February 16, 2025

Mini Roulette: Simplified Rules and Winning Strategies


When you think of roulette, you probably picture the good old large roulette wheel, spinning around with the numbers from 1 to 36 and the green zero pockets. But what if we told you there is a smaller, more compact, and faster-paced version of roulette that offers a unique twist to the classic roulette game – yet has the potential for big winnings?

The game is called Mini Roulette, and in this guide, we will explain everything about it. We will break down exactly what it is, where it came from, how it differs from the more traditional roulette variants, and how you can increase your winning chances by using some of our tips.

What Exactly is Mini Roulette?

It’s all in the name with this game. Mini Roulette is a scaled-down version of standard European or American roulette. Here, instead of the standard 37 or 38 pockets (depending on the variant), the wheel only has 13 slots. They are numbered from 1 to 12 and colored in the traditional black and red colors, plus a single zero (0) that’s colored in green.

The first Mini Roulette games were developed in the mid-2000s by various online casino software providers as part of their efforts to innovate and attract a broader audience. Although there’s no definitive inventor linked to the creation of Mini Roulette, gaming companies like Playtech have popularized it by incorporating it into their online casino offerings. So, we when talking about Mini Roulette as a variant, we usually take Playtech’s Mini Roulette take as the base.

The idea behind the game was to offer a simpler, faster version of roulette with a lower learning curve and quicker rounds. The game is designed to primarily appear to casual players who want to try something different, and not high rollers. The reason behind this is the slightly higher house edge it has when compared to other variants, particularly European and French ones.

How Is Mini Roulette Different from Other Variants?

The first difference is the most obvious one – the size of the wheel. This makes Mini roulette an entirely different game that has different bet types, payouts, and odds than every other standard variation. In the table below, we have compared Mini roulette with the two other most popular roulette classics: European and American:

Feature Mini Roulette European American
Number of Pockets 13 37 38
Zero Pockets 1 1 2
House Edge Higher (~7.69%) Lower (~2.7%) Higher (~5.26%)
Available Bets Simplified Full Range Full Range

The number of total slots is the biggest difference. In Mini roulette, there are just 12 numbers, numbered from 1 to 12 instead of 36 numbers. With the green pocket, the total number of slots on the wheel is 13.

This inherently changes the odds and the house edge of the game. With less pockets in total, the house edge is higher. In particular, the house edge in Playtech’s Mini Roulette is around 7.69%, which is significantly higher than 2.70% and 5.26% with European and American roulette, respectively.

But, to make the game fairer for players, Mini Roulette has an ace up its sleeve in the La Partage rule. In a case where the ball has hit the green 0 pocket, half of the money are returned to the player. With this rule, the house edge is a bit lower, but it still doesn’t fully offset the increased edge for the house.

The gameplay is much quicker in Mini roulette since there are less numbers, so the game is better suited for fast-paced sessions.

Payouts in Mini Roulette

The payouts in Mini roulette are adjusted to accommodate the different wheel. Therefore, hitting a straight-up bet will net you 11:1 to your wager instead of the standard 35:1.

The payout for a split is 5:1, 3:1 for a street, and 2:1 for a corner. The payouts for the even-money bets are the same as with all variants at 1:1.

Another difference are the minimum bet sizes. Namely, for inside bets, the minimum bet size is $0.1 or currency equivalent, but it increases to $1 or currency equivalent for outside bets.

Winning Strategies for Mini Roulette

Mini roulette is simpler to play, but the odds of winning are slightly lower than other variants. That’s why we suggest using the right strategies and following our tips to improve your chances of making some profit. Here are some practical tips:

Understand the Odds and Payouts

We mentioned that the payouts and odds are different than standard variants. That’s why we suggest reading the rules of the game before playing.

Stick to Even-Money Bets

With a higher house edge, it’s smart to focus on even-money bets like Red/Black or Odd/Even in this game. The Zero Bet rule takes these bets closer to a 50/50 chance of winning, making them more favorable.

Final Words

Mini Roulette comes as a nice refreshment for roulette lovers. It’s popular among beginners and casuals due to the simplified rules and dynamic gameplay, but the higher house edge is a drawback, which is why you need to apply smart strategies and follow our tips when playing this game.

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