Roulette chips, often called wheel chips, are plain colored chips with no amount printed on them; each player at the table gets a color nobody else is using, and the value of every chip in that color is set when the player buys in. They work only at that one table, so before you walk away you hand them back to the dealer and receive regular casino chips in return.
At the table
Also called
Wheel chips or non value chipsColor
One color per player, so every bet has an ownerValue
Chosen at buy in, shown by a marker on the wheel rimWhere valid
Only at the table where you bought themCashing out
Swap them with the dealer before leavingOn this site
Simulator chips of 1, 5, 25 and 100 credits
Roulette chips explained
A busy roulette table can hold dozens of bets from several players, many stacked on the same numbers. If everyone used ordinary casino chips, two players with chips of the same value on 17 would have no way to prove whose was whose. Wheel chips solve this. Each seat gets its own color, so the dealer can sweep, pay and settle disputes at a glance.
Because wheel chips carry no printed amount, the color alone means nothing outside the table. Their worth exists only on that table, for that session, as recorded by the dealer.
How roulette chip values are set
When you buy in, you tell the dealer how much each chip should be worth. The casino sets a lowest allowed chip value, so ask the dealer if you are unsure. The dealer then marks the value, typically by setting one of your chips on the rim of the wheel or in a slot beside it with a small marker button on top showing the amount. Here is how one buy in of 100 units can be split:
| Value per chip | Chips you get | Usually handed over as |
|---|---|---|
| 1 unit | 100 | 5 stacks of 20 |
| 2 units | 50 | 2 and a half stacks |
| 5 units | 20 | 1 stack |
Smaller chip values let you spread more bets and last more spins; larger values make each bet count for more. Neither changes the odds. The value is fixed for your session, though you can buy more chips at any time between spins.
Roulette chip colors and values
On wheel chips, color shows the owner, not the amount. A green wheel chip can be worth 1 unit to one player and 25 units to whoever is handed green after that player leaves. Regular casino chips, the ones you use at other games and the cashier, are different: they have their value printed on them and follow the casino's color scheme.
How to cash out roulette chips
- Wait until the current round is paid and the dolly is lifted.
- Slide your whole pile in and tell the dealer you want to color up.
- The dealer counts them, multiplies by your chip value and hands you value chips for the total.
- Take the value chips to another table or the cashier. The wheel chips stay behind.
Worked example: you bought 100 chips at 1 unit each and now hold 132. The dealer stacks them, confirms 132 units, and gives you value chips worth 132 units, usually in the largest sizes that fit.
Roulette chip problems and fixes
| Problem | Why | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The cashier will not take your wheel chips | They have no value away from the table | Go back and color up with the dealer |
| Your color is taken | Another player already has it | The dealer gives you a different color |
| You forgot your chip value | It was set at buy in | Look at the marker on the rim or ask the dealer |
| Your bet is mixed with a stranger's | Value chips used by both | Use wheel chips so color marks ownership |
| You want to change chip value | Value is fixed per buy in | Color up and buy in again at the new value |
Chips on the free simulator
The free roulette simulator skips the buy in. You choose among four chip sizes, from a single credit up to a hundred, and tap the layout; the balance starts at 1,000 credits and is reset whenever you want. It is a good place to practice spreading chips without slowing down a real table. For where each chip goes, see the roulette table layout, and for how bet sizes interact with limits, read table limits.
First visit to a roulette page? Begin at how to play roulette.
Questions players ask
How much are roulette chips worth?
Whatever value you chose when you bought in. Wheel chips have no printed value; the dealer records the amount per chip, usually with a marker button on the wheel rim.
Can I take roulette chips to another table?
No. Wheel chips only work at the table where you got them. Swap them with the dealer for regular casino chips before leaving.
What do roulette chip colors mean?
Each color belongs to one player at the table. It shows who owns each bet, not how much the chip is worth.
Can I bet regular casino chips at roulette?
Often yes, but rules vary by casino. Dealers usually prefer wheel chips because they keep each player's bets clearly separate.
What happens if I leave with roulette chips?
They cannot be cashed at the cage or used at other games. Bring them back to the same table and the dealer will exchange them.