Roulette Terms and Roulette Glossary

Today we’re going to look at the insider jargon and the game-specific language that is used in the casino by the employees who work on the roulette games at your local casino.

There is a rich history associated with this exciting game, which is reflected in the language of the game, including its French roots, and continuing with its European and American background as the game grew in popularity, expanding across Europe and into the USA. 

When you‘ve finished reading this guide, you will know and understand the dedicated language that comes with the game. The language that is used to describe the details of everything that is happening on the table, including the bets on the table, how the dealers run the game, and in some cases, why things are done the way they’re done.

Let’s get started:

 

A

• Action: The amount of money bet over a defined time period; or to be 'in action', to be involved in a game.
• Airball roulette: An automated electronic roulette game that uses compressed air to activate the ball. Electronically, it often functions more like a slot machine than a roulette game.
• American Wheel: A roulette wheel featuring 38 numbers, including a single zero and a double zero pocket. The House Advantage on an American wheel is 5.26%.
• Apron: The area of the layout that is outside of the printed betting areas.

B

• Ball-track, or simply 'The Track': The inside of the roulette wheel where the dealer spins the ball.
• Bankroll: The total amount of money the player has reserved to gamble with. Usually divided into two parts, the session bankroll, and the lifetime bankroll.
• Betting systems for roulette: There are many popular systems that players have devised to help them win more, or lose less. It is true that no system has ever been shown to guarantee long-term winning results. Nevertheless, many players continue to bet their favorite systems. Check out the strategies guide for more details about the more popular systems in use in casinos around the world, including the Martingale, the Fibonacci, the Paroli, the D'Alembert, the LaBouchere, the Bond, James Bond system (and yes, there really is the Bond system) and so on.
• Biased wheel: A roulette wheel that has a propensity to hit certain numbers more often than probability would dictate, This is usually caused by wear and tear on a poorly-maintained or old wheel.
• Black action: Refers to a player betting $100 chips, which are usually black in color in an American casino.
• Black bet: A wager that the colour of the next winning number will be black.
• Black cheques: Usually refers to $100 value chips
• Bottom Track: The slanting, stationary, inner area of a roulette wheel down which the ball slides before bouncing onto the wheel head and into a pocket.
• Bust Out Joint: An illegal casino, operating under the radar of the regulatory authorities.

C

• Call Bets (1): Some casinos will allow a known 'big player' to make a 'call bet' by just telling the dealer what he wants to bet, with no chips or money in front of him. It is quite unusual, and the player would almost certainly have a credit line of 6 figures or more.
• Call Bets (2) - The European wheel can be divided into groups of numbers, and these groups are well-known to the croupiers and the players. They are 'Les Voisins du Zero' (The Neighbors of Zero), 'Les Orphelins' (The Orphans), 'Les Tiers du Cylindre' (The Third of the Wheel), 'Jeu Zero' (Zero Game), and 'Les Finales' (The Last Numbers).
• Cancellation Betting System: A betting system using a series of numbers that removes numbers after winning a bet and adds numbers after losing a bet.
• Capping a Bet: Illegally adding additional cheques to a bet after the winning decision has been made.
• Carre: Pronounced 'ka-ray', it is the French word for 'corner', which is a one-cheque bet on four numbers. It pays 8 to 1.
• Case bet: A bet made with the player's last remaining visible chips
• Casino Advantage, or House Advantage: All casino games have a built-in advantage, expressed as a percentage, that gives the casino an advantage over the player.
• Chasing, see also 'Steaming': Increasing your bets after a losing streak to try to recoup what you have lost. It's a dangerous way to play as you can continue to lose a lot playing this way.
• Cheque: Casino employees refer to chips as 'cheques'.
• Cheval: French word meaning 'horse', which means 'Split' on roulette. It is a one-cheque bet on two numbers, and pays 17 to 1.
• Choppy game: A casino game that is constantly changing between the player and the casino winning or losing, with no streaks either way.
• Cold table: A table where the players have been consistenly losing for a period of time.
• Colonne: The French word for 'column', which is a bet on 12 numbers on the inside of the roulette layout. It pays 2 to 1.
• Croupier: The casino employee who is responsible for overseeing the operation of one of the casino's tables. See also 'Dealer'.

D

• Dealer: The casino employee who is responsible for overseeing the operation of one of the casino's tables. See also 'Croupier'.
• Dolly: The marker used to mark the winning number.
• Dozen bet: A bet on either the first (1 - 12), second (13 - 24), or third (25 - 36) dozen, which pays 2 to 1 if it wins.

E

• Electronic Roulette: An automated roulette game that offers a roulette-like experience to the player. One of the world's most successful companies, InterBlock, has many electronic casino games including electronic roulette, which function more like slot machines than casino table games.
• En Plein: The French name for a Straight-Up bet in roulette. It is a one-cheque bet on one number, and pays 35 to 1 when it wins.
• En Prison: On a European roulette game, it favors the player so that he only loses 1/2 of his bet when the single zero hits. The dealer puts a lammer on the bet, and the bet is 'in prison'. If it wins on the next spin, it is returned to the player, and if it loses on the next spin, it is taken by the dealer.
• European wheel: A Roulette wheel that has 37 numbers, including a single zero. The European wheel has a House Advantage of 2.7% and with the En Prison rule, it may be reduced to 1.35%. The American wheel, which has 38 numbers, and includes both a single zero and a double zero, has a House Advantage of 5. 26%.
• Even Bet: One of the bets on 'The Outside', which includes all the even numbers and pays even money.
• Even Money: This refers to a bet that pays $1 for every $1 bet that wins. The Even Money bets on roulette are Even/Odd, Red/Black, and Low/High.
• Even Up bet: This is a bet with no built-in advantage for the casino. On Roulette, there is no even up bet, as all the bets on roulette have a built-in House Advantage. An example of an Even Up bet is on a crap game, where the odds on a pass line bet pay the true odds of that number actually hitting.

F

• Five Number bet: It is a bet that is only available on an Americna wheel. It is a bet on 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. It pays 6 to 1 and is the worst bet on the American wheel, with a House Advantage of 7.89%.
• Floater: When the ball on a roulette wheel is suspended by it's own energy and the centrifugal force of the wheel. The rotation of the wheel keeps the ball rolling, seemingly 'floating' above the numbers, and it won't drop. The supervisor will usually call 'floater', and then 'no spin', and the dealer will retrieve the ball and spin it again.
• French Bets: The European wheel can be divided into groups of numbers, and these groups (known as 'Call Bets') are well-known to the croupiers and the players. They are 'Les Voisins du Zero' (The Neighbors of Zero), 'Les Orphelins' (The Orphans), 'Les Tiers du Cylindre' (The Third of the Wheel), 'Jeu Zero' (Zero Game), and 'Les Finales' (The Last Numbers).
• Frets: The metal dividers that separate and form the number pockets on a roulette wheel.

G

• Gaffed Wheel: A roulette wheel that has been altered for cheating purposes. Highly unlikely to happen in a regulated jusrisdiction, but could happen in a fly-by-night 'bust-out joint'.
• Green cheques: In the USA, many casinos use the same colors for each cheque value. Greens are usually worth $25.

H

• High bet: A bet on the 'High' wager, which is the numbers from 19 - 36. It pays even money.
• Hot table: A table where the players have been consistenly winning for a period of time.
• House Edge, or House Advantage: It refers to the mathematical advantage in the casino's favor that all casino games have built in to the rules.

I

• Impair: The French word for 'Odd', a bet that the next winning number will be an odd number, as opposed to an even number. It pays even money.
• Indicator rack: The rack used to mark the value of the wheel cheques on roulette
• Inside Bet: A bet made on the central section of the layout, including the Straight Up, Split, Street, Basket, Five Number, Corner, or Six Line bets.

J

• Jeu Zero: Jeu Zero is a call bet on a European wheel. It is French for 'Zero Game', and is a 4-piece bet that covers the 7 numbers that surround the single zero on the European wheel, which are 0, 3, 12, 15, 26, 32, and 35. There is also an eastern European regional variation to this bet that adds a fifth piece to the bet, by adding a Straight Up bet on 19.

L

• La Partage: French for 'Share', it refers to what happens to a bet made on the single zero on a European wheel when the zero hits with 'La Partage' as part of the rules. The croupier will take half the bet, and return the other half to the player. Similar to 'En Prison' bet, but the decision is immediate, and doesn't wait for the next spin.
• Les Finales: Is a call bet on a European wheel. It is French for 'The Last Numbers' and refers to betting all the numbers that end in the same digit. For example, you could bet on all the numbers that end in 3. You would have a bet on 3, 13, 23,and 33.
• Les Orphelins: Is a call bet on a European wheel. It is French for 'The Orphans' and is a 5-unit bet. The Orphans covers two small sections of the wheel, for a total of 8 numbers.
• Les Tiers du Cylindre: Is a call bet on a European wheel. It is French for 'Third of the Wheel' and is called simply 'The Tiers', (pronounced The T-Air). It is a 6-unit bet that covers 12 numbers. It was a very popular bet when I was a dealer at The Playboy Club in London.
• Les Voisins du Zero: Is a call bet on a European wheel. It is French for 'The Neighbors of Zero', and is a 9-unit bet that covers 17 numbers.
• Low Bet: A bet on Low (1 - 18) on the Outside of the layout. It is the opposite of the High bet, and it pays even money.

M

• Manque: French for 'Low', it refers to the Low bet on the Outside of the layout.
• Money in action: Money that is currently bet and has been put at risk

N

• Negative Progression: A system of playing where the player increases their bet after a loss. An example of a negative progression is the Martingale system.
• Neighbor bets: A 5-piece bet on five numbers as they appear on the European wheel. The bet is always identified by it's middle number. For example, 17 and the neighbors is a bet on 2, 25, 17, 34, and 6. It is not a bet usually made on an American wheel, although there is no reason why a knowledgeable dealer could not place the bet if you asked for it.
• Nickel: In a US casino, it refers to a $5 (usually red) cheque
• Noir: The French word for 'Black', meaning a bet on all the black numbers. It pays even money.

O

• Odd bet: A bet that the next number to come up will be odd.
• Outside Bets: The part of the layout where the even money bets (Red/Black, High/Low, and Odd/Even) and the 2 to 1 bets (the Dozens and the Columns) are placed.

P

• Pair: French for 'Even', which refers to a bet on the even numbers..It pays even money.
• Parlay: After a win, to bet the original bet together with all the winnings, hoping for a repetition of the winning number.
• Passe: French for 'High', which is an Outside bet on the numbers from 19 - 36. It pays even money.
• Picture bets: A system used by casino staff for simplifying winning bet payouts. By seeing the bet as a picture (even though it's more commonly used as the ratio between the chips) it allows the dealer to calculate the winning amounts faster and with greater accuracy. For example, one Straight up and two Corners pays 51 and is referred to as 'Mickey Mouse', because the three chips together look like the Mickey Mouse silhouette. There are many more pictures in use by experienced dealers all over the world.
• Pockets: The numbered areas of the roulette wheel where the ball comes to rest.
• Positive Progression: A system where the player increases their bet after a win. Well-known positive progressions nclude the Paroli system, the Reverse Fibonacci, the Reverse Martingale, and others.

Q

• Quarters: In a US casino, refers to chips that have a value of $25. Usually green in color.

R

• Racetrack: A graphic representation of the European wheel, displayed on the layout of a European table. It enables the croupier to more easily place the various call bets as the players bet them, and makes it easier for the players to keep track of their call bets by seeing where they have been placed.
• Red bet: A bet on the Outside of the layout that the next winning number will be red. It pays even money.
• Rim credit: An established 'big player' with a significant credit line may be allowed to make bets 'on the rim'. It is not the usual order of business, but some casinos may allow it for a few select players. The bets will be made and marked up with lammers on the layout and tracked by the floorman on a 'rim card'. Shortly thereafter, the player will sign a marker to pay for the bets he just made.
• Rouge: French word for 'Red', which refers to a bet that the next winning number will be red.

S

• Section bets: Dividing the wheel into sections, usually four sections of a quarter of the wheel each, to try to find the winning numbers that may indicate a biased wheel.
• Session of play: A given playing period, either time-based, or win/loss based, after which the player will stop playing.
• Single Zero Wheel: A European (sometimes called French) roulette wheel which has the numbers 1 - 36, and a single zero, for a total of 37 numbers. The House Advantage on a single zero European wheel is 2.7%.
• Sixline, also Sixain (French): Refers to the 6-Line bet on the Inside of the layout. A bet on 6 consecutive numbers that pays 5 to 1.
• Split Bet: A bet on two numbers, with one cheque covering both numbers. It pays 17 to 1.
• Steaming: Increasing your bets after a losing streak to try to recoup what you have lost. It's a dangerous way to play as you can continue to lose playing this way.
• Straight Up Bet: A bet on one number. It pays 35 to 1.
• Street Bet: A bet on three consecutive numbers, that pays 11 to 1. Often referred by the number closest to the players, for example, 'Bet this on 34th Street' means a bet on 34, 35, and 36.
• Surrender: More usually referred to as En Prison or La Partage, it may be referred to as 'Surrender' in US casinos. It is usually offered only on a European single zero wheel. 50% of the player's bet on the zero may be returned to the player when the zero hits.

T

• Table layout: There are two main types of roulette layout, the American and the French. The European game is a blend of both, using the French-style wheel with a single zero, and the American-style layout, where the players take up the side and the end of the table, with the dealer on the other side.
• Transversale (sometimes includes 'Plein'): French name for the Street bet, a bet on three consecutive numbers. It pays 11 to 1.
• Triple Zero Wheel: Over the last few years, many US casinos have sought to increase their roulette revenues by adding a third zero to the retail games they offer. With a House Advantage of 7.69%, it is virtually impossible to win on this game. Check out the triple zero roulette guide if we want to learn more about it.
• True Odds: The correct odds of an event actually happening. Almost all casino bets don't pay the true odds.

V

• Visual Wheel Tracking: Being able to determine where the ball will land by sight, without the aid of a computer or laser device. Using a computer to do it is generally illegal, but doing it by sight is not.

W

• Wager: Another way of saying a bet.
• Wheel chips: Each roulette table in a casino has it's own set of dedicated chips where the player can select the value. Usually each table will have 7 different colored sets and each table's chips are identified by Table A, Table B, Table C and so on. The casino also has it's value chips ($5, $25 etc), which are in use for the entire casino floor.
• Wheel Clocking: Using a computer or similar laser device to try to determine where the ball may land in roulette. It is illegal to use such a device in any regulated jurisdiction, although you will still find them offered for sale on the internet. As an example, it is a felony to use such a device in Nevada.