Casino

How to Read a Roulette Table: A Guide for New Players

August 13, 2025

A close-up of a hand placing poker chips on a roulette table.

Besides the pill and the wheel, the table in roulette is the most essential piece of equipment. In live and online roulette variants, the table simultaneously serves many functions.

At the same time, one of the most undeniable roulette facts is that people usually don’t know what all the boxes, numbers, and words on the table mean when they begin learning about the game. It’s also similarly true that a little bit of experience and study gets most players up to speed.

Roulette is a popular casino game because of its shallow learning curve. Even if you have a good amount of experience, a refresher on the table can’t hurt.

Are All Roulette Table Layouts the Same?

One of the most common misconceptions about playing roulette online or at a land-based casino is that the layout of tables varies wildly. The truth is that casinos stick to a standard presentation to make it easier for people to be comfortable and focus on their wagers.

However, you will see deviations based on the type of roulette game you choose. A table for American Roulette, for example, has an extra box compared to tables for European roulette games.

That is the basic idea of the roulette wheel table layout. It is designed to follow the composition of the roulette wheel, along with providing places for bettors to place their chips for specific wagers.

Standard Roulette Table Elements

A close-up of a colourful roulette wheel mid-spin, with the white ball landing near the red and black numbered pockets under vibrant casino lights.

Among the more interesting facts about roulette is that once you learn the table verbiage, you can easily find the spot that corresponds to the bet you want to make. If you have questions, though, that’s what Borgata Online’s help sections and customer service are for.

On the table, you’ll see numbered boxes of different colors that correspond to individual slots on the wheel. These are positioned in the same order they appear on the wheel to make it easy to deploy split bet strategies.

You’ll also see a few boxes that correspond to roulette side bets and other wagers.

Common Bet Boxes on Roulette Tables

Roulette tables dedicate space to some of the safest roulette bets because players choose them frequently.

  • 1 to 18 — also referred to as a low bet, put your chips here if you’d like to wager that the pill will stop in a slot numbered from one to 18
  • 19 to 36 — a high bet for the numbered slots from 19 to 36
  • 1st 12 — place your chips here if you want to bet that the pill will rest on a slot numbered between one and 12
  • 2nd 12 — the same as above, but for numbered slots 13-24
  • 3rd 12 — as you would imagine, this box is for wagers on slots numbered 25-36
  • Black — if you place your chips here and the pill rests in a black slot, you win
  • Even — your chips go here if you believe that the pill will stop on an even-numbered slot
  • Odd — the opposite of an even bet
  • Red — the other half of the Black bet

If you don’t see a spot corresponding to the wager you want to make, you should first confirm whether the game allows that specific bet. If that is the case, then the roulette dealer can assist you.

Deciphering Game Intelligence from the Table Layout

Another reason people love roulette is that the table layout can assist you with your strategy for roulette tournaments and more. There is information about the game “hidden” within.

Maximizing your roulette winnings benefits from your understanding of these “messages.” The most pertinent details pertain to the odds of the various betting options.

Inside Bets

If you’ve ever heard the term roulette inside bets, this refers to the position of the corresponding boxes for these wagers on the table. You’ll find them on the inside of the grid.

These wagers tend to have a lower house edge compared to choices on the outside of the grid. At the same time, winning bets don’t payout as well here.

Outside Bets

Outside bets in roulette are where you should look if you want to place higher-stakes wagers, comparatively. The house edges are higher, but so are the potential payoffs.

Some players try to steer the wheel of roulette toward success by mixing up these bets. That can be a reliable way to play the odds while still giving yourself a shot to make a profit if you get lucky.

Should You Adjust Your Roulette Strategy Based on Table Layout?

People have developed many low-volatility roulette systems to give themselves a systematic wagering plan. However, none of these systems overrides the element of chance in the game.

Because roulette tables are so standardized, the only real tweaks you might need to make depend more on the variant you choose than the table itself. Even advanced roulette systems need some adjustments when you move from an American to a European game, for example.

Players who make smart adjustments and follow their systems religiously can still have runs of bad luck. Understanding the odds of roulette and protecting your bankroll will keep you from falling into dangerous territory.

Find Your Favorite Roulette Table at Borgata Online

Stacks of red and green casino chips scattered across a roulette betting table.

Other than responsible bankroll management, the most important thing about playing roulette is to enjoy your time. People in New Jersey and Pennsylvania have ample opportunity to do that at Borgata Online.

Borgata Online has many live dealer games and digital tables for roulette fans, all adhering to Borgata’s high standard for fun and quality. As long as you’re at least 21 years old, you can register for Borgata and take part in the amusement.

In no time, you’ll be adept at reading roulette tables. Borgata is the best place to lay your bets and see if the table yields any winnings for you.