In casino games, the layout is the printed design on a table, or its on-screen version, that shows every place you can bet and often the key payouts and rules. In slots the same word describes the grid of reels and rows. Reading the layout properly tells you a game’s rules before you stake a penny.
A table layout marks each betting area and often prints rules such as ‘Blackjack pays 3 to 2’.
The roulette layout splits into the inside number grid and the outside betting boxes.
Printed payouts can change the house edge: 6 to 5 on a blackjack costs about 1.39% more than 3 to 2.
On slots, ‘layout’ means reels by rows, such as 5 × 3 or 6 × 5.
Meaning (tables)
Printed betting areas, payouts and rules
Meaning (slots)
Reels × rows grid
Roulette number grid
3 columns × 12 rows, plus zero
Blackjack 3:2 vs 6:5 on £10
£15 win vs £12 win
Cost of 6:5 blackjack
About 1.39% extra edge
What layout means at a casino table
In a land-based casino, the layout is the printed cloth on top of the table. Online, RNG and live games draw the same design on screen, and you place chips by tapping its areas. Each layout does three jobs: it shows where each bet goes, it often prints the main payouts, and on many tables it states house rules that affect the odds.
The word also turns up in slot specifications, where a ‘5 × 3 layout’ means five reels with three visible rows. Both uses appear in our casino glossary, and this page covers each in turn.
The roulette layout
A roulette table layout has a central grid of the numbers 1 to 36 in three columns of twelve, with zero at the head. Chips on numbers or the lines between them are inside bets; the boxes around the grid hold outside bets. Evolution’s American Roulette (opens in a new tab) adds a double zero to both the wheel and the layout, which raises the edge from 2.70% to 5.26%.
Areas on a single-zero roulette layout
Area
Bets placed there
Pays
Chance
Number grid
Straight up to six line
35 to 1 down to 5 to 1
1 to 6 in 37
Dozen boxes
1–12, 13–24, 25–36
2 to 1
12 in 37
Column boxes (foot of grid)
Each column of 12 numbers
2 to 1
12 in 37
Even-money boxes
Red/black, odd/even, 1–18/19–36
1 to 1
18 in 37
Payouts are from Wizard of Odds’ roulette basics (opens in a new tab). French-style tables often add an oval racetrack showing the wheel order, used to place call bets on whole sections of the wheel.
What a blackjack layout tells you
A blackjack layout is a semicircle of betting boxes facing the dealer, usually with three lines of print across the middle. Those lines matter more than the artwork, because they state rules that move the edge. Wizard of Odds’ blackjack basics (opens in a new tab) gives the standard pays.
Common blackjack layout wording and its effect
Printed rule
Meaning
Effect on the player
Blackjack pays 3 to 2
A £10 blackjack wins £15
Standard rule
Blackjack pays 6 to 5
A £10 blackjack wins £12
Costs about 1.39%
Insurance pays 2 to 1
Side bet when the dealer shows an ace
Optional; capped at half the bet
Dealer must stand on soft 17
Dealer stops on a soft 17 such as A-6
Standard baseline
Dealer hits soft 17
Dealer draws to a soft 17 such as A-6
Costs about 0.22%
On £10 hands, 1.39% is about 14p a hand, or roughly £8.34 over 60 hands. Our pages on 3:2 against 6:5, insurance and soft 17 explain each rule.
Baccarat and craps layouts
A baccarat layout is simple: boxes for Player, Banker and Tie, often with pair side bets. The print usually shows the Tie payout, which is the figure to check. With eight decks, a Tie paying 8 to 1 carries a 14.36% edge, while one paying 9 to 1 carries 4.844%. Our tie bet page sets out the maths.
Craps has the busiest layout in the casino. The pass line and don’t pass run around the edge, the field bet and place numbers sit across the middle, and the centre holds the proposition bets. According to Wizard of Odds’ craps house edge table (opens in a new tab), Pass costs 1.41% while Any Seven in the centre costs 16.67%.
Slot layouts: reels and rows
For slots, layout means the visible grid. It shapes how wins form, though it says nothing about RTP or volatility on its own.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a layout in roulette?
The roulette layout is the betting area on the table, with a grid of numbers 1 to 36 in three columns and zero at the top. Bets on the grid are inside bets, and the boxes around it hold outside bets such as red, dozens and columns. An American layout adds a double zero, which raises the edge to 5.26%. Our roulette table layout guide labels each area.
What should I check on a blackjack layout?
Check the blackjack payout first, because 6 to 5 instead of 3 to 2 adds about 1.39% to the house edge. Then look for the soft 17 rule; a dealer who hits soft 17 costs you about 0.22%. If the print is missing online, open the game’s help screen. Our page on the blackjack house edge shows how rules combine.
What does a 5 × 3 slot layout mean?
A 5 × 3 layout means five reels, each showing three symbols, for 15 visible positions. Starburst and Big Bass Bonanza both use it. The layout alone does not tell you the RTP, volatility or maximum win, which come from the game’s specifications and help screen. Our guide to ways to win explains how different grids count winning combinations.
Is the online layout the same as in a real casino?
Usually it is very close, because online RNG and live games copy the land-based design so that bets sit in familiar places. Some online versions add extras, such as a racetrack for call bets or side-bet boxes, and branded games may change payouts. Always check the help screen. Our comparison of live and RNG games covers other differences.
Which part of the craps layout has the worst bets?
The centre of the craps layout, where the proposition bets sit, holds the highest edges. Any Seven paying 4 to 1 costs 16.67%, and Any Craps paying 7 to 1 costs 11.11%, against 1.41% for the Pass line at the edge of the table. These are one-roll bets with large payouts and poor value. Our craps house edge table lists every bet.
Does the layout change the odds of a game?
The design itself does not, but the rules and payouts printed on it do. Two blackjack tables with different payout lines, or two baccarat tables paying 8 to 1 and 9 to 1 on a tie, have different house edges. That makes the layout a quick way to compare games before you sit down. Our list of lowest house edge games helps with the comparison.
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