Roulette bets: What you can bet on in roulette

The bottom line is simple though: the fewer outcomes covered by one bet, the higher the potential payout, but the lower the probability of winning. In contrast, bets that cover a large number of numbers bring lower payouts, but hit more often. None of these options change the casino's basic mathematical advantage, so choosing a bet should not be seen as a way to guarantee a win.

This guide explains what you can bet on in roulette, how inside and outside bets differ, what the standard payouts are, and what to look out for in European and American roulette.

How the roulette betting board works

A standard roulette table displays numbers from 1 to 36, divided into three columns. There is a zero next to them, and in American roulette there is also an additional field 00. The numbers from 1 to 36 are marked in red or black, while 0 and 00 are green.

The player places chips on specific fields or lines between fields, and the exact position of the chips determines which bet they have chosen. For example, a chip placed directly on a number represents a bet on one number, while a chip on a line between two numbers represents a bet on both numbers.

Bets are usually divided into two large groups: internal and external. Inside bets are located in the main part of the board, where the numbers are, and usually cover between one and six numbers. The outer ones are placed around the main field and include larger groups of numbers, such as red, black, even or odd numbers.

An overview of the most important bets in European roulette

The percentages in the table refer to European roulette with 37 fields, i.e. The numbers 1–36 and one zero. It is important to note that even a bet on red or black does not have exactly a 50% chance of winning, because the green zero does not belong to any color.

Inside bets in roulette

Inside roulette bets attract players because of the higher potential payouts. Their disadvantage is that they cover a small number of possible outcomes. Because of this, they can produce longer streaks without winning, even when a player uses the same bet type multiple times.

Bet on one number – Straight Up

The simplest inside bet is to pick just one number, including 0. The chip is placed directly on the selected number. If the ball lands on him, the standard payout is 35:1.

On European roulette, the probability of hitting a particular number is 1 in 37, or approximately 2.70%. This means that the high payout exists precisely because the hit is relatively rare.

Split – bet on two numbers

Split covers two adjacent numbers on the table layout. The token is placed on the line that separates them. An example could be a combination of 8 and 11 or 17 and 18, provided the numbers touch on the board.

The standard payout is 17:1. The player wins if the ball lands on any of the two chosen numbers.

Street – bet on three numbers

Street covers three numbers in one horizontal row, for example 10, 11 and 12. The token is placed on the outer edge of the corresponding row.

The payout is 11:1. In European roulette, this bet covers three out of a total of 37 possible outcomes.

Corner – four numbers at once

A Corner or Square bet involves four numbers that form a square on the board, for example 14, 15, 17 and 18. The chip is placed at the point where the four squares touch.

The standard payout is 8:1. This option represents a middle ground between very narrow bets on one or two numbers and wider bets covering six or more numbers.

Six Line - two adjacent streets

Six Line covers six numbers, i.e. Two adjacent horizontal rows. If rows 13–15 and 16–18 are selected, any ball ending in the number 13 to 18 wins.

The standard payout is 5:1. Compared to a Straight Up bet, the potential win is lower, but six times as many numbers are covered.

Outside bets in roulette

Outside bets cover more of the board and are therefore often considered more accessible to beginners. Their payouts are lower, but the probability of a single hit is higher than with inside bets.

The most famous outside bets are:

• Red or black – the player chooses the color of the winning number. Each color covers 18 numbers, while zero remains outside both groups. The payout is 1:1.
• Even or Odd - the bet covers 18 even or 18 odd numbers from 1 to 36. Zero counts as neither even nor odd in the context of roulette bets. The payout is 1:1.
• Low or high numbers - it is possible to play 1-18 or 19-36. Both options cover 18 numbers each and pay 1:1.
• Dozens - the board is divided into 1-12, 13-24 and 25-36. Each dozen covers 12 numbers, with a standard payout of 2:1.
• Columns - it is possible to choose one of three vertical columns with 12 numbers each. The payout is also 2:1.

In all these bets zero plays an important role. If the ball lands on 0, a standard bet on red, black, even, odd, 1–18 or 19–36 loses, unless the particular game version applies a special rule like La Partage or En Prison.

Bets on dozens and columns

Dozens and Columns often stand out as a separate category because they cover 12 numbers each and offer a 2:1 cover width to payout ratio.

When betting on a dozen, the player chooses one of three groups: the first dozen includes numbers 1–12, the second 13–24, and the third 25–36. Columns work differently: the numbers are grouped vertically according to their position on the table.

Mathematically speaking, in European roulette both the dozen and the column cover 12 of the 37 possible outcomes. That gives a hit probability of approximately 32.43%. Zero is not part of any of those groups.

It is important to understand that the fact that a dozen or column did not come out several rounds in a row does not mean that they are "required" to appear. Each roulette spin represents a new event and previous results do not change the probability of the next outcome on a properly functioning roulette wheel.

Special bets on European roulette

On French and certain European tables, you can also find so-called announced or sector bets. They are not based on the arrangement of the numbers on the table, but on their physical position on the wheel itself.

Voisins du Zéro covers the large sector around zero, Tiers du Cylindre covers the sector opposite zero, while Orphelins covers numbers not included in the previous two sectors. There is also Jeu Zéro, a narrower group of numbers immediately around zero.

These bets often require more chips, as they actually consist of a combination of several smaller inside bets. That is why the player should check the total amount to be bet, not just the value of one chip, before placing.

European and American roulette are not the same

The type of roulette directly affects the probability and mathematical advantage of the casino. European roulette has 37 fields: 1–36 and one zero. The American one has 38, because it contains 00 in addition to 0.

For standard bets, European Roulette has a house edge of approximately 2.70%, while American Roulette is generally around 5.26%. The reason is not a different payout on the base bets, but an additional 00 field that increases the number of possible losing outcomes.

American Roulette also has a special bet known as the Five Number or Basket, which covers 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3. The payout is usually 6:1, and the casino edge on that particular bet is around 7.89%, making it mathematically less favorable than most standard options.

What do La Partage and En Prison mean

Certain versions of French and European roulette offer rules that can reduce the casino's effective edge on bets with a 1:1 payout.

La Partage means that when the ball ends up on zero, the player only loses half of the stakes on certain outside bets. En Prison works by locking such a bet for the next spin, and its final outcome depends on the table rules and the next result.

With a properly applied La Partage rule, the house edge on qualified even-money bets can drop from around 2.70% to around 1.35%. That is why it is useful to read the rules of the particular version of roulette before starting the game.

Which roulette bets have the highest chance of winning

Looking only at the probability of an individual winning outcome, bets on red/black, even/odd and 1–18/19–36 cover the most standard numbers – a total of 18. In European roulette, their probability of winning is approximately 48.65%.

That doesn't mean they are "safe" though. It is possible for the same suit to come up many times in a row or for a player to experience a series of losses even on a bet that statistically hits relatively often. Roulette does not have a betting system that can remove the casino's edge.

On the other hand, Straight Up has the lowest probability of hitting, but also the highest standard payout. Therefore, the choice between inside and outside bets is actually a choice between higher variance and more frequent but smaller wins.

How to choose a bet smarter

It is most useful to first understand the rules, the payouts and the total amount at risk. A player who distributes chips on multiple numbers may feel that he has "covered half the table", but the sum of all the individual bets can be much higher than it appears at first glance.

It is also a good idea to check whether European or American roulette is being played, whether there are La Partage or En Prison rules, and what the minimum and maximum stakes are on the table.

Systems like Martingale, Fibonacci or D'Alembert do not change the probability of the outcome or remove the casino's edge. They only determine the way to change the size of the stakes after a win or loss, and aggressively raising stakes can lead to big losses very quickly.

That's why roulette should be seen as a game of chance and fun, not as a way to make money. A predetermined budget, a game time limit and avoiding trying to "recoup" losses by raising stakes are more important than any system.

Which roulette bet to choose?

Roulette bets range from very narrow choices, such as one specific number, to broad options such as red or black, even or odd, and low or high numbers. Between them are split, street, corner, six line, dozens and columns, while certain European tables also offer sector bets such as Voisins du Zéro.

The most important thing is to understand the relationship between probability and payoff. A higher payout almost always means that the bet covers fewer possible outcomes, while a lower payout usually follows a wider coverage. At the same time, no choice can guarantee a win or nullify the casino's mathematical advantage.

For a player who wants to understand roulette betting, the best place to start is at a European table with one zero and clearly laid out rules. Knowing how the chips are placed, what numbers each bet covers and how much is actually being risked allows for more informed play and easier budget control.