Hi Bob,
You wrote 'On the layout in front of the dealer there's an oval with the numbers as they appear on the wheel on it.'
We have the same here in Europe even with the Double zero layout.
It is easy to place bet like I love to do. A number and their neighbours left and right from the nr. With the wheel layout on velvet in a oval you can place for instance 3 chips on a nr and automaticly you have 1 chip on the nr and its neighbours. I like it a lot.
I leave back to Paris in a few ours on the TGV train at 200mph. Just 1hour 25 min Brussels to Paris. Email you from work or so
Take care and kind regards
Bob R-4479 Belgium