When you place a bet on roulette, you usually do so on a roulette table where the numbers from 0 to 36 are arranged in rows and columns. However, there is also an alternative roulette layout: the racetrack view, also known as the racetrack or neighbour layout. But what exactly do you see on this racetrack and how do you use it?
What does the roulette racetrack look like?
The racetrack usually has an oval shape and shows the numbers in the order in which they actually appear around the roulette wheel. This is different from the standard layout, where the numbers are displayed in rows and columns.
In European roulette, the sequence starts with zero and follows the fixed order of the wheel. This means you can immediately see which numbers are next to each other. For example, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4 and 21 appear next to each other on the wheel.
This is important for certain roulette bets. With a standard bet on, for example, red, the position of the red numbers on the wheel does not matter. With a neighbour bet, however, this position is the basis of the bet.
What do you use the racetrack view for?
The racetrack is mainly designed to make it easier to bet on groups of numbers that are next to each other on the wheel. Instead of searching for each number individually on the standard layout, you can select the desired sequence directly on the racetrack.
A good example is a bet on the neighbours of zero. On the regular table, the numbers covered by this bet are spread across different rows. On the racetrack, they appear next to each other around zero.
At an online casino, you can often select a special bet with a single click. The system then automatically places the chips on the individual numbers or combinations included in that bet. The exact bets available may vary depending on the roulette variant and operator.
Which bets can you place on the racetrack?
On a standard racetrack in European roulette, you will find several so-called wheel series. The best-known are Voisins du Zéro, Tiers du Cylindre, Orphelins à Cheval and Jeu Zéro. You can also often create your own neighbour bet.
Voisins du Zéro
Voisins du Zéro literally means ‘neighbours of zero’. This bet covers 17 numbers around zero on the roulette wheel. Normally, you use nine chips, divided between different split, street and corner bets.
The bet includes the numbers 0, 2, 3, 4, 7, 12, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32 and 35.
Tiers du Cylindre
Tiers du Cylindre roughly means ‘a third of the wheel’. This bet focuses on twelve numbers on the opposite side of the roulette wheel from the Voisins du Zéro area. You use six chips on different split bets.
Orphelins à Cheval
The Orphelins are the eight numbers that do not fall within the Voisins du Zéro or Tiers du Cylindre areas. This bet normally consists of five chips. One chip is placed directly on number 1, while the other four are used for split bets.
Jeu Zéro
Jeu Zéro, also known as the zero game, focuses on zero and the six numbers surrounding it. This covers seven numbers in total: 0, 3, 12, 15, 26, 32 and 35.
What are neighbour bets?
In addition to the fixed wheel series, you can often create your own neighbour bet on the racetrack. You choose one number as the starting point and then also bet on the numbers directly next to it on the roulette wheel.
Suppose you choose number 17. The numbers directly next to 17 are 34 and 6. You could therefore bet on 34, 17 and 6, for example. With some online roulette games, you can choose how many neighbouring numbers you want to include on either side of your selected number.
The racetrack makes this easy to see because you can literally see which numbers are next to each other.
How do you place a bet on the racetrack?
The exact controls vary between online roulette games, but the principle is simple. You open the racetrack view and then select the bet you want to place.
With a fixed series, such as Jeu Zéro or Voisins du Zéro, you select the relevant bet. The system then distributes your stake across the corresponding numbers and combinations. For a neighbour bet, you first choose a number and then select how many adjacent numbers you want to include.
The amount you ultimately bet depends on the number of chips required for the selected bet. If one chip is worth €1 and a particular series uses nine chips, your total stake is €9.
Racetrack view vs. standard layout: which should you choose?
The standard roulette layout is mainly practical for traditional bets. You can easily place a chip on red, black, even, odd, a dozen or an individual number.
The racetrack, on the other hand, focuses on the order of the numbers on the wheel. This makes it useful for players who want to place neighbour bets or predefined wheel series.
You can therefore see the two layouts as two ways of using the same roulette wheel. The standard layout views the numbers in an organised table, while the racetrack shows how those numbers are physically arranged around the wheel.
Frequently asked questions
Is the racetrack a separate roulette wheel?
No. The racetrack is simply an additional view of the existing roulette wheel. The numbers appear in the same order as they do on the physical wheel.
Can you bet on a single number on the racetrack?
Yes. Depending on the roulette game, you can select a specific number on the racetrack or create a neighbour bet around that number.
Does the racetrack affect the payout?
No. The racetrack does not change the payouts. The payout depends on the type of bet you place, such as a straight-up, split, street or corner bet.
Is the racetrack available in every roulette variant?
Not always. The availability and exact betting options vary between roulette games. The racetrack is mainly used with European and French roulette, which have a single zero.
