Game guide
Online roulette in 2026: wheels, bets and live roulette in the UK
The roulette wheel and table explained: which version to choose, what each bet pays, how live roulette differs from RNG games and the GB rules that apply.
Online roulette is the casino wheel game played either against a random number generator or with a live dealer on video, and in Great Britain it is offered by casinos holding a Gambling Commission remote casino licence. The most important choice is the wheel: a single-zero European or French roulette wheel gives the house roughly half the edge of a double-zero American wheel, while every bet on the same wheel carries the same edge.
This guide covers the wheels, the roulette table and its payouts, live roulette and its variants, and what GB rules mean for the game.
On this page
The roulette wheel: European, French and American
| Version | Pockets | House edge on most bets | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| European | 37 (1-36 and a single 0) | About 2.70% | The standard in UK lobbies |
| French | 37 | About 1.35% on even-money bets with La Partage | Half of an even-money stake is returned when 0 lands, where the rule applies |
| American | 38 (adds 00) | About 5.26% | The extra pocket roughly doubles the edge |
The edge comes straight from the maths: a single number pays 35 to 1, but on a European wheel there are 37 pockets, so over time the house keeps one unit in every 37 staked. On an American wheel it keeps two in 38. No betting pattern changes that, because every spin is independent of the last.
The roulette table and what each bet pays
The roulette table is split into inside bets (on numbers or small groups) and outside bets (on large groups). The payouts are standard across European games:
| Bet | Covers | Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 1 number | 35 to 1 |
| Split | 2 numbers | 17 to 1 |
| Street | 3 numbers | 11 to 1 |
| Corner | 4 numbers | 8 to 1 |
| Six line | 6 numbers | 5 to 1 |
| Dozen or column | 12 numbers | 2 to 1 |
| Red/black, odd/even, 1-18/19-36 | 18 numbers | 1 to 1 |
Outside bets win more often and pay less; inside bets win rarely and pay more. On a European wheel all of them carry the same house edge. Many live tables also offer "racetrack" call bets such as Voisins du Zero, which are just bundles of the bets above.
RNG roulette versus live roulette
An RNG roulette game on line uses certified software to pick the number and shows an animated wheel. Live roulette streams a real wheel and dealer from a studio, with bets placed on screen during a timed window. Both are licensed in the same way; the differences are pace, stake ranges and atmosphere.
The main live studios in GB lobbies are Evolution, Pragmatic Play Live and Playtech Live. Hollywoodbets' live lobby, for instance, lists Lightning Roulette, Crystal Roulette, Mega Roulette and First Person Roulette with stake ranges shown on each table, and LuckyMate's lobby shows Lightning Roulette, Mega Roulette 3000 and Roulette Deluxe. Our page on live dealer casinos compares sites by their live offering.
Multiplier and game-show roulette
Variants such as Lightning Roulette add random multipliers to a few straight-up numbers each round. To pay for that, the standard straight-up payout is lowered, so the game behaves differently from a classic wheel: most straight bets pay less, and a few pay much more. Read the paytable in each game's help screen before you play. Wheel-based shows such as Crazy Time are covered on our live game shows page.
Free roulette and roulette simulators
A free roulette game or roulette sim is useful for learning the table layout. In Great Britain, though, licensed operators must verify your age before you can play free versions of their games, so demo roulette sits inside a verified account rather than on an open page. A simulator cannot teach you a winning system, because there is none: no staking plan, including doubling after a loss, changes the house edge.
GB rules that apply to online roulette
- No slot stake cap. The £5 and £2 stake limits apply only to online slots, not to roulette. Table limits are set by each game.
- Five-second minimum. Since 17 January 2025, RNG casino games other than slots must take at least five seconds per game cycle.
- No autoplay or turbo. These are banned across online casino products, and so is celebrating a return equal to or below the stake.
- Running totals. Games show your net position and time spent.
- Bonus play. Many casinos count roulette at a low rate, or not at all, towards wagering. Wagering on bonus funds is capped at 10x from 19 January 2026, but contribution rules sit in each offer's terms.
Where roulette is offered
Among licensed operators with verified details, Bella Casino, Pub Casino, LuckyMate, Hollywoodbets and Virgin Bet list live roulette, and 666 Casino and Amazon Slots list online roulette in their table-game sections. Lottomart has a roulette category as well. Our casino games hub compares the other table games.
18+ only. Roulette is fast even with the five-second rule, so set a session budget first. Our responsible gambling page covers deposit limits, time-outs and support.
UK-licensed casinos, ranked by our score
Order = score out of 10. Every operator holds a Gambling Commission licence.
| # | Casino | Score | Welcome offer and significant terms | Payments | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place 1 | Bella CasinoRank Interactive (Gibraltar) Limited | Score: 7.9 out of 10, good | 100 bonus spins on Kong 3 Even Bigger Bonus when you deposit and stake £10 Significant terms New players; min deposit £10 (Paysafecard excluded) and £10 stake on Kong 3 Even Bigger Bonus; 10x wagering; max win £200 |
| Visit Bella Casino (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: Bella Casino |
| Place 2 | Pub CasinoL & L Europe Limited | Score: 7.4 out of 10, good | 50 cash spins on Octobeer Fortunes after depositing and wagering £10 Significant terms Deposit and wager £10; activate before depositing; spins £0.20 each, winnings paid as cash, no max cash out; Skrill deposits excluded; spins expire in 48 hours |
| Visit Pub Casino (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: Pub Casino |
| Place 3 | LuckyMateAnakatech Interactive Limited | Score: 7.4 out of 10, good | 50 bonus spins on Big Bass Splash when you bet £10 on slots Code MATE50 Significant terms £10 min deposit; £10 in slot bets; 50 spins at £0.10 (£5 total); x1 wagering, £1 max bet contribution; £100 max cashout from winnings; 7-day expiry; selected payment methods only | Not listed | Visit LuckyMate (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: LuckyMate |
| Place 4 | HollywoodbetsHollywoodbets International UK Limited | Score: 7.3 out of 10, good | No welcome offer listed in the terms we read. | Not listed | Visit Hollywoodbets (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: Hollywoodbets |
| Place 5 | Virgin BetVirgin Bet Limited | Score: 6.3 out of 10, fair | No welcome offer listed in the terms we read. | Not listed | Visit Virgin Bet (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: Virgin Bet |
| Place 6 | 666 CasinoJupiter Gaming Limited | Score: 7.8 out of 10, good | 20 spins on Big Bass Splash when you deposit and wager £20 Significant terms 18+, new players, first deposit; £20 must be wagered on Big Bass Splash within 7 days; spins on Big Bass Splash; 0x wagering on winnings | Not listed | Visit 666 Casino (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: 666 Casino |
| Place 7 | Amazon SlotsJumpman Gaming Limited | Score: 7.7 out of 10, good | Chance to win up to 500 bonus spins on Starburst Significant terms 18+, new players, £10 min fund; bonus spins winnings subject to 10x wagering; max bonus conversion equal to lifetime deposits up to £250; only bonus wagers count |
| Visit Amazon Slots (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: Amazon Slots |
| Place 8 | LottomartMaple International Ventures Limited | Score: 7.1 out of 10, good | New customer prize wheel: win up to 500 bonus spins Significant terms New players, opt-in; min £10 cash stakes on slots; wheel used and spins claimed within 4 days; spins played within 24 hours; free spin winnings paid as cash (no wagering); max 1 claim | Not listed | Visit Lottomart (opens the operator site in a new tab)Read the review: Lottomart |
Ad We may earn a commission if you open an account through links on this page; it does not change our scores or the order of operators. How we score · Advertising disclosure
Questions readers ask
Which roulette wheel is best for players?
A single-zero wheel. European roulette gives the house about 2.70%, French roulette with La Partage about 1.35% on even-money bets, and double-zero American roulette about 5.26%.
Is there a maximum bet on online roulette in the UK?
The £5 and £2 stake limits apply only to online slots. Roulette table limits are set by each game and shown on the table.
Can a betting system beat roulette?
No. Each spin is independent, and every standard bet on the same wheel carries the same house edge. Staking plans change the size and timing of losses, not the odds.
Can I play free roulette in the UK?
At a licensed casino, only after age verification. Since May 2019 GB operators must verify age before customers play free or demo games.
What is the difference between live and RNG roulette?
RNG roulette uses certified software to pick the number. Live roulette streams a real wheel and dealer. Both are licensed; live games run on a timed betting window.