6 Weird Roulette Variations

You might’ve guessed what’s different about this version of roulette from the name. Double ball, or sometimes multi-ball roulette, includes not one wheel but two or more balls of various colours that are used on the same spin. The idea is to have double the thrills.

In some versions, you’ll find up to 10 balls used, each with a specific colour to help you keep an eye on where they land. Apart from the extra balls, the game functions similarly to the classic one. However, where you’ll see the difference is in the bets and your potential winnings.

You’ll find American and European variants of the game. Your chances of winning an inside bet are higher, but the payout will be smaller. You can place two or multiple number bets depending on how many balls are in play. For an outside bet in double ball roulette, both balls need to win for you to see a return. The payout odds are as follows:

In this game, the double action refers to a uniquely designed wheel. There’s an inner and an outer ring, which means two sets of numbers. One ring has the numbers in the standard order, while the other has them running the opposite way. When spinning the wheel, they each go in different directions.

The system works similarly to standard roulette, except the ball lands in the pocket between the two rings of numbers. It’s more common to find the French single zero version, but American wheels exist, too. Seeing the winning numbers is simple, but the betting system is slightly more complex.

It’s possible to bet on the number on the inside ring, the outer ring, or both. The inside bets have standard odds, whereas outside bets depend on the results of both circles in the wheel. Thrill-seekers enjoy this aspect, and it can lead to some big payouts.

Originating from France, Le Boule is a niche roulette variation. In some ways, it resembles traditional European or French roulette, but it does have a few different rules and game mechanics.

Unlike European roulette, which has 37 pockets, it has 28 pockets numbered from 1 to 28 and doesn’t have a zero. Subsequently, the table layout also has 28 numbered pockets and, in addition to traditional bets, features special bets unique to Le Boule. With only 28 pockets, its house edge of 2.7% is lower when compared to traditional roulette variations. Also, the payout odds are slightly different:

This variant of the game is rare. Instead of red and black spaces and the numbers 0 to 36, you'll see several colours and letters. Though the concept remains the same, the wheel and the potential outcomes are completely different.

There are 25 spaces for the letters A through to X, and Y and Z share a section, which is often seen as the equivalent to the zero as it has no colour or is black. The remaining 24 letters are split into groups of 4 and are assigned a colour. You'll usually see them in the following order: yellow, red, blue, green, orange, and pink.

The odds and the bets for alphabetic roulette differ from the standard game. You can bet on single letters, a colour group, a group of 12 letters, or even a column. Since it uses letters instead of numbers, you can have fun with the combinations, such as betting on any letter in the word roulette.

Online casino games have increased the possibilities when playing roulette, including adding extra wheels. The idea is that if one wheel brings a great deal of fun, then eight will deliver even bigger thrills. Instead of adding more balls or numbers, this variant replicates the main element of roulette.

You’ll find anywhere between 2 and 8 wheels in this game version. It’s often up to the player to activate the wheels so you can pick the number that feels right for you. Although there’s a lot of action, it’s not so fast-paced that you can’t keep track of the results.

The main appeal of multi-wheel roulette is that you can place one bet covering several wheels, which increases the chances of your number being the correct one. The betting system isn’t complicated, as it’s the same as the traditional game.

The last roulette variant on our list is one of the weirdest. It combines two classic games – pinball and roulette. You’ll need to understand the concepts of each game to figure out what’s going on in this variant.

You’ll place your bets as usual with the standard selection of red or black, numbers, and so on. However, instead of spinning a ball in the wheel, a ball will launch into a pinball machine when you press bet. It can hit flippers and buffers, trigger multipliers and move around before dropping to the bottom.

The roulette element merges with pinball as the usually numbered spaces scroll across the screen at the bottom of the machine. You win if the ball lands in the slot that matches your group or number. It involves even more anticipation as you try to predict where the ball will drop. Meanwhile, payout odds are similar to the traditional game, except multipliers apply if you’ve managed to land them:

As it continues to be a popular game in land-based and online casinos, roulette is not going anywhere. Game variants like pinball roulette and multi-ball are inventive varieties that keep the game's excitement alive. There's always a new way to play this classic casino staple, whether you prefer the older iterations or want to try something different. See our online casino reviews to find the best places to start if you're ready to spin the wheel!