from standard roulette on almost every bet.
Double Ball Roulette changes the maths of nearly every bet. Double Ball Roulette players should compare the payout per ball with a standard wheel before they stake more. Side bets add more variance on top, and our table game tips show how to size them against the main game.
Jackpot and side bet tables
Some tables add a progressive or fixed jackpot through a side bet. Side bets carry a higher house edge than the main game.
Jackpot side bets pay rarely and cost extra in every round. Treat a jackpot side bet as entertainment spending, separate from the bankroll for your main bets.
How a round works
- Pick your chip value.
- Read the variant's special bets in the help screen.
- Place inside or outside bets before the timer ends.
- Add a side bet only if your budget allows it.
- Watch the multipliers or extra balls resolve.
- Check the result and your balance before the next round.
The order matters because special bets are visible only before the timer ends. Reading the help screen first costs nothing, while a rule discovered after the ball drops cannot be undone. The betting window has a countdown, so decide your bets in its first seconds.
Bankroll and limits
- Bet flat amounts; do not raise stakes because multipliers feel due.
- Keep side bets to a small share of each round, if any.
- Set a session loss limit and use reality checks.
- Prefer outside bets if you want steadier results; multipliers make straight-up betting very swingy.
Our responsible gaming page explains the account tools.
Flat betting works because roulette spins are independent. Multipliers appear after bets close, so they carry no memory of earlier rounds. A number that was lucky last round has the same chance as any other this round.
Outside bets keep variance lower because they cover many pockets. Straight-up bets on lucky numbers can pay far more, but they lose most rounds. Match the bet type to the session length you can afford.