Roulette Lexicon

Roulette wheel with betting table behind itEven though roulette is fairly easy to learn, you should sooner or later come to know all the different terms, expressions, abbreviations and country specific words used in the popular casino game. In this glossary, we will skip the French terms as they are only to be found on French roulette tables anyway, and are simply French words for already existing international words in the same game. There is no need for you to start learning French, just so that you can play on the roulette table. If you find yourself by a French roulette table, you will have no issues with adjusting yourself. Simply state the terms in English, and the croupiers will understand you. They are trained, and they see foreign guests all the time. Do not be shy to use English, a casino is, after all, an open house for everyone, no matter the gender, nationality or native tongue. So, here we go:

American Wheel

As the name suggests, this is the roulette wheel used in American Roulette. This one is easy to spot if you have a quick look at it. Where you usually find a normal, green zero (“0”), you will find two green pockets on the American Wheel. One of them is our normal “0”, and the other is the double zero, the “00”. Once you see these two, it is better to walk away. American roulette is not profitable for the players, especially if you have French or European roulette close by.

Biased Wheel

Tons of players have tried using all sorts of techniques to win over the house. The only “technique” which actually works, is by paying attention to biased wheels. These are wheels who, in some form or the other, are not fully random. The ball will land on certain parts of the wheel more often, increasing the players chance of winning. Some smart guys have actually used this against the casino, and won hundreds of thousands of dollars by doing it. Actually, it is completely legal, since you are not messing with the wheel. Hence, most casinos will keep their own statistics of their spins and make sure that no wheels are biased.

Boule

Often found as a side game in online casinos, and sometimes at offline gambling halls as well, this is a small roulette game with similar rules, but less numbers and combinations. Fast, fun and easy to learn.

Call bets

These are a bunch of outside bets that makes life a bit easier for the players. Simply yell out the precise combination you want to bet at, and the amount you want to stake. The croupier will remember your choice, and you will not have to place your chips on the table. Most casinos have however stopped allowing call bets.

Chips

Most people with some experience in any casino game knows that the chips is your most valuable belonging. These are small plastic “coins” which are the equivalents of certain amounts. Instead of, for example, placing a few ten euro notes on the table, you simply place the chip with the designated amount. Easier for us as players, and easier for the casino.

Croupier

This is the house representative that you are playing against. A specially trained person who accepts the bets, spins the wheel, and gives out the prizes. By having a croupier doing all the work, players will not argue among each other about silly things like “fixing the wheel” and “stealing chips”. The croupier has no interest in winning, but is bound by rules he or she needs to follow. The neutral guy (or girl) that all players seem to like.

En prison

Some casinos will allow you to keep your stake on the table for another round if you bet on red/black or other 1:1 bets, and the ball lands on zero. If you, however, lose again, the money is lost.

European Wheel

The most common roulette wheel of them all. The plain, classic wheel with just one zero.

Ficheur

A machine that counts the chips you have gathered before you exchange them into cash. Only found at offline casinos.

High or low bet

Common name for 1:1 bets where you either place your money on the first 18, or the last 18 of the numbers on the board.

Inside bets

Any stakes placed on the middle of the roulette board, for example on single numbers, horizontal lines or corners.

Marker

This is a small device which the croupier uses to show all the players which number the ball landed on with the last spin. Makes it easier to see if you won or not, even if you are standing far away from the wheel itself.

Outside bet

Any bets on the common combinations that are found in special fields outside of the inside section of the roulette table.

Payout

Easy one – the money you get from your bet

Pockets

The different pockets on the roulette wheel which the ball can fall into

Split bet

Any bet placed between two numbers, meaning that you bet on two numbers at the same time

Street bet

Bet made on any row of numbers, by placing your stake on the edge of the given row

Senior Content Writer & Casino Analyst | + posts

Emily Thornton boasts a degree in Digital Media from the University of Bristol, accompanied by an obsession for the online casino world. Over the past six years, she's combined her tech-savvy skills with a flair for writing, producing in-depth reviews and slots analyses for various casino platforms. A frequent contributor to free-spins.org, Emily's articles are grounded in research, ensuring readers gain trusted insights into the dynamic world of online gaming.