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Roulette offers some of the best odds of any real-money casino game, with certain bets giving you nearly a 50/50 chance of winning. Understanding the odds and house edge is key to making informed wagers and developing a smart strategy.
This guide covers the payouts and odds for every bet type in the two most popular roulette variants, along with top tips to help improve your chances of success.
What are the Odds in Roulette?
It’s essential to know what the odds in roulette are before you start betting on roulette at an online casino. Roulette odds and payouts tell you the chances of winning your bet as well as how much money you will win if you bet on the correct outcome.
The likelihood of winning in roulette depends on the bet type. Several bets are available on “little wheel” tables, and each one comes with a built-in house edge, a mathematical advantage the casino has over players. In roulette, this house edge comes from the wheel’s extra zero pocket(s).
As an example, on a standard European roulette wheel, there are numbers 1-36, 18 red and 18 black numbers. There is also the zero, which is green. A bet on red gives you an 18 in 37 chance of winning, which is almost 50%. However, that “almost” is important, and it is what gives the house its edge as it pays out at exactly 50%.
American vs European Roulette House Edge
There are many variations of roulette, but the two most common are European Roulette and American Roulette. While they are very similar in gameplay, there is one key difference: European Roulette has 37 numbers on the wheel (0–36), whereas American Roulette includes an additional “00,” bringing the total to 38 numbers.
This extra pocket has a significant impact on the house edge. In European Roulette, the house edge is 2.7%, meaning that, on average, for every $100 wagered, players receive $97.30 back. In American Roulette, however, the house edge rises to 5.26%, so the average return drops to $94.74. This difference makes European Roulette the better option for improving your chances of winning.
Roulette Wheel Odds
The roulette wheel odds are very important when considering which type of roulette table to play at. In the previous section, we discussed how the zero pocket gives the casino a mathematical advantage over players. In European roulette, there is only one zero on the wheel. However, American roulette features an additional double zero.
This extra zero greatly impacts the roulette wheel odds and means this variation decreases the odds of a player winning. You have a 1 in 37 chance of hitting a straight-up bet in a single zero wheel, but this now becomes 1 in 38 on a double zero wheel. Despite this difference in odds, both tables payout the same at 35 to 1, meaning a bigger house edge.
Which Bets Have the Best Odds in Roulette?
When discussing the best roulette odds, you can view it as the highest odds being the best because they come with the highest payout. The bets with the best odds in this respect are inside bets.
Alternatively, you can look at roulette probability and view the best odds as being the ones you have the best chance of winning on. These types of bets will be the outside bets. Below, we run through the different types of bets and their odds and payouts.
Inside Bets Odds for Roulette
Inside bets refer to bets on specific numbers or small combinations of numbers on the inside part of the betting table. These have some of the best roulette payout odds, but they are much harder to win in terms of probability.
- Straight-Up Bet: A straight bet is when you wager on a single number in a game. It has the best payout for roulette at 35:1.
- Split Bet: A split bet involves betting on two different numbers. A single chip is placed in the line between two numbers, and if the ball lands in either one, you win and are paid out at 17:1.
- Street Bet: A street bet is a bet on three sequential numbers in a horizontal line on the board, such as 1-3,4-7,8-10, etc. The game has 12 possible street bets, which payout at 11:1.
- Corner (Square) Bet: This is a bet on four numbers that form a square on the board, and the payout for this is 8:1.
- Six-Line Double Street Bet: A six-line or double street bet covers 6 numbers in sequential order, such as 1-6, 4-9, 10-16, etc. There are 11 possible double street bets on the roulette table, and they pay out at 5:1.
Outside Bets Odds for Roulette
Outside bets give you the best chance of winning as they have the lowest casino roulette odds. This is because they reduce the table to two or three sections, meaning there are only two or three possible outcomes, making the odds lower and the chances of you winning much higher.
For example, you can bet on the number being red or black, and 18 out of the 37 pockets are red and 18 black. So, the chances of winning outside bets are between 32% and 48% depending on the bet. All outside bets lose if the ball lands in a zero pocket. Let’s have a look at the available outside bets in roulette:
- Red or Black: A wager on whether the ball will land on a red or black number that pays out at 1:1, the lowest possible payout for roulette.
- Odd or Even: A wager on whether the ball will land on an odd or even number that pays out at 1:1.
- High or Low: A wager on whether the ball will land on a low number (1-18) or a high number (19-36) that pays out at 1:1.
- Dozens: A bet on whether the ball will and on the first dozen (1-12), the second dozen (13-24), or the third dozen (25-36). This pays out at 2:1.
- Columns: A wager on whether the ball will land on 1 of 3 specific columns, each of which covers 12 numbers on the board. This pays out at 2:1
Joe YarnoldCasino & Betting Expert
Payouts for Roulette
As discussed earlier, all bets have a set house edge gained from the zero pocket(s). The payouts for American and European roulette are the same, but the odds are higher for American roulette. Because of this, the house edge for American roulette is 5.26%, which is 2.56% higher than European roulette’s house edge of 2.70%.
Most people prefer to spread their bets when betting on straight numbers, so working out the payout-to-bet ratio can be challenging without a roulette odds calculator. A simple way to do this is by using the sum 36/Bet-1=Payout. For example, if you bet an equal amount on six numbers, you do 36/6 – 1 = 5, so your payout is 5:1
Roulette Table Payout Charts
Roulette table odds are among the most player-friendly in online casinos, with certain outside bets offering nearly a 50/50 chance of winning. However, the odds drop sharply when you move to inside bets, though the payouts become much larger. In short, the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward.
In this section, we’ll look at the roulette table odds, payouts, and chances of winning for each bet type in both European and American Roulette.
European Roulette Odds Chart
For the best odds in roulette, the European variation is your top choice. With one fewer number than American Roulette, your chances of winning are significantly improved. The table below shows the payouts and your statistical odds of winning.
| Bet Type | Payout | European Roulette Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Straight-Up | 35:1 | 2.70% (1/37) |
| Split | 17:1 | 5.41% (2/37) |
| Street | 11:1 | 8.11% (3/37) |
| Corner (Square) | 8:1 | 10.81% (4/37) |
| Six Line (Double Street) | 5:1 | 16.22% (6/37) |
| Column | 2:1 | 32.43% (12/37) |
| Dozen | 2:1 | 32.43% (12/37) |
| Red/Black | 1:1 | 48.65% (18/37) |
| Odd/Even | 1:1 | 48.65% (18/37) |
| High/Low (1-18/19-36) | 1:1 | 48.65% (18/37) |
American Roulette Odds Chart
With one more pocket than European American roulette is less advantageous for players. You can view the the full American roulette odds and payout for each possible bet in the chart below:
| Bet Type | Payout | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|---|
| Straight-Up | 35:1 | 2.63% (1/38) |
| Split | 17:1 | 5.26% (2/38) |
| Street | 11:1 | 7.89% (3/38) |
| Corner (Square) | 8:1 | 10.53% (4/38) |
| Six Line (Double Street) | 5:1 | 15.79% (6/38) |
| Column | 2:1 | 31.58% (12/38) |
| Dozen | 2:1 | 31.58% (12/38) |
| Red/Black | 1:1 | 47.37% (18/38) |
| Odd/Even | 1:1 | 47.37% (18/38) |
| High/Low (1-18/19-36) | 1:1 | 47.37% (18/38) |
| Five Number Bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) | 6:1 | 13.16% (5/38) |
Which Roulette Bets Have the Worst Odds?
Based on the likelihood of the outcome occurring, the worst odds are bets on straight numbers, as you have a 1-in-37 (2.70%) or 1-in-38 (2.63%) chance of happening However, they also have the best payout odds at 35:1. Bet types in roulette with the best odds of occurring are red/black, odd/even, or high/low but have the lowest payout.
The worst bet in roulette is the five-number, or “basket,” bet found only on American roulette tables. It covers the pockets 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. With odds of winning at just 13.61% and a payout of only 6:1, it carries a steep house edge of 7.89%, over 2.5% higher than other American Roulette bets and more than 5% higher than European Roulette bets.
Is it Possible to Improve Your Chances of Winning Roulette?
Roulette is a game of chance, and unlike games like blackjack or video poker, there’s no legal strategy for decreasing the house edge at in-person or online roulette sites. However, there are steps players can take to improve their chances of success in the long run.
More Helpful Roulette Guides
Learn more about how to play roulette and different roulette betting strategies in our guides below.
Our Final Thoughts
Knowing exactly what roulette odds are is essential. While no strategy can change the odds of winning or the house edge, understanding them allows you to make smarter decisions, apply the right strategies, and, most importantly, manage your bankroll effectively.
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