The roulette racetrack is the oval betting area that shows numbers in wheel order. It lets you select neighbouring numbers or a named section in one action, with the chips then placed on the main betting grid. The useful detail to check is the total stake: selecting a £1 chip does not necessarily mean you are making a £1 bet.
For a broader look at tables and providers, see our live roulette guide.
Roulette racetrack vs standard table layout
The standard betting table arranges numbers in numerical order. The roulette racetrack layout follows the order of numbers on the actual roulette wheel instead. Numbers that look far apart on the grid can sit together on the wheel.
Take 12. Its two neighbours on either side are 7, 28, 35 and 3, giving the sequence 7–28–12–35–3. That group is easy to spot on the oval but scattered across the rectangular table layout.
The examples here use a European roulette wheel with one zero and 37 pockets, showing numbers from 0 to 36. French roulette uses the same wheel order. An American double-zero wheel has a different arrangement, so these groups should not be transferred to it.
Roulette neighbours: counting both sides
A neighbours bet centres on a number you choose. With two neighbours on each side, the bet covers five numbers: the chosen number, two to its left and two to its right. Each receives a straight-up bet.
For example, 12 and two neighbours at £1 per number costs £5 in total. If the interface lets you change the neighbour count, three on each side would cover seven numbers and cost £7 at the same chip value. Count both sides as well as the centre.
Check the highlighted numbers before betting closes, especially after changing the neighbour count. Adding more neighbours at the same chip value raises the total stake.
How the main call bets work
The fixed group bets are known as call bets or announced bets. They cover specific groups of numbers rather than a group centred on any number you choose. The familiar names are Voisins du Zéro, Tiers du Cylindre and Orphelins. A racetrack may also offer Jeu Zéro, a smaller group around zero.
These bets do not all use one chip per number. Some combine split bets, a three-number bet or a corner, which explains why the number of chips differs from the number of pockets covered.
| Bet | Numbers covered | Chip units | Total at 20p per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neighbours: two each side | 5 | 5 | £1.00 |
| Voisins du Zéro | 17 | 9 | £1.80 |
| Tiers du Cylindre | 12 | 6 | £1.20 |
| Orphelins, using splits | 8 | 5 | £1.00 |
| Orphelins en plein | 8 | 8 | £1.60 |
| Jeu Zéro | 7 | 4 | £0.80 |
A unit means one chip at your selected value. The 20p example illustrates the cost; the casino table sets its own minimum and available denominations.
Voisins du Zéro: the larger group around zero
Voisins du Zéro means neighbours of zero, but it is different from choosing zero with two neighbours. This call bet covers 17 numbers with nine chip units.
Two units go on 0/2/3 and two on the 25/26/28/29 corner. One goes on each of these splits: 4/7, 12/15, 18/21, 19/22 and 32/35.
Tiers du Cylindre: the section opposite zero
The Tiers du Cylindre call bet covers 12 numbers on the opposite section of the wheel. It uses six equal split bets: 5/8, 10/11, 13/16, 23/24, 27/30 and 33/36.
Each chip therefore covers two numbers. Unlike a dozen bet, this group follows wheel position rather than the ranges 1–12, 13–24 or 25–36 on the grid.
Orphelins: check which version is offered
Orphelins covers the eight numbers left outside Voisins and Tiers: 1, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 31 and 34. They sit in two separate sections.
The five-chip version places one straight-up chip on 1, plus splits on 6/9, 14/17, 17/20 and 31/34. Notice that 17 appears in two splits. Orphelins en plein instead puts a straight-up chip on each of the eight numbers. The coverage is the same, but the stake and payout pattern differ.
Jeu Zéro: seven numbers near zero
In Jeu Zéro, 26 gets a chip of its own. The other three chips go on the splits 0/3, 12/15 and 32/35, covering seven numbers altogether. If you already have a Voisins du Zéro bet on the table, adding Jeu Zéro increases your stake on numbers you have already covered. It adds no new numbers to your bet.
Reading the total stake and payout
A call bet is a bundle of ordinary bets placed on the main table. Its payout depends on which chips win, so a section bet has no single fixed return.
Return to the £5 neighbours example: five straight-up bets of £1 each. At the standard 35:1 payout, a hit on any covered number returns £36, including the winning £1 stake. Subtract the full £5 wager and the profit is £31. If the ball lands outside the five numbers, all £5 is lost.
Fixed groups can behave differently. In the five-chip Orphelins bet, a result of 17 wins on two splits. Another covered number may win on just one. Looking only at how many numbers a bet covers will not tell you its net return.
Does a roulette racetrack strategy improve your odds?
The racetrack changes how you place bets, not how the ball lands. Five different numbers give five chances out of 37 on a standard single-zero wheel, whichever layout you use to select them.
Covering more numbers increases the chance that one of your bets wins, but you also stake more when adding chips at the same value. With standard European roulette payouts, these bets retain a house edge of about 2.7%. A neighbour pattern does not remove it, and recent results do not make a section due to win.
Use the total wager to set your limit for a spin. Repeating a nine-chip selection costs nine units again, even if the button only needs one tap.
Placing call bets on online roulette tables
When playing online, the racetrack may sit beside the main betting area or open through a separate control. On a smaller screen, check that you can see both the selected racetrack section and the total stake. Betting options and neighbour settings vary between online games.
- Before using the racetrack layout, find the special-bets control and read the game’s rules.
- Check the chip denomination and, for neighbours, how many numbers are selected on each side.
- Check the numbers selected for your bet on the racetrack and the total stake shown on the grid. Clear an unwanted selection before betting closes.
Roulette racetrack FAQs
Is racetrack roulette a separate game?
Usually, the term refers to an extra betting layout within a roulette game. It uses the same wheel and spin as the main grid.
Are neighbours and Voisins du Zéro the same bet?
No. A neighbours bet centres on a number you select, with a chosen number of pockets on either side. Voisins du Zéro is a fixed 17-number group using nine chip units.
Why does Orphelins sometimes cost five chips and sometimes eight?
The five-chip version combines four splits with a straight-up bet on 1. The eight-chip en plein version places one straight-up chip on every covered number. Check the version shown by the table.
Can I use the racetrack at every online casino?
It depends on the individual roulette table and its software. Look for the feature in the game rules or betting controls rather than assuming every table at a casino includes it.
Greg has been writing about online gambling and casino games since 2015, contributing to both national and international outlets. Over the years, he’s covered everything from industry trends to regulatory updates, always keeping a close eye on how the sector changes. His interest in gambling isn’t just professional—it’s personal, which is why he stays on top of the latest news and shifts in the market.
Fact checked by: Daniel – Casino expert. Last fact-checked: September 15, 2026.