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 2023
| Casino/Rating | Bonus | USA Friendly | Visit/Review | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 100% up to $3,000 |  | Visit Site Read Review |
| 2 |  | 100% up to $5,000 | | Visit Site Read Review |
| 3 |  | 500% up to $5,000 | | Visit Site Read Review |
| 4 |  | 200% up to $10,000 | | Visit Site Read Review |
| 5 |  | 200% up to $10,000 | | Visit Site Read Review |
| 6 |  | 200% up to $2,000 | | Visit Site Read Review |
| 7 |  | 100% up to $100 | | Visit Site Read Review |
| 8 |  | 325% up to $9,750 | | Visit Site Read Review |
| 9 |  | 350% up to $5,000 | | Visit Site Read Review |
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 2023, 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.
Online Roulette FAQs
Yes
Online roulette is 100% legal provided you play at one of the reputable sites we recommend in our guide.
There are no US gambling laws or (in most cases) international gambling laws barring access to real-money roulette over the Internet, and only one US state – Washington – actually bans individuals from online gambling.
If you live anywhere else in the United States, you can enjoy this classic table game – in both electronic and live-dealer formats – any time you like.
Yes
Online roulette is a legitimate real-money casino game when you play at a legitimate real-money online casino.
As long as you stick with the reputable venues we review, you can rest assured that you’re getting a fair spin every time.
No
If you play at legit casino sites, you don’t have to worry about any online casino scams. That’s what makes these venues legitimate, after all!
All the electronic roulette games at our favorite casino sites are regularly audited to ensure real-world odds, accurate win rates, proper payouts, and fair iGaming practices.
Additionally, the live casino roulette tables hosted by these sites all abide by established industry best practices, are hosted by classically trained professional croupiers, and offer a true-to-life Vegas gambling experience no matter where you are.
5-10 on average
Each different online casino has a different number of games on offer.
Some sites have 150+ games, some sites have 250+ games, and some even have 300+ games.
Regardless, most of these games are going to be online slots. Then, blackjack tables are the next most common offering. After blackjack, online roulette games are featured.
The reason why there are comparatively few roulette sims is simply that the game doesn’t lend itself to entertaining themes the way slots do, and there aren’t as many versions of the amusement like there are with blackjack.
Limits differ by site
Different sites have different betting limits for all their casino games. Generally, you can play the electronic versions of roulette for as little as $0.50 to $1.00 per spin, while high-roller versions can go up to $20, $50, or even $100 per spin.
Similarly, live roulette games have different table stakes that suit players of all skill levels and financial means. You can join tables where bets max out at $5 or $10, or you can join tables that let you risk $500, $1000, or more each round.
Bovada Casino
Bovada LV is the best Internet casino for electronic roulette games. With a full Realtime Gaming suite and over 10 different versions of simulated roulette on offer, Bovada gives players the most variety when it comes to the electronic American and European variants.
SuperSlots – a sister site of BetOnline and SportsBetting AG – is our choice when it comes to the best live-dealer roulette selection.
This is because SuperSlots offers two different live casino options: Visionary iGaming (“Live Casino Red”) and Fresh Deck Studios (“Live Casino Black”).
The Red casino games are for small-sized and medium-sized wagers, while the Black casino is for big wagers into the thousands of dollars per spin.
Any online electronic roulette game
An online roulette sim is simply an electronic online roulette game. These are the most common versions of the game at the sites we recommend.
That said, in some cases, the term above might be referring to the actual casino software backend.
In this case, the simulator is the online game software itself, which uses random number generation (RNG) to ensure real-world results with every spin.
There isn’t one
While we’ll be putting together a separate article for online roulette tips, the best strategy – if we had to choose one – is simply this:
Bet your lucky number or color or both.
Roulette is mostly a pure gambling game. In other words, it’s a pure game of chance. There’s no proven strategy, no specific number comes up more than any other, etc.
If you’re a beginner, start with the Euro or French versions, and if you want longer odds and bigger payouts, go with the American version.
Yes and no
You can make money playing roulette online because this is a real-money gambling game. If you win, you win actual cash.
However, if you’re asking about making a living playing online roulette, the answer is almost certainly “no.”
Very few gamblers play online roulette professionally as their main source of income, as it’s just too chance-based to give players any way to count on reliable wins.
Professional gamblers tend to play blackjack, poker, and craps, not roulette or slots.