The game of roulette has been around for centuries and is one of the most popular casino games in New Zealand. Roulette is a simple game to learn and play as it is based purely on luck although some like to claim that there are game strategies that can help you win at roulette.
We give you a detailed breakdown of the game of roulette and show you that roulette is a game that is determined purely by chance. You can use different roulette game strategies to help you increase your odds of winning at roulette but they have a very minimal impact in influencing the outcome of a roulette game.
Some of the questions that we answer in our ‘how to play roulette’ easy guide for NZ players include:
- Where can I play roulette games in NZ?
- How does the game of roulette work?
- Different bets you can make in roulette
- Should I play online roulette or live roulette?
- Top 3 roulette strategies to boost your winnings
- Top 5 roulette variants for NZ players
- Top 5 dos and don’ts when playing roulette in NZ
- Roulette -FAQ
Where Can I Play Roulette Games In NZ?
Roulette which is often called the devil’s wheel in New Zealand can be played at licensed casinos in the country. These licensed brick & mortar casinos can be found in Dunedin, Christchurch, Auckland, Hamilton and Queenstown – there are no casinos in Wellington!
To play roulette at a land based casino, you will need to physically visit the casino, head over to the gaming floor and find a roulette table that you like. You must be over the age of 20 (legal gambling age in New Zealand) to be allowed onto the casino floor and place roulette bets.
If you are visiting a casino for a night out, you can play the roulette tables and see if you get lucky. However, if you are looking to have a fun time playing roulette from the comfort of your home, then you will have to consider playing online roulette.
New Zealand currently has a ban on online casino games but that is set to change in 2026 as the government of New Zealand plans to launch licensed online casinos. There are many offshore online casinos that offer online roulette games to New Zealand players.
You might have to download a Virtual Private Network (VPN) software for some of these online casinos to create an account. Many NZ-friendly online casinos allow you to sign up directly without a VPN connection.
We have compiled a list of top NZ online casinos offering a great selection of roulette games. Click on any of our featured casinos, sign up, and start playing roulette games today.
How Does The Game of Roulette Work?
The game of roulette involves two main components: a roulette table and a roulette wheel. The roulette table will feature a set of numbers from 1 to 36 and a 0. It will also feature a group of numbers, colour (black and red) betting options, and odd and even betting options.
The roulette wheel features the same set of numbers as the roulette table. You have numbers from 1 to 36 and 0, which have two colours which are black and red. Some roulette tables use a small ivory ball, others a metallic ball to determine which number it lands on.
The roulette dealer will spin the roulette wheel and then slide the ball onto the spinning wheel and wait for it to stop. When the roulette wheel stops spinning, you will have to see on which number the ball lands on.
The game of roulette revolves around you making a bet on which number, colour, odd & even options that you think the ball will land on. Once you lay down your roulette bet, the dealer will spin the table and you get to see if you guessed right or wrong.
If you end up guessing correct, you win and get paid based on the roulette table odds that you picked. If you guessed wrong, you lose your money and have the option to bet again on another round of roulette.
When you play at a land based casino in NZ, you can ask the roulette dealer to explain things to you in case you have any questions about the roulette table or bets you want to make.
If you are playing at an online casino, you cannot ask anyone for help directly but what you can do is opt to play a game of free roulette and see how things work. Once you play a few roulette games for free, you will then be confident of playing real money roulette games in NZ.
Different Bets You Can Make In Roulette
There are different bets that you can make at a roulette table. It is important for you to understand the full range of bets you can make at a roulette table because each of these bets have different betting odds and payouts.
If you are averse to risk, you should look at roulette bets with low odds and payouts. If you are willing to bet bigger, then choose roulette bets that have a higher odds and bigger payouts.
Roulette bets can be split into two parts – Inside bets and Outside bets. There are multiple options under each of these categories. Below, you will find a list of roulette bets you can choose from.
Roulette - Inside Bets
| Numbers | Bet Name | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Single Number | Straight Up | 35-1 |
| Two Numbers | Split | 17-1 |
| Three Numbers | Street | 11-1 |
| Four Numbers | Corner | 8-1 |
| Five Numbers | 0/00/1/2/3 | 6-1 |
| Six Numbers | Six line | 5-1 |
Roulette - Outside Bets
| Numbers | Bet Name | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Twelve Numbers | Dozen | 2-1 |
| Twelve Numbers | Column | 2-1 |
| 1-18 | Low | 1-1 |
| 19-39 | High | 1-1 |
| Black or Red Numbers | Colour | 1-1 |
| Even or Odd Numbers | Even / Odd | 1-1 |
The Inside Bets and Outside Bets odds table give you a clear indication as to which bets have lower odds and higher odds. If you are playing it safe, go with outside bets and if you are looking to bet more to win more, look at inside bets.
Should I Play Online Roulette or Live Roulette?
We already discussed playing roulette at a land based casino and the options of playing roulette at online casinos. However, you also have the option of playing live roulette at a live dealer casino online.
Many NZ online casinos offer live dealer games such as live blackjack, live roulette and live craps. When you play at a live casino, you get to interact with live dealers and other players who have joined the live stream.
These live roulette games usually take place in a gaming studio, where a live dealer is in front of a roulette table and wheel, similar to a land-based casino setting. You pick your numbers online, place your bets online, and then watch as the dealer spins the roulette wheel.
When you play live roulette, the roulette wheel spins when the dealer initiates the spin and it stops on its own accord. The dealer will drop the ball onto the wheel and has no control over the outcome as it is left to chance.
When you play online roulette, the roulette wheel will automatically spin when the play button is pressed. A random number generator (RNG) software controls the roulette wheel and decides when the wheel stops spinning and where the ball lands.
Live casino roulette can be more exciting as it is an interactive game when compared to online roulette. So it will be left to your personal preference to decide whether you want to play online roulette or live roulette. Our suggestion is to try a few games of online roulette and live roulette and then see when one you like better.
Top 3 Roulette Strategies To Boost Your Winnings
Experienced players in New Zealand are aware that roulette is based purely on luck and there’s not a lot that you can do to control the outcome in a roulette game. However, newbie roulette players can be tempted to think that there are roulette strategies that will help them gain an edge over the competition.
We list out the three main roulette strategies that can be used when playing roulette. Personally, we don’t think that these roulette strategies can have a significant impact on your wins/losses. You have a look at each strategy and then decide if you want to test any of them out.
Martingale
This is the most widely used roulette strategy at both online and live roulette games. The strategy is simple as it recommends players 2x their bet every time they lose a roulette game. This strategy is based on a 50/50 chance outcome, so when you lose a bet, the chances of you winning the next round is more likely and hence if you 2x your bet, you increase your odds of recovering your losses from the previous bet.
Example – if you bet NZ$5 and lost your bet, the next round increase and bet NZ$10 as you increase your odds of winning and recovering your NZ$5 loss.
Paroli
This is the exact opposite of the Martingale strategy as the Paroli strategy pushes for you to bet 2x after you win a game of roulette. The logic behind this is when you win a game, you have won your bet and the house’s money. So the next time you bet, you are betting with the house’s money and can take a higher risk.
D’Alembert
This is probably the easiest roulette strategy that low stakes roulette players use. The strategy states that every time you win a round at roulette, increase your bet size by a small amount and every time you lose, reduce your bet size by a small amount.
Top 5 Roulette Variants For NZ Players
While the game of roulette is not very complicated, there are different variants of roulette in which the rules have been altered a bit to make things interesting and appeal to different demographics. We list some of the most popular roulette variants in NZ below.
European Roulette
NZ players prefer European roulette to most other roulette variants. European roulette has 37 numbers on the roulette wheel with just a single 0. The house edge in European roulette is lower than in American roulette, for example.
American Roulette
The odds in American roulette are higher because the roulette wheel has 38 pockets as you get a double zero (00) and a single (0) on the wheel. American roulette appeals to players who like to risk more to win more by playing roulette.
French Roulette
French Roulette is closer to European roulette than American roulette, as they use the same roulette wheel. The difference is that in French roulette, players have the option to place more side bets such as the Voisins du Zero, Tiers du Cylindre and Orphelins.
Live Dealer Roulette
When you play at a live dealer casino, you can opt to play different roulette variants such as European roulette, French roulette and American roulette. Make sure you have a good internet connection before connecting to the live dealer casino.
Multiplayer Roulette
This is where you can invite other players to play live roulette games with you and have fun playing with your friends or family.
Top 5 Do’s and Don’ts When Playing Roulette In NZ
5 Dos When Playing Roulette
- Always check the min bet and max bet at the roulette table before you sit down and start to play
- Decide in advance how much you are going to bet in total during your roulette session
- Start with low bets which have low odds and then increase your bets gradually
- If you end up winning a big amount, walk away with your winnings
- Play European roulette or French roulette before you play American roulette
5 Don’ts When Playing Roulette
- Do not play roulette when you are not in a good emotional state; you will make bad decisions and can lose your money quickly
- Do not sit at a roulette table that has a high min bet when you have a small bankroll, your bankroll will disappear fast
- Don’t assume that roulette strategies will work for you consistently, as roulette is not a game of skill
- Do not borrow money to fund your bankroll for roulette games
- Don’t hesitate to ask and get help if you feel you are experiencing problem gambling signs
Roulette - Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I find a good online casino offering roulette games in NZ? You can always run a Google search and then review and research the many different online casinos offering roulette games. This can be time consuming and tedious as there are many factors to consider when deciding which is good NZ online casino. Alternatively, you can look at our list of recommended NZ online casinos as our casino review team have done the work for you and shortlisted only the best NZ online casinos offering roulette games.
- Can I use online casino bonuses to play roulette games? All our recommended NZ online casinos offer Kiwi players attractive welcome bonuses and many of these casinos also have weekly bonuses. A lot of these match deposit bonuses will allow you to use the bonus cash to play roulette games. Do check out the bonus terms and conditions to see if the bonus can be used on roulette games.
- Should I play American, European or French roulette? If you are new to the game of roulette, we suggest you start out with European roulette and then try out French roulette before checking out American roulette. This will give you a better understanding as to which roulette variant you like the best.
- Can I play roulette on my mobile device? All our featured casinos in NZ are mobile friendly. Some of them have their own dedicated mobile app which you can download and play your favourite games. If the casino does not have a mobile app, you can still use your mobile browser to access the casino and play roulette games while on the move.
- Can I sign-up at more than one online casino in New Zealand? You can sign-up at more than one online casino in New Zealand but you cannot create multiple accounts at the same NZ online casino.