By most estimates, online roulette is firmly the third most popular real-money gambling game on the Internet after slots and blackjack. But some gamblers say that 36 is an even better deal than 21! And on occasion, we’re inclined to agree. There’s nothing quite like this timeless game, and playing online at legit online casinos is a gambling experience that’s already passed the test of time.
At the most legit casino sites, online roulette is as classic as the brick-and-mortar game, only it’s even more convenient and accessible. To take this old-school favorite for a spin and score some cash in your pocket when your pocket hits, our brief online roulette guide has everything you need to know.
Most Trusted Online Roulette Site
Bovada Casino – Legit Online Roulette Since 2011
Bovada LV is our number-one pick for online roulette games, as the site’s electronic casino boasts several different versions of the gambling classic. Bovada also hosts a live casino that offers both American and European variants.
Of course, the online roulette wheel isn’t the only thing you can take for a spin at Bovada. The site features hundreds of the best RNG casino games made by Realtime Gaming. You get slots, blackjack, baccarat, keno, craps, and just about everything else you’d find at the best Vegas Strip casinos.
Bovada also offers a full international sportsbook and racebook, along with a massive multiplayer tournament poker room with cash tables, Sit-N-Gos, and major million-dollar events. New players who sign up today can score a $3000 Casino Welcome Bonus, while Bitcoin/crypto deposits earn up to $3750 in Bovada free plays!
Best Real-Money Online Roulette Sites 2025
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Is Online Roulette Legit?
If you want to play roulette online, the most important thing is to make sure the site you choose is 100% legitimate. There are several ways to ensure an online casino is actually legit and not some gambling scam, but the simplest way is the best way:
To guarantee that you choose a reputable site, just make sure the operator has been around a good long time and has a solid online reputation.
All the real-money gambling sites we recommend have been offering legit RNG electronic roulette and live-dealer roulette for years, and they’re all rated as the best in the business.
As far as legality goes, these sites are located outside US jurisdiction and operate in full compliance of all international gambling laws. There are no federal US betting laws that bar individual participation at these venues. (Just remember that gambling winnings are taxable income, so be sure to give Uncle Sam his cut.)
Online Roulette Games – Popular Roulette Variants
There are two extremely common forms of the game, along with one less common version: American roulette, European roulette, and French roulette. The former two versions comprise the vast majority of electronic and live-dealer games at legit online casino sites, while the latter version is practically a niche casino game or specialty casino game these days.
American roulette is the most played version of this classic casino table game because it has the biggest payouts. This is due to the fact that the American variant has 38 total slots or pockets: 26 numbered pockets alternating red and black, and two green pockets numbered 0 and 00.
One extra pocket on the wheel means one extra outcome, which means your payouts are going to be that much better when you win. The American roulette online house edge is 5.26%.
European roulette is the most popular version of the game for beginners. That’s because the Euro roulette wheel only has 37 pockets: 36 numbered pockets alternating red and black, along with a single green 0 pocket.
Because there are fewer possible outcomes with the European game, the player has slightly better chances to win. This is why first-time gamblers tend to gravitate toward this version. The European roulette online house edge is 2.7%.
Roulette is a French game, so it naturally has a French variant. Ironically, though, this is the least popular version of the three. This game type is played on the same kind of 37-pocket wheel as the traditional European variant. The main difference between the two is that the French game gives the player a slightly better chance to win a given wager, as the house edge is reduced from 2.7% to 1.35%. Not all legit casino sites offer this version of the game, but many do.
Live Online Roulette – Live-Dealer Roulette Tables
Online live roulette is a mainstay at all the top legit casino sites, and it’s the most popular live-dealer casino game after live-dealer blackjack. While electronic versions of the game are 100% random in nature and have no human element, the live-dealer games feature real croupiers who actually spin the wheel and drop the ball.
All this is broadcast in real time over a live stream, and you place your wagers before each spin just as you would in a physical gambling house.
When you play live roulette online, you can get a small edge by closely watching your dealer’s habits, pacing, and overall timing. Different dealers will invariably spin the wheel at different average velocities and throw the ball with different average trajectories and momentums. Watch your live dealer long enough, and you might win slightly more often than you would playing electronically.
Of course, this is a skill in itself that takes a long time to master, and it’s probably more fun to just enjoy the live video and audio experience that real-dealer roulette has to offer. You can even talk to your fellow gamblers using your site’s live chat feature, but be sure to mind your manners!
Mobile Online Roulette Apps – iPhone, iPad, Android Gambling
All the most legit online casinos are legit online mobile casinos. It’s 2025, after all. However, you won’t find any iPhone or Android roulette apps in the App Store or Google Play store. At least, you won’t find any real-money versions in these storefronts.
For those, you’ll want to join any site featured here and simply visit the venue using an up-to-date web browser on your mobile device. You can play mobile roulette through these browser-based portals no matter what make or model of device you have. And thanks to responsive design, the experience will always fit your entire screen down to the last pixel.
There’s also nothing to download, nothing to update, and – because there’s no geofencing – there’s nothing to keep you pinned down. So grab the wheel and go wherever the mood takes you. Just remember to keep the win at your back!
Free Online Roulette – Take Practice Mode For A Spin!
To play free roulette online, most “gamers” just head over to the App Store or Google Play store to download roulette apps for iPhone and Android, respectively. But these free games are free in name only, as they all come with extremely limited play times or “spins.”
To play for more than just five minutes per day – or to spin the wheel more than 5-10 times per session – you’ll have to buy more playtime and/or more spins. This is the “casino app” model used by Apple and Google game makers, and such titles are very popular. But you can never win real money – you can only spend real money. And that’s as bad a bet as we’ve ever seen.
If you want to play unlimited free roulette online, you can do so at most of the venues featured in our legitimate online casino reviews. With the exception of Bovada Casino, all the top-rated online gambling sites offer free-to-play electronic casino games of all kinds.
And when you’ve had enough practice, you can enter real-money mode with the flip of a switch and win some actual green betting on black and red!
Casino Roulette Vs. Online Roulette
If you’re a gambler, you’ve probably hit up the real roulette tables at a real casino or two. However, online casino roulette is a little bit different. The main rules, wheels, and table layouts are all identical (based on the type of roulette you’re playing), but the way you play in-person vs. online brings a few unique aspects into the mix.
How To Play Roulette At The Casino
At the casino, roulette table games are a major draw. You sidle up to the felts, place your chips down on the table to indicate a given wager, and watch the croupier spin the wheel and sling the ball along its track. The ball slowly falls into the pockets on the rotating wheel, bounces around, and settles into one of 37 or 38 slots. Depending on the type of bet you placed, you either win or lose. Rinse, repeat.
One of the main strategies employed by in-person roulette players is to watch their croupiers attentively. Each croupier has his or her own style of spinning the wheel and dropping the ball. If you’re eagle-eyed enough, you might observe your way into a real edge.
This is the key way that the in-person game differs from the online game. Online, everything is controlled by randomized casino software (aka RNG software), making the game truly random while the in-person game is only mostly random.
Note: Brick-and-mortar casinos usually have electronic roulette games akin to electronic slot machines, but these are effectively identical to their online counterparts. As such, we’re not including these in our in-person vs. online comparison.
How To Play Roulette Online
Online, you can play roulette for real-money just as you would in a real brick-and-mortar casino. As stated, there’s no croupier, so the game is totally (instead of just mostly) randomized. Of course, that’s a good thing – especially for casual players. It simplifies things considerably.
But other than this randomness, the game is effectively identical to the in-person variant. The tables are all laid out the same way with the same kinds of wagers accounted for, and the wheels alternate red and black with random numbers (1-36) corresponding to each.
American wheels have 36 numbered slots and two green zero slots (0 and 00), while European wheels and French wheels have a single green zero pocket (0). Wagers online carry the same odds as wagers in person, and you place your bets before initiating each spin.