Roulette bets and odds explained
This guide will explain the roulette bets and payouts to help you prepare your next session of this popular casino game. Keep reading to find out how the different bets work, their probability, and odds.
Roulette House Edge
House edge refers to the amount of money a casino (or the house) can make in any game. It is generally quite small, but it can totally change the outcome. The house edge in European Roulette is about 2.7%. This means that for every €100 the player bets, they lose €2.7. In American Roulette, the house edge is 5.26%.
European Roulette vs American Roulette Payouts
There are two main types of roulette tables: American and European. The main difference between American and European Roulette is the wheel layout. In the American version, the wheel has 36 pockets in black and red with numbers from 1 to 36. It also has two extra green pockets for a single 0 (0) and a double 0 (00). European Roulette has 36 black and red numbered pockets. However, this version has only one green pocket for zero.
Roulette Bets and Their Payout Odds
There are quite a high number of roulette bets that players can choose from. Below are the roulette odds explained:
Inside Bets
The inside bets in roulette are made on the numbers that are inside the rectangle. There are different bets to choose from here as well.
Straight Up
A straight-up bet can be made on any number. You can pick any number between 1 and 36. Once the wheel spins, if the ball lands on your number, you win. If not, you lose. Straight bets pay 35:1.
Split
The opposite of a straight bet is the split bet. This bet is placed on the line separating two numbers next to each other on the table. You bet on both numbers, that is, you split the bet between the two numbers. You win if either of the numbers comes up on the wheel. For instance, you can wager on 2|5, 13|14, 13|16, 25|26, and so on. The split bet pays 17:1.
Street
The street bet is made on a row of three numbers. You win if the ball lands on any of the three numbers and you get paid 11:1. Other names for this bet are trio and steam bets. For instance, you can bet on:
- 1, 2, 3
- 4, 5, 6
- 7, 8, 9
- …34, 35, 36
Corner
Similar to the split bet, the corner bet splits the wager between four numbers instead of two. The four numbers need to be touching the table, forming a square. This bet pays 8:1. It is also called a square bet. A few possible combinations for this are as follows:
- 2, 3, 5, 6
- 29, 30, 32, 33
Basket
The basket or the ‘first four’ bet pays 6:1. It is only made on the numbers 0,1, 2, and 3. This bet can be made in American as well as European Roulette. A variation of this is the five-numbered bet which includes 00 also.
Double Street
This is a unique bet that combines four separate bets–two separate street bets, one straight-up bet, and a corner bet. In total, you bet on 17 numbers. The odds of winning are 5:1.
Outside Bets
Outside bets are made outside of the rectangle, on the perimeter of the roulette table. Usually, they are made on groups of colours or numbers, instead of specific numbers.
Red or Black
In this, you simply bet on whether the ball will roll on a red number or black number on the table. The odds in this bet are 1:1, or even money bet. However, the odds are lesser than 50/50 because of the presence of 0 and/or 00 on the wheel. Both of these are neither black or red.
Odd or Even
In this, you are betting on whether the ball will land on an odd number or an even number on the wheel. Similar to the red/black bet, this is also an even money bet, that is, 1:1. And like that one, the odds of winning are lesser than 50/50 due to the presence of 0 and/or 00.
High or Low
The number on the wheel is divided between high numbers and low numbers. The player bets on this entire range on the roulette betting board. You win if you bet on low and get a number that has been 1 and 18. You win if you bet on high and get a number between 19 and 36. These are also even money bets.
Column
This bet is similar to the street bet, which bets on rows of numbers. The column bet can be used to wager on columns of twelve numbers on the roulette table. There are only three possible columns for this and the pay is 2:1, or you can double your bet.
- Columns 1 – 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34
- Columns 2 – 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 35
- Columns 3 – 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36
Dozen
Remember that the roulette wheel has numbers from 1 to 36, that is, three dozen. The dozen bet covers a dozen numbers, but this can only be counted in a particular order. You can bet on any one dozen and you win if the ball lands on any number in that dozen.
- Dozen 1 – 1 to 12
- Dozen 2 – 13 to 24
- Dozen 3 – 25 to 36
Special Bets
There are some special bets which are exclusive to the European or French Roulette tables. They are sometimes also known as call bets. These need to be announced to the croupier instead of you just placing your chips on the table by yourself.
Here are some of the special bets:
Neighbours of Zero
The name of this bet is translated from ‘Voisins du Zero’. The neighbours of zero bet covers the 17 numbers that are closest to 0 on the roulette wheel. These include 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25. Due to the combination of numbers you are betting on, you are placing more than one bet. This best requires at least nine chips, placed in different types of bets across the roulette table: two chips on the 0, 2, 3 trios, one on the 4/7 split, one on 12/15, one on 18/21, one on 19/22, two on the 25/26/28/29 corner, and one on 32/35.
Zero
Also called ‘Jeu Zero’, this bet means that you are wagering on the numbers that are closest to 0 on the roulette wheel–12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15. You have to use four chips in this bet, with three placed on splits (0/3, 12/15, 32/35) and one on a straight-up (26).
Thirds of the Wheel
The French term for this is ‘Tiers du Cylindre’. This bet is placed on the 12 numbers on the opposite side of the 0 on the roulette wheel including 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33. You need to use six chips in this one, with a single chip placed on each of the following splits–5/8, 10/11, 13/16, 23/24, 27/30, and 33/36.
Orphans
The numbers that are left over after the neighbours of zero and thirds of the wheel bet are called orphans. These numbers make up two slices of the wheel and include the numbers: 17, 34, 6, 1, 20, 14, 31, and 9. In an orphan bet, five bets are placed on four splits and one straight-up bet: 6/9, 14/17, 17/20, 31/34, and 1.
How to Calculate Roulette Payouts
The number of bets and possible payout options can seem confusing and intimidating at first. However, there is a simple trick to calculate this.
Once you decide on your bet (or bets), you will know how many squares your bet covers on the table. Divide 36 by that number and then subtract 1 from that figure to get your odds. For instance, if you are making a corner bet, that means you bet on four numbers. Upon dividing 36 by 4, you get 9. Subtract 1 and you get 8. Therefore, the payout rate for a corner bet is 8:1. So, if you bet €10, your payout will be €110 if you win.
Conclusions
Like most casino games, roulette is a game of chance. Players who have been playing it for years may have acquired the skill to strategise and reduce the house edge. But there is no guarantee of a win in this game where the outcomes cannot be predicted. Despite this, it is still a game to explore when joining a live casino.
FAQs
Q. What are the odds of hitting 00?
A. The odds of this are 18:1.
Q. What are the odds of hitting red or black?
A. The odds are 50/51 because the 0 on the wheel is green. If you land on this, neither black nor red wins.
Q. What are the odds on green in roulette?
A. You have a 35/1 chance of winning by betting on green.
Q. Which variation has better odds–American or European? A. Because of only one green number in European, the odds are better in this one.