Roulette is a table game in which you bet on where a ball will land on a numbered wheel. If you are looking at roulette at William Hill, the useful questions are which variant you are playing, how the bets pay and whether you want an RNG game or a live dealer.
Common roulette variants
Three variants are common. European roulette has one zero and 37 pockets, numbered 0 to 36. American roulette adds a double zero for 38 pockets, which gives the house a higher edge. French roulette also uses a single zero, with a French-language layout and extra rules on even-money bets in some versions.
Beyond these, many providers sell feature versions that add multipliers or a bonus round to an ordinary wheel. Red Door Roulette is one example of a European game with a bonus round added.
The variant you pick matters more than the look of the table, because the number of zeros sets the house edge. Check which roulette games William Hill lists before you start, and read the rules for the one you choose.
How a round works
You place chips on the layout, and then the wheel is spun and the ball settles in one pocket. Bets fall into two groups. Inside bets cover single numbers or small clusters, such as a split, a street or a corner. Outside bets cover larger areas: red or black, odd or even, high or low, a dozen or a column.
Smaller coverage pays more when it lands, and wider coverage pays less. The zero is the reason the payouts are slightly lower than the true odds, and that gap is the house edge.
Each spin is independent. Earlier results do not make a number or colour more likely next time, and a betting system, such as doubling after a loss, cannot change the odds. It only changes how fast you spend your balance.
18+ · T&Cs apply
RNG roulette or live dealer
An RNG game uses a random number generator and an animated wheel. Rounds are fast and you set the pace. A live dealer table streams a real wheel and a human dealer from a studio, so rounds run on the table's betting window and move more slowly. Our live casino page covers how live tables work.
Both types are random, and neither is more likely to pay. The difference is pace and presentation.
Practical points
Know the rules and the variant before your first bet, and choose a stake you are comfortable losing. Check the table limits, since they differ between tables. Decide on a deposit limit beforehand and stop when you reach it. If you play on a phone, see the mobile version page.
