This is an educational guide to how casino games work. House edge and payout figures are typical values and vary by game, rules and operator. No casino game can be beaten in the long run — play for entertainment, never as a way to make money, and only stake what you can afford to lose.
What Is the Racetrack in Roulette?
If you’ve seen an oval diagram beside the main roulette layout and wondered what it’s for, that’s the racetrack. Here’s what it does.
What it is
The racetrack is an extra betting area shaped like an oval, with the numbers arranged in the order they appear on the wheel — not in the numerical grid of the main layout. It mirrors the physical wheel.
Why it exists
It makes betting on sections of the wheel quick and easy. Call bets and neighbour bets involve groups of numbers that sit together on the wheel, which would be fiddly to place one chip at a time on the main grid — the racetrack lets you place them in a single action.
Where you’ll see it
It’s common on European and French roulette, and especially handy in online versions. See call bets in roulette, neighbour bets in roulette and what roulette is.
Frequently asked questions
What is the racetrack in roulette?
An oval betting area laid out in the wheel’s number order, used to place call and neighbour bets easily.
Why use it?
It makes betting on sections of the wheel simple, rather than placing many chips on the main layout.
Is it on every game?
No — it’s common on European and French roulette, especially online.
Related guides: call bets in roulette, neighbour bets in roulette and what roulette is.