Get Your Brain Cells Fired Up
Just about as many people have studied the physics of a roulette wheel and ball as have tried to beat the wheel with a roulette system. The reward for being able to predict where the ball is going to land in any given spin on a roulette table is just too tempting!

In this section, we take a look at some basic roulette physics to see if this can help us, in any way, to understand the dynamics of the game and thus to gain an edge. Roulette probabilities are fixed. But that hasn’t stopped people from trying to predict those outcomes.

Roulette in Costa Rica casinos is called 'Canasta' and is played with a double-zero layout. However, instead of using a roulette wheel the winning number is selected from a circular wire cage with numbered balls similar to the one used in bingo halls. Well, it is the heart of Double Ball Roulette, this unique live table, played with two Roulette balls simultaneously, which offers players an astonishing payout of 1300:1, the highest at any roulette tables. How does it work? If you select a number and both Roulette balls (double balls) land on it, players get a super payout of 1300:1. Roulette ball, or as coined by roulette players, the “pill” is mostly molded out of acetal, nylon, or phenolic materials. In the past, manufacturers would use ivory. The variance of materials being used to make roulette balls may have something to do with its “liveliness,” or the way it bounces from pocket to pocket.

There might be some roulette mathematics involved here by the way!

bet365 Roulette

Test the physics out on their live tables, they have a big selection.

The first thing to say, is that the roulette wheel is designed to generate outcomes of pure chance. There is no purer form of gambling, and although most wheels are not 100% random (they may be biased, or the dealer may have a signature), they are as close to random as you can possibly get. Casinos aren’t bothered about having perfect roulette wheels. They just need them perfect enough so that humans are unable to spot any trends.

Let’s take an American Roulette Wheel. There are 38 pockets into which the ball can fall, and all are the same size. The probability of the ball landing in any of them is equal. You could say that a roulette wheel is a random number generator or an RNG.

Physical Properties of a Roulette Wheel
But, and it’s a big but- the result isn’t determined by an electronic random number generator like it is in virtual or video roulette. It is determined by the mechanics of a ball going round a wheel, and friction and gravity acting on that ball. Eventually the ball will lose all of its kinetic energy thanks to friction with the wheel and the air, and will eventually bounce across pockets losing more and more energy faster and faster until it comes to a stop.

In theory, if you are able to measure certain parameters, you should be able to work out the pocket into which the ball will fall. Even if you are unable to predict the exact pocket, you should be able to predict a “zone” of numbers. And that is enough in roulette to give you an edge, because of course you can make multiple single number bets.

Laser Eyes
Visual spotting, or even lasers have been used to collect the necessary initial values of the variables in the system. All this becomes easier if the wheel is biased- even a minor tilt of the rotor, for example, can create shadow zones on the wheel where the ball never falls.

Here we get into the actual physics of a roulette wheel, a topic that has been covered by many scientists including , using the work of Edward Thorp who wrote Elementary Probability (1966), The Mathematics of Gambling (1984) and several mathematical papers on probability, game theory, and functional analysis and Eichberger who has attempted to beat roulette with a computer in his Roulette Physics paper.

In these approximations, friction and air resistance need to be plugged in to the model. Another paper worth looking at, as this comes from the casino’s perspective, is Dixon’s Roulette Wheel Testing in which he claims that an angle of as little as 0.1° will cause a discernable bias in the wheel.

The Physics of Roulette

Friction and Drag

Let’s look at a roulette wheel. It consists of an outside s a rim along which the ball rolls at the beginning of its journey. At some stage the ball will drop down from the rim when it loses momentum and travel towards the centre of the wheel. The ball will hit a set of bumps, which will send the ball scattering in a chaotic fashion. Then the ball reaches the inner section of the wheel, with 38 identically sized pockets into which it can land.

Say there was no friction, drag, or tilt, the ball would roll around the rim of the wheel in the opposite direction to the wheel spin, infinitely. It’s path can be determined by the initial angular velocity of the ball and the initial angular velocity of the wheel. Here we are going to use Eichberger’s equation of motion for the wheel without tilt:

ω is the angular velocity of the ball, and α is the angular acceleration of the ball. The constants a and b refer to the effects of friction and drag

Tilted Wheels

If the wheel is tilted, (ie you have a biased wheel), you need additional parameters to describe this. Andy Hall (2007) has written a paper on this called the Forbidden Zones of Roulette Wheels, which make for interesting reading if you are keen on roulette physics. His equation for tilted wheels is as follows:

The ball’s angular acceleration α, now depends on the speed of the ball, AND its location, theta. This is due to the tilt- in some areas the ball is deccelerating up the tilt, and in others it is accelerating down it.

Using these and other equations to model the ball’s behaviour, the authors have made claimed that they are able to predict the final resting place of the ball with a high enough degree of accuracy to be able to get an edge over the casinos, by predicting:

Where the ball leaves the Rim and
Working out the Departure Angle of the Ball

Summary

The amount of tilt that a wheel has affects how big the “shadow zones” are on roulette wheels, as modelled by these equations. But importantly, these shadow zones or “forbidden zones” relate to where the ball comes off the rim of the outer wheel, not where it stops. The casinos still have one ace up their sleeve- and that is the “bumps” that chaotically scatter the ball in all directions.

This is a far harder thing to model. Can you beat roulette with chaos theory? Well, that’s a whole different subject!

What are some of the essential roulette terms and definitions? This ultimate glossary of terms and slang will answer all your questions!

Roulette Glossary and Definitions

Many players believe roulette is a simple game of chance that relies solely on luck. However, there are some things that can help you advance in this game and improve your reputation on the casino floor or online. In fact, if you learn the basics of roulette lingo and the common terminology, you will be able to gain the upper hand.

That’s why we took the time to create this thorough A–Z roulette glossary. You can use this list of terms to find out about each bet type and roulette variant, as well as learn the subtle variations of its rules before you play. We will cover French, European, and American roulette, the types of bets you can place, roulette slang, and the glossary even includes some payout details.

So take a look at our ultimate roulette glossary to learn all the essential terms and be sure to bookmark it for later use. So if you happen to need a particular definition, simply look it up below; you will get a quick and clear explanation that will save you a lot of time and effort.

Roulette Terms

A

Action — The entire amount of funds that the player wagers over a specific time period. Often used to keep track of comp points.

Action Player — This refers to players who frequently make big bets. Some might use it to refer to a mindless player whose big bets do not pay off.

Adrenotrend System — Signifies a form of progressive betting. Every time the players win a bet, they remove two numbers. When players lose a bet, a total of two numbers is added. Other names are “Hot and Cold” or “Streak Betting.”

American Roulette — One of the most common roulette variants, and it is usually referred to as “Double-zero Roulette” or “American Wheel.” It includes a 0 and a 00 pocket, along with 36 numbers (38 pockets in total). The numbers are 1–36, and the sequence is 0, 28, 9, 26, 30, 11, 7, 20, 32, 17, 5, 22, 34, 15, 3, 24, 36, 13, 1, 00, 27, 10, 25, 29, 12, 8, 19, 31, 18, 6, 21, 33, 16, 4, 23, 35, 14, 2 (clockwise).

Airball Roulette — Refers to an electronic roulette wheel that operates with air pressure.

B

Backtrack — Sometimes a “Ball-track,” this term refers to the outer rim that remains stationary as the ball spins on the roulette wheel.

Ball — The roulette ball is usually made from plastics, such as nylon or acetal, but wood or ivory were used in the past. The ball spins in a direction opposite of the roulette wheel. Every time it lands in a pocket which is numbered, it determines the winner and the payouts.

Ball-track — This term refers to the outer rim that remains stationary as the ball spins on the roulette wheel. Often called a “Backtrack.”

Bankroll — The bankroll indicates the total funds that a player sets aside and uses during the game.

Basket Bet — When players make a 3, 2, 1, 0, and 00 wager. The payout is 6:1, and the bet is sometimes called the “First Four.”

Bet on the Layout — This phrase is often used for bets placed anywhere on the part of the table with numbers. See “Layout.”

Biased Number — A specific wheel number that hits more often than usual. These numbers appear on biased roulette wheels and are statistically proven after a detailed analysis.

Biased Wheel — This is a wheel that contains a defect which allows specific numbers to win more often and overall gives a non-random result.

Big Number — When a number hits more often than its mathematical probability, it is called a Big Number.

Black Action — Signifies a $100 black chip bet.

Black Bet — When players bet that the next ball will land on a black number.

Blacks — Used to refer to 100$ black chips.

Bottom Track —Before the ball falls onto the wheel head and then into the pocket, it slides through the inner stationary area called the bottom track.

C

Cage — Often used to refer to the cashier room in a casino which is protected by bars. Funds are exchanged for chips and money is cashed out here.

Cancellation Betting System — In this system, a number sequence is used, and each winning bet cancels certain numbers. On the other hand, after a losing bet, it adds numbers. A common variant of this betting system is called “LaBouchere System.”

Call Bet — This type of bet is mostly used in French or European roulette. It requires the player to call out their bet instead of just placing a wager on the roulette table. Types of call bets are Voisins du Zero, Tiers du Cylindre, Jeu Zero, Neighbors, and Orphelins.

Capping a Bet — If players cap a bet, they forcefully add chips to a winning bet after that bet has finished. It is also similar to “Past Posting.”

Carre — a Corner Bet in French (see “Corner Bet”).

Casino Advantage — Often referred to as the “House Edge,” it’s a percentage of the mathematical advantage that the casino has over the player.

Chameleon Strategy — Players who use this strategy observe and mimic a winning player’s betting patterns in order to get lucky.

Chasing Losses — The action of players who lose and then increase their bets in an attempt to regain the money they have lost.

Check Rack — Sometimes referred to as “chip tray” or “chip rack,” this term is used to describe the tray where all the roulette chips are held.

Checks — This term stands for chips, and it’s more common for the casino staff and operators to use it. If used by winning roulette players, it could draw some unwanted attention of the casino staff.

Cheval — a Split Bet in French (see “Split Bet”).

Choppy Game — When neither the house nor the players win in a particular game consistently. It can also describe a roulette game with no winning patterns.

Clocking — Encompasses two different forms: “Player Clocking” and “Wheel Clocking,” which you can refer to in this glossary.

Color Up — When players at the roulette table swap chips with small denominations for chips with a higher denomination.

Cold Table — Signifies a roulette table where many players lose consistently.

Colonne — a Column Bet in French (see “Column Bet” below).

Column Bet — When players place a bet on one out of three columns (each column with 12 numbers). The payout is 2:1 for this bet.

Combination Bet — When the player uses one chip or more and bets on two numbers or more.

Comp — Complimentary points that players receive upon reaching specific betting levels.

Corner Bet — A type of single bet. It signifies betting on one winning number out of four on the layout. The four numbers have to be next to each other in a square shape (e.g., 1, 2, 4, 5).

Croupier — Another, more formal term for the dealer. In roulette, the croupier is the employee who works at the roulette table and spins the wheel.

Coup — When a player wins on a single spin or bet.

D

D’Alembert System — In this progressive betting system, players modify their bet by +1 when they lose and by -1 when they win.

Dead Table — This is a roulette table that is fully prepared for the game; however, it has no players.

Dealer — Dealers are members of the casino staff. They handle and operate the games.

Derniere — In French, this term signifies “last.” It stands for the last range of 12 numbers during the Dozen Bet.

Double Up Betting System — To make up for their previous loss, players will double their bets. The “Martingale System” is a popular variant.

Double Zero — A wheel with two zeros. See “American Roulette.”

Douzaine — A Dozen Bet in French. See “Dozen Bet.”

Dozen Bet — When players bet on one pattern of 12 numbers (e.g., 1 to 12, 13 to 24, etc.) The payout is 2:1.

Double Dynamite Roulette System — The practice of employing Big Number play as well as “Sector Slicing.” It is used in short-range play.

Drop — Often used by the casino staff; the term describes the entire sum of money as well as the markers that were wagered during play.

Drop Box — When players cash into games, the money is placed into the drop box, which is generally found under the tables. The players then get their chips.

Dumping — Signifies roulette tables which lose a lot of money, i.e., where the players win the most.

E

Edge — The edge is the advantage or the upper hand in a game.

En Plein — A Straight-up Bet in French (see “Straight-up Bet”).

En Prison — In French, this term signifies an advantageous option for single-zero roulette. Even-money bets are not lost in case the zero shows. In place of that, the bets get locked up. If there is a winning bet on the next spin, it will be returned fully. But if it is a losing bet, the money goes to the house.

Electronic Roulette — Refers to an electronic roulette wheel.

European Roulette — It is also referred to as “European” or “single zero roulette.”

It includes only one zero and 36 numbers (37 pockets in total). The numbers are 1–36 and the sequence is 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25, 17, 34, 6, 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33, 1, 20, 14, 31, 9, 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26 (clockwise).

Even Bet — When players make an even bet, they place a wager on an even number to win in the next round.

Even or Odd Bet — When players make an even or odd bet, they place a wager on either an even or odd number to win.

Even Money — Indicates a bet that pays 1:1. Even Money bets in Roulette are High, Low, Red, Black, Even, and Odd.

Even Up — Indicates a bet that doesn’t contain a mathematical advantage for the house or the player. It can appear in biased wheels, or even with biased croupiers.

Eye in the Sky — Security cameras in a casino that observe and record the gameplay.

F

Fair Game — Used to describe a game in which neither the player nor the casino has the edge.

Fibonacci Betting System — A form of progressive betting. It is used to determine the size of your bet by following the numbers of the Fibonacci sequence (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13…). After every lost bet, the player bets the value of the next number in the sequence. And after each win, the player removes two of the highest numbers from the sequence and continues from there.

Final Bet — Signifies a bet placed in a single-zero game. The bet is made on a final number. For example, a “final 5” bet is made on 5, 15, 25, and 35.

Five-Number Bet — Only used for American roulette, and it is among the weakest bets in the entire game. It indicates a single group bet on 3, 2, 1, 0, and 00. With this bet, the casino gains a high edge. It is also called the Sucker Bet.

Flat Bettor — Refers to players who never change their bets and always use the same bet amounts.

French Roulette — In French roulette, the wheel is the same as in the European version or the single zero roulette, but there are slight variations in the rules.

Full Complete Bet — A typical bet for high rollers that consists of players placing all their inside bets on one number. Also called a “Maximum.”

G

Gaffed Wheel — A rigged roulette wheel.

Gambling Stake — The total funds that the player sets aside and uses during the game. Also called the “Bankroll.”

Golden Number — a number that hits more often than the laws of probability dictate. Golden Numbers could indicate a biased wheel.

Grand Martingale System — Signifies a system in which players double their bets and then add an additional unit if they lose. It’s a variation of the Martingale System.

Greens — Chips that have a value of $25.

Grind — A player who plays for small money.

Grind Down — When the casino wins all the money from a player over time due to the mathematical advantage.

H

High Bet — When players place an even money wager on 1–18 (top half).

High or Low Bet — When players place an even money wager on 19–36 or 1–18.

Hoca — A 17th-century roulette variant.

Hot and Cold — Betting on a side that won in the last round. It is also called “Streak Betting.”

Hot Table — A table where many players have been winning for a long time.

House Edge — The casino’s mathematical advantage on a player’s bet.

I

Impair — In French, this term stands for an Odd Bet.

Inside Bet — When players make a wager on the numbers closest to the center of the table layout. The bets are placed only on individual numbers or small groups. Bets include Straight-up, Split, Street, Corner, Line, Five-Number Bet, Basket, and Snake Bet.

J

Jeu Zero — A French term for “zero game.” The player makes a 5-piece bet on numbers that are nearest to zero (e.g., 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15). Often popular in European and German casinos.

L

La Partage — A rule resembling the En Prison bet, which applies for French roulette. It means half of the player’s lost money will be returned if the ball hits zero.

LaBouchere System — This system is a type of Cancellation Betting. The player sets up a sequence of numbers, and the size of their bet will be equal to the sum of the first and the last number in that sequence. If they win, the first and the last numbers in the sequence are removed. If they lose, the size of their previous bet is added as the last number in the sequence. This continues until all the numbers in the sequence are crossed out.

Layout — This term is used for the design on the table surface where players can place bets.

Layout Strategies — Strategies and betting tactics which are used to beat the house edge. They do not incorporate the bias of the wheel or the dealer.

Line Bet — When players bet on one out of six numbers in a 2×3 row divided by the white line. It pays 5:1.

Long End of the Bet — One side of a bet which has to pay out more than it has collected.

Low Bet — Signifies a bet on low numbers between 1 and 18.

M

Manque — In French, this term stands for “Low Bet.”

Martingale System — This betting method is similar to the “Double Up” system. To make up for their previous loss, players will double their bets.

Marker — The croupier uses the marker to point out the number that won the spin. New bets cannot be placed on the table if the marker is still on it.

Mini Roulette — A type of online roulette which has a smaller wheel with fewer numbers (usually 0 to 12).

Money Plays — The casino staff calls out “Money Plays” if someone is betting with cash instead of chips.

N

Negative Progression — Used to refer to any betting system which requires the player to increase their bet after losing.

Neighbors — A 5-piece bet where one number is followed by two on each side.

Nickel — A chip worth $5, which is often red.

No Action— This term is used by the dealer to indicate that the casino will not cover a specific bet. Plus, it could also mean that a decision or spin will not count.

Noir— In French, this term stands for Black Bet (see “Black Bet”).

O

Odd-Number Bet— When players bet on odd numbers for the next spin. The payout is generally 1:1.

Orphans— When players bet on neighboring numbers 34, 17, and 6. The term is popular mainly in Europe.

Orphelins — Another popular bet in Europe — it indicates an “orphans” call bet made on neighboring numbers. Generally, it includes one straight-up bet and four split bets.

Outside Bet — A bet made outside the felt layout boundaries. These bets come with better odds but smaller payouts. Some of outside bets include Low, Red or Black, Even or Odd, and Column.

P

Pair — In French, this term stands for Even Bet (see “Even Bet”).

Parlay — When a player doubles their bet after winning.

Passe — In French, this term stands for High Bet (see “High Bet”).

Past Posting — Refers to players who forcefully add chips to a winning bet after that bet has finished. It is also similar to “Capping a Bet.”

Pocket — Pockets are the numbered boxes on a roulette wheel. Pockets are usually numbered 1 to 36, with an additional zero and a double zero, depending on the roulette variant. The pockets for zeroes are always green, and half of the other numbers are black, while the other half is red.

Positive Progression — Used to refer to any type of betting system which requires the player to increase their bet after winning.

P.C.— You will sometimes see this abbreviation to describe the house edge in the form of a percentage.

Penny Ante— Used to describe a game that is played for incredibly small stakes.

Pinching— Players can pinch a bet by removing their chips during the game. This is not allowed.

Pit — Signifies the area in a casino where players will find a number of tables.

Premiere — The term means “first” in French. During the Dozen Bet, it applies to the first 12-number group.

Press — When players increase their bet, often by doubling it after winning.

Push — A push stands for a tie in a game.

Q

Quarter Bet — A type of single bet. It signifies betting on one winning number out of four on the layout. Also known as “Corner Bet” or “Carre” in French.

R

Rating — Casinos make ratings to assess players’ action for comp point purposes.

Rating Card — A type of card the casino uses to rate players.

Reds — A casino term for $5 chips.

Red Bet — This type of roulette bet requires the player to make an even-wager and bet on red as the next winning number.

Red-Black Bet — Players bet on 18 numbers. The payout is 1:1.

Red or Black Bet — An even money bet which requires the player to wager on either red or black. The payout is 1:1.

Reverse-LaBouchere — Reverse-LaBouchere is the betting system which is essentially the reverse of LaBouchere. In LaBouchere, the player sets up a sequence of numbers. If they win, the numbers are canceled, and if they lose, the numbers are added to the sequence. InReverse-LaBouchere, the numbers are canceled after losses or added together after wins.

Reverse-Martingale — Reverse-Martingale is the betting system which is essentially the reverse of Martingale. In Martingale, players will double their bets to make up for the previous loss. However, in Reverse-Martingale, players double-up after every win.

Rouge — Red Bet in French (See “Red Bet”).

Run — Used in roulette and other casino games to indicate a winning streak of consecutive patterns/numbers.

S

Scared Money — This term refers to the money players can’t bear to lose.

Section Shooter — Denotes dealers or croupiers who purposefully hit specific sections or numbers on roulette wheels.

Section Shooting — When dealers put a roulette ball in a specific section of a wheel.

Section Slicing — Section Slicing refers to a technique used to determine bias. The roulette wheel is split into areas where the numbers hit the most.

Sixain — In French roulette, the term is used to refer to a Six Line Bet. (See “Six Line Bet”).

Six Line Bet — When a player makes a wager on six numbers.

Single-Zero Wheel — A wheel with only one zero.

Snake Bet — A special bet that forms a snake shape on the table. The numbers are 1, 5, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 23, 27, 30, 32, and 34. The payout is 2:1.

Split Bet — When a player makes a wager on the line that divides two numbers. If one number hits, the player wins. The payout is 17:1, and players can split between the two numbers.

Square Bet — See “Corner Bet.”

Stack — The term refers to a stack of 20 chips used for roulette.

Straight Bet — When a player makes a wager on a single number. The number must be green, and the bet has to be placed squarely. The payout is 35:1, and chips must not cross a line.

Straight-up Bet — When a player makes a wager on a single number. The payout is 35:1.

Street Bet — When a player makes a wager on three numbers that are in a row (e.g., 7, 8, 9).

Sucker Bet — Only used for American roulette, and it is among the weakest bets in the entire game. It indicates a single group bet on 3, 2, 1, 0, and 00. With this bet, the casino gains a very high edge. It is also called the Five-Number Bet.

Surrender — When a player loses and the casino takes half of the bet. The bets are even money, and it applies if the ball hits on 0 or 00.

T

Table Hopping — When players switch between different roulette tables frequently.

Take Down — When a player takes back their wager before the game starts.

Tiers du cylindre — A type of call bet common in French and other casinos in Europe, meaning “third of the wheel.” Players make a bet in thirds on 12 numbers (27 to 33). Some variations of this bet are called “Series 5/8,” “Giocco Ferrari,” and “Tier 5, 8, 10, 11.”

Transversale — The French term indicating a Street Bet. See “Street Bet.”

Trio Bet — A trio bet or triple bet is another term for Street Bet. See “Street Bet.”

V

Visual Wheel Tracking — Refers to a skill of observing and predicting where a roulette ball will land.

Voisins du zero — A type of call bet with nine chips that translates to “neighbors of zero” on a single-zero table. Players wager on 17 numbers nearest to zero (22 to 25).

W

Wager — Another way of saying bet.

Wheel Chips — Signifies chips used only for roulette.

Wheel Roller — Slang term for the roulette croupier or dealer.

Wheel Strategies — Tactics used to take advantage of flaws on the roulette wheel in order to gain an edge.

Wheel Clocking — 1. Implies the act of tracking roulette spin results to determine patterns or a possible wheel bias. 2. To time the speed of a wheel (electronically or visually) and predict the results.

Roulette Ball Is Called The Most

Wheel Head — Denotes the area on the wheel with the numbered pockets.

Z

Zero — Refers to the number on a roulette wheel which is usually green. Players can make bets on zero in the same manner as bets on 1 to 36.

Now It’s Time to Play

Roulette Ball Called

That was our complete roulette glossary, and it will surely help you for your next game in online casinos or land-based establishments. We admit; it is a fairly extensive list of terms and phrases. However, you can quickly bookmark it and check specific terms whenever you come across them. But if you want to get familiar with all the ways to win at roulette, you should definitely learn the betting strategies and bet types listed in our glossary.

Roulette Ball Is Called The Best

Use this page as a reference to enhance your knowledge and good luck in your next roulette game!