Glossary of Roulette Terms and Slangs

Roulette has its own language, and understanding the right roulette terms is key to following the game with ease. This Glossary introduces the most common lingo, useful terminology, and popular slang you’ll hear when you play online roulette. With the basics covered, it's time to apply your knowledge at the tables of Las Atlantis.

A

Airball Roulette - It is a modern roulette variant that uses compressed air instead of a dealer to launch the ball onto the wheel.

All-in - A bet where a player wagers all of their chips on a single spin, typically risking their entire bankroll.

American Roulette - A roulette version with both single zero and double zero pockets, giving the house a slightly higher edge.

B

Back Track/Backtrack - The smooth outer track of the wheel, where the ball is spun before entering the numbered area.

Ball-Track - The inner circular track where the ball races around the wheel before dropping into a pocket.

Bankroll - The total money a player sets aside exclusively for betting.

Bet on the Layout - Any wager placed directly on the numbered betting grid of the table.

Biased Numbers - Those numbers that hit more often than expected because tiny flaws in the wheel influencing the ball’s path.

Biased Wheel - A roulette wheel with imperfections that influence results, sometimes used by skilled players to predict outcomes.

Big Number - A number that shows up more frequently than average during a roulette session.

Black Action - Slang for betting with $100 black chips. It is often used to describe larger wagers at the roulette table.

Black Bet - A wager covering all black numbers on the roulette table’s betting layout.

Blacks - A casino slang term for $100 chips, usually used in higher stakes roulette games.

C

Cancellation Betting System - A strategy where players follow a written sequence. They cross off numbers after wins to manage bets.

Capping a Bet - A cheating move where a player secretly adds chips to a winning bet after the result.

Carre - French word for a corner bet. It covers four numbers with one chip at their shared corner.

Casino Advantage - The built-in house edge that gives the casino a statistical profit over time in roulette.

Chasing Losses - You're trying to win back all the money you lost by betting even more on the next round.

Cheval - It is a bet placed on two neighboring numbers in roulette, also known as a split bet.

Choppy Game - A roulette session where outcomes shift unpredictably between red and black without clear patterns.

Cold Table - A roulette table where players experience few wins and many losing spins over time.

Colonne - French word for a column bet. It covers 12 numbers arranged in one vertical column on the layout.

Column Bet - A wager covering one of the three vertical columns of numbers shown on the roulette layout.

Combination Bet - This one covers several roulette numbers at once by placing chips on multiple positions.

Corner Bet - A layout bet that links four neighboring numbers. It uses just one chip to cover all.

Croupier - A casino employee who operates a gaming table. They deal cards to participants, collect bets, and pay out winnings.

D

Dealer - The person running a game at a casino, handling cards and wagers.

Derniere - A French word meaning “last,” used for betting on the final dozen numbers, 25 through 36.

Double Zero - The extra green “00” pocket on American roulette wheels that slightly raises the casino’s advantage.

Douzaine - French for a dozen, often used in roulette to describe a dozen-number bet.

Dozen Bet - A wager on twelve numbers, chosen from the first dozen, second dozen, or third dozen.

E

Electronic roulette - A digital version of the game where participants play on a screen instead of a physical wheel.

En Plein - French term for a straight-up bet. It covers a single number with one chip placed directly on it.

En Prison - A special rule in French roulette where even-money bets stay locked if zero appears.

European roulette - A version of the game with only a single zero, which gives the house a smaller advantage.

Even Bet - A wager on whether the winning number will be an even number.

Even Money - A type of wager that pays 1:1, meaning you double your stake if successful.

Even Money Bet - Any wager that pays 1:1, such as red/black, odd/even, or high/low in roulette.

Even Up - That is another term for an even money bet, where the payout is 1:1.

F

Fair Game - A game where the house has no advantage, meaning players compete on equal terms.

Five-Number Bet - An American roulette wager covering 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 together. It is considered disadvantageous due to the high house edge.

G

Gaffed Wheel - A roulette wheel that has been altered or rigged to produce unfair results. It gives an advantage to the casino or dishonest players.

Greens - Casino slang for $25 chips. It is usually green in color and is often used for medium-sized bets.

H

High Bet - An outside wager on numbers 19 through 36, covering nearly half the wheel with a 1:1 payout.

Hoca - An obsolete gambling game with three dice, once popular in 17th-century France and Italy. It’s considered a forerunner of modern casino games.

Hot Table - A table in roulette or craps where players believe wins come more often, even though results stay independent.

House Edge - A casino's long-term advantage, expressed as an amount from each stake the house keeps on average.

I

Impair - A wager on all odd numbers in roulette. It is counted as an outside bet with even-money returns.

Inside Bet - A wager placed on specific numbers or small groups within the grid. It offers bigger payouts but lower chances.

L

La Partage - A French roulette rule according to which gamblers lose only half their even-money stake when the ball lands on zero.

Line Bet - A placement on the border of two rows that covers six numbers together. It is also called a six-line in roulette.

Low Bet - An outside selection of numbers 1 through 18. It offers an even-money payout with nearly balanced winning chances.

M

Manque - A French word meaning “lack.” It’s used for the low outside selection and covers numbers 1 through 18 with an even-money payout.

Marker or Dolly - A small object that the dealer places on the winning number to indicate results before collecting or paying bets.

Mayer Line - A little-known roulette system where players write numbers in a line, then cross them out to track betting progress.

Mini Roulette - A smaller version of roulette, which feels simpler to play. It has 13 pockets, numbered from 0 to 12. The odds favor the house more than in the European variant.

Money at Risk - The total amount of funds you have placed on the table during a spin. It shows how much you could lose if the ball doesn’t land in your favor.

N

Nickel - Casino slang for a $5 chip. Players often use nickels for smaller bets or to manage bankrolls more carefully. 

Noir - French word for black. It refers to choosing all black numbers on the table. A noir selection is an outside option. It pays even money and is often paired with rouge for contrast.

O

Odd Bet - A betting option on all odd numbers. It pays even money but slightly favors the house because of zero. 

On the Square - A phrase bettors use to show the game is fair. It means no tricks, no cheating, only chance deciding outcomes.

Outside Bets - Placing wagers not on a specific number, but on a category of numbers. They also offer higher chances of winning with lower payouts.

P

Pair - A French word meaning “even.” It describes an outside bet on all even numbers, paying 1:1 with balanced winning chances.

Parlay - A betting strategy where you re-wager your original stake plus your winnings on the next spin. It is also known as a positive progression system.

Passe - A French word meaning “past.” It refers to the outside bet on high numbers 19–36, viewed as past the midway point. This option pays 1:1 and is the opposite of Manque.

Pockets - The slots on a roulette wheel where the ball lands determine the winning number.

Positive Progression - A betting strategy where you increase your bet size after a win. The idea is to build profits during streaks while limiting risk after losses.

Q

Quarter Bet - It is a single bet placed on four numbers. It forms a square on the roulette table. It’s also known as a Corner Bet.

Quarters - The term players use for $25 chips, which are green and often chosen for steady bankroll management.

R

Red Bet - The term for an outside bet on all red numbers. It pays 1:1 and covers 18 pockets on the wheel.

Reds - A casual way players refer to the set of red numbers in roulette. Choosing reds is an even-money option.

Rouge - The French word for red, used for betting on every red number. It pays even money like Noir.

S

Section Slicing - A playing method where someone focuses on certain number groups or wheel sections instead of betting across the full layout.

Session - The period of time a player spends at a specific table or on a particular game.

Single-Zero Wheel - A European-style roulette with a lower house edge, designed with a wheel with 37 pockets, numbers 1–36 plus one zero.

Split Bet - Also called a cheval. It covers two adjacent numbers by placing a chip on their dividing line, paying 17:1.

Stack - A column or pile of casino chips, usually 20. Casinos pre-arrange stacks to simplify payouts and help players manage stakes.

Straight Up Bet - A chip placed directly on a single number. It’s one of the simplest inside bets, paying 35:1.

Street Bet - A wager on three consecutive numbers in a single horizontal row on the roulette table that has an 11:1 payout.

Surrender - A strategic option where players give up their even-money wager and lose only half the stake instead of the full amount.

T

Table Layout - The printed betting area on a roulette table that shows numbers and outside options.

Transversale - French term for a street bet that covers three consecutive numbers in a horizontal row.

Triple or Trio Bet - A placement covering three numbers with one chip, usually including zero.

True Odds - The real mathematical chances of winning a stake. They may be a little different from payout odds.

W

Wheel Head - The central rotating part of the wheel, where the ball eventually settles into numbered pockets.

Wheel Roller - Another name for the ball. It spins around the wheel track before dropping into a numbered pocket.

Wheel Strategies - Betting systems that focus on wheel sections or number groups. The goal is to spot patterns or repeating results.

Wheel-Clocking - A technique where players observe wheel speed and dealer habits to predict potential landing zones.

Z

Zero - The wheel’s single green slot, marked with a zero. When the ball lands here, most bets lose, creating the house edge.