- Single-zero wheels have 37 pockets; double-zero have 38.
- Every payout assumes 36 numbers, and the zero(s) are where the edge comes from.
- La Partage and En Prison halve the even-money edge to 1.35%.
- Legal age is 19+ except Alberta, Manitoba and Québec (18+).
Roulette is one of the few casino games you can learn completely in ten minutes. There are no decisions after the ball is rolling, no hidden information and no strategy layer — just a wheel, a layout and a fixed schedule of payouts. This guide walks through everything a Canadian player needs before their first spin, whether that is online at one of the crypto brands we list or at a physical table in Niagara, Montréal or Vancouver.
The equipment
A roulette wheel has numbered pockets: 37 on a European or French wheel (0–36) and 38 on an American wheel (0, 00, 1–36). Numbers 1–36 alternate red and black; zeros are green. Next to the wheel sits the layout — the felt where bets are placed. The layout is a grid of the 36 numbers in three columns of twelve, with the zero(s) at the top and the outside bets running along the edges.
How a round works
- Bets open. Players place chips on the layout. Online, you click a bet spot; on a live-dealer stream you do the same and the dealer sees it.
- The spin. The dealer spins the wheel one way and rolls the ball the other. Bets typically remain open for the first few seconds of the spin.
- "No more bets." Betting closes. From here nothing you do matters.
- The result. The ball settles in a pocket. The dealer marks the number with a dolly, clears losing chips and pays winning ones.
- Repeat. Online RNG tables run a round every 20–30 seconds; live tables every 40–60 seconds; land-based tables in Canada often slower.
Inside bets
Inside bets sit on the numbers themselves. They pay big and hit rarely.
| Bet | Numbers | Payout | How to place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 1 | 35:1 | Chip fully on one number |
| Split | 2 | 17:1 | Chip on the line between two adjacent numbers |
| Street | 3 | 11:1 | Chip on the outer edge of a row of three |
| Corner | 4 | 8:1 | Chip on the intersection of four numbers |
| Six line | 6 | 5:1 | Chip on the outer edge between two rows |
| Basket (American only) | 5 | 6:1 | 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 — the worst bet on the table |
Outside bets
Outside bets cover large groups of numbers and pay small. They are where most recreational money goes.
| Bet | Numbers | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| Red / Black | 18 | 1:1 |
| Odd / Even | 18 | 1:1 |
| 1–18 / 19–36 | 18 | 1:1 |
| Dozens (1–12, 13–24, 25–36) | 12 | 2:1 |
| Columns | 12 | 2:1 |
Zero is not covered by any outside bet. That is the entire source of the house edge on a fair wheel.
Special rules
La Partage (French roulette): when zero hits, even-money bets lose only half. En Prison: the even-money bet is held for the next spin instead; if it wins, the stake is returned. Both cut the even-money house edge from 2.70% to 1.35%. Ask for them — or look for tables named French Roulette — whenever you can.
Call bets (Voisins du Zéro, Tiers du Cylindre, Orphelins) cover sections of the wheel rather than the layout and are offered on most European live tables via a racetrack. They are combinations of splits and straight-ups and carry the normal 2.70% edge.
Etiquette and practicalities in Canada
- At land-based tables you buy in for colour chips that are only valid at that table; cash them out before leaving.
- Do not touch chips after "no more bets."
- Online, the minimum bet on live tables is typically CA$0.50–CA$1 at crypto casinos and CA$1–CA$5 at provincially regulated sites such as PlayNow (BC), PlayOLG (Ontario) or Loto-Québec online (Québec).
- Table maximums matter for progressive systems; check them before you plan anything.
- The legal gambling age is 19 in every province and territory except Alberta, Manitoba and Québec, where it is 18.
Live, RNG or land-based?
The rules are identical. What differs is speed and, sometimes, the rule set: RNG tables are fastest, live tables carry the widest selection of variants (Lightning, Double Ball, Immersive) and land-based Canadian casinos are most likely to run American double-zero wheels. Practise on our free demos, then pick the variant with the lowest edge you can find.
Try it yourself
Every number in this guide can be checked on the site: spin the European and American demos side by side, run bets through the odds calculator, or test any system in the strategy simulator.
