Two basic types of Roulette wheel exist: the French (or English) wheel and the American Wheel.
French Wheel: This wheel has a total of 37 pockets, numbered 1 through 36 (half red, half black) but not in consecutive order, and one green pocket numbered 0. Having one less number than an American wheel, it offers the player a slightly better chance of winning.
American Wheel: Its total of 38 pockets is numbered 1 through 36 (half red, half black), with the remaining two green pockets number 0 and 00. Having one more pocket than the French wheel, it offers slightly less advantageous odds.
Classic roulette tables are long and rectangular, with the wheel at one end and the remainder of the surface marked with the various betting options (see The Rules and The House Edge and Payouts.) Some larger casinos also feature extra-long double-ended tables, with a wheel at each end and a separate betting area for each wheel. Regardless of size, all roulette tables feature the same betting areas, which are referred to either as “Inside Bets” (meaning those related to specific numbers marked on the table) or “Outside Bets” (other options marked outside or apart from the specific numbered sections).
Inside Bets:
Numbered sections: Each number on the wheel has its corresponding, appropriately colored position on the table, where bets on that number alone are directly placed. Numbers can also be bet in groupings by placing chips on the lines that separate them (a Split bet); on the points at which four number squares meet on the table (a Corner or Square bet); at the point at which the 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 meet (a Fiver); and on the outside edges of rows (a Street or Trio) or columns (a Column or Dozen) on the table.
Outside Bets:
1st 12, 2nd 12, 3rd 12 (also known as “Dozen Bets”): Chips placed in one of these three marked boxes on the table bet that the ball will stop, respectively, in numbers 1 through 12, 13 through 24, or 25 through 36.
1 to 18 (or “Low”), 19 to 36 (or “High”): Chips placed in one of these two marked boxes on the table bet that the ball will stop in those particular groups of numbers.
Odd, Even: Chips placed in one of these two marked boxes on the table bet that the ball will stop, respectively, either on an odd or an even number.
Black, Red: Chips placed in one of these two boxes marked respectively with a black or red diamond bet that the ball will land on a pocket with that color.
