Roulette Odds and Payouts Guide
Roulette is a popular table game that offers good odds and high potential payouts.
Despite being a game of chance, learning about roulette odds and payouts is still advantageous, as the variants and types of bets you make directly influence your success.
This guide will give you all the necessary information to make informed decisions. It will cover the different roulette variants and then take an in-depth look at bets, including the house edge and payouts.
Table of Contents
Everything You Need To Play Roulette
Roulette Odds Explained
Roulette odds and probability are closely related but slightly different.
Let’s look at concepts that roulette players need to know to understand how this works.
True Odds Vs. Casino Odds
When you see the various bets, you’ll notice two concepts: odds and “true odds.” Let’s take a look at the difference between the two terms:
Odds
Odds give you the payout information, taking into account the probability of winning and the potential reward. So 35-to-1 odds mean you receive $35 for a winning $1 bet.
True Odds
True odds indicate how many roulette spins it would take for a winning spin, so true odds of 37-to-1 means you would typically see a winning hand every 37 spins.
Roulette Probabilities
Roulette probability gives players their percentage chance of winning. This percentage is stated in two ways: the house edge and the return-to-player.
House Edge
The house edge shows the casino’s advantage – usually between 1.35% and 5.26% in roulette. A house edge of 1.35% means players expect to lose $1.35 of every $100 they wager.
RTP%
Return-to-player (RTP) is the amount of $100 wagered you’d expect to win. The RTP in the above scenario would be 98.65%. Notice how the house edge and RTP add up to 100%.
How Does Roulette House Edge Compare with Other Table Games?
Compared to games with the lowest house edge, the standard house edge in roulette is 2.76% (playing European roulette).
Most blackjack games have a house edge of around 0.5% to 2%, baccarat is just over 1%, pai gow poker is 1.46%, and finally, craps are 1.41% on the pass line, and the odds bet in craps has no house edge at all.
So, if you look at it from a purely mathematical perspective, then roulette isn’t grand. You’ll find better odds at other games.
However, simplicity is sometimes best for the casual player, and it doesn’t get much simpler than roulette.
Roulette is easy to grasp, entertaining, and can provide hours of fun with little effort compared to other casino games.
This makes it a beautiful table game for many players.
How to Calculate Roulette Payouts
You can calculate the roulette payout by how many numbered pockets are on a wheel.
Game rules determine the odds of winning a particular bet and then offer payouts slightly lower than the true odds. So, a bet with 37-to-1 true odds has a payout of 35-to-1.
Odds and Payouts of Outside Bets
An outside bet is a wager on a set of either 12 or 18 numbers. The name of these wagers comes from the fact that you place the chips on the outside numbers of the roulette table layout.
In every case, the house edge is derived from the zero pockets on the wheel (where no outside bet wins).
Because more numbers are involved, your odds of winning are better. Conversely, the payouts are smaller. These are called outside bets because of where players place chips.
Dozen Bet
A wager on twelve numbers, either 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36.
Odds and Payout
- European Roulette: 32.4%
- American Roulette: 31.6%
- Payout: 2:1
Column Bet
A wager on twelve numbers, either Column 1, Column 2, or Column 3, on the roulette table.
Odds and Payout
- European Roulette: 32.4%
- American Roulette: 31.6%
- Payout: 2:1
High-Low Bet
A wager on 18 numbers, either the 1-18 or 19-36. The 1-18 wager is the low option, and the 19-36 bet is the high option.
Odds and Payout
- European Roulette: 48.6%
- American Roulette: 47.4%
- Payout: 1:1
Black-Red Bet
A wager on 18 numbers, in this case, either the red numbers or black numbers.
Odds and Payout
- European Roulette: 48.6%
- American Roulette: 47.4%
- Payout: 1:1
Even-Odd Bet
A wager on 18 numbers, in this case, either the odd numbers or even numbers.
Odds and Payout
- European Roulette: 48.6%
- American Roulette: 47.4%
- Payout: 1:1
Serpent Bet
A wager on twelve numbers that crisscross or snake across the betting layout.
Odds and Payout
- European Roulette: 32.4%
- American Roulette: 31.6%
- Payout: 2:1
Odds and Payouts of Inside Bets
These bets are placed inside the numbered layout on the roulette table.
They involve fewer numbers (between 1 and 6), and the payouts are bigger. But keep in mind that your winning chances are lower.
Straight Bet
A one-number bet is also called a single bet. It’s the simplest one. To make this wager, place your chip inside the number’s box.
Odds and Payout
- European Roulette: 2.7%
- American Roulette: 2.6%
- Payout: 35:1
Split Bet
This is a two-number bet that is adjacent to the roulette table. You have to place the chip on the line between the two numbers.
Odds and Payout
- European Roulette: 8.1%
- American Roulette: 5.3%
- Payout: 17:1
Street Bet
A three-number bet is so-called because they line up 3 in a row on the table layout.
Odds and Payout
- European Roulette: 8.1%
- American Roulette: 7.9%
- Payout: 11:1
Corner Bet
You place the square bet on four numbers in adjoining boxes.
Odds and Payout
- European Roulette: 10.8%
- American Roulette: 10.5%
- Payout: 8:1
Basket Bet
A five-number bet is only offered in American Roulette, which includes the numbers 0-00-1-2-3.
Odds and Payout
- European Roulette: 16.2%
- American Roulette: 15.8%
- Payout: 8:1
Double Street Bet
A six-number bet is so-called because it’s two street wagers on top of one another.
Odds and Payout
- European Roulette: 13.5%
- American Roulette: 13.2%
- Payout: 5:1
Odds and Payouts of Called Bets
Called bets –sometimes announced– are a facet of French Roulette. You can announce your wager while the roulette wheel still spins (but the ball hasn’t dropped into the cylinder).
Because players wager on multiple numbers, specific numbers will lose on each. The casino thus provides big payouts when one of your numbers wins. As complicated as these wagers seem, the house edge is 2.70%, the same as European Roulette.
Placing the chips for these bets can be complicated, so get instructions before placing them.
Neighbors of Zero
It is a seventeen-number bet on the numbers surrounding zero on the wheel. The numbers are 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, and 25. You need to place at least nine chips to cover the numbers.
Odds and Payouts
- Odds: 45.9%
- Payout: It can go as high as 24:1
Thirds of the Wheel
This covers precisely one-third of the roulette wheel. It’s a twelve-number bet on the opposite numbers ranging between 27 and 33 on the wheel. The numbers are 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, and 33.
Odds and Payouts
- Odds: 32.4%
- Payout: Up to 17:1
Zero Game
A seven-number bet on the numbers closest to zero on the wheel. The “Jeu Zero” wager includes 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, and 15. It’s one of the cheaper types of roulette wagers.
Odds and Payouts
- Odds: 18.9%
- Payout: Up to 26:1
The Orphans
An eight-number bet on the remaining numbers that aren’t in the Neighbors of Zero or Thirds of the Wheel wagers. The numbers are 17, 34, 6, 1, 20, 14, 31, and 9.
Odds and Payouts
- Odds: 21.6%
- Payout: 35:1 or 17:1
Roulette Pay Tables
Here are some roulette payout tables from different roulette game variations.
You’ll notice they are pretty similar, with some bets and payouts differing depending on the game type, the casino, and the number of balls.
American Roulette Pay Table
Here’s an example of a pay table from an American Roulette game. The theoretical RTP is 97.30% with a 2.70% house edge.
This is a much lower house edge than the average 5.26% house edge for American Roulette games.
| Bet | Numbers | Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Single Numbers (Straight) | 1 Number | 35 to 1 |
| Split | 2 Numbers | 17 to 1 |
| Street | 3 Numbers | 11 to 1 |
| Corner | 4 Numbers | 8 to 1 |
| Top Line | 5 Numbers | 6 to 1 |
| Six-Line | 6 Numbers | 5 to 1 |
| Any Dozen | 12 Numbers | 2 to 1 |
| Any Column | 12 Numbers | 2 to 1 |
| Low or High | 18 Numbers | 1 to 1 |
| Even or Odd | 18 Numbers | 1 to 1 |
| Red or Black | 18 Numbers | 1 to 1 |
Bets placed on “0, 00”, “0,1”, and “00, 3” are also considered split bets.
*Some casinos will also consider the 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 combinations to pay 6: 1.
European Roulette Pay Table
This is a European roulette pay table example with a roulette wheel with 37 slots numbered from 0 – 36.
| Bet | Numbers | Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Single Numbers (Straight) | 1 Number | 35 to 1 |
| Split | 2 Numbers | 17 to 1 |
| Street | 3 Numbers | 11 to 1 |
| Corner | 4 Numbers | 8 to 1 |
| Line | 6 Numbers | 5 to 1 |
| Column or Twelve | 12 Numbers | 2 to 1 |
| Low or High | 18 Numbers | 1 to 1 |
| Even or Odd | 18 Numbers | 1 to 1 |
| Red or Black | 18 Numbers | 1 to 1 |
*Bets placed on “0,1,2” and “0,2,3” are also considered street bets.
Double Ball Roulette Pay Table
Here’s a roulette pay table example of an American roulette game with two balls. You’ll usually find more favorable roulette odds when playing with two balls than the single-ball American roulette version.
| Bet | Ball Landings | Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Straight up bet | At least one ball | 17 to 1 |
| Split | At least one ball | 8 to 1 |
| 3 Line | At least one ball | 5 to 1 |
| 4 Corner | At least one ball | 3 to 1 |
| 6 Line | At least one ball | 2 to 1 |
| Double ball | Both balls | 1200 to 1 |
| Any same number | Both balls | 35 to 1 |
| Same dozen | Both balls | 8 to 1 |
| Same column | Both balls | 8 to 1 |
| Odd or Even | Both balls | 3 to 1 |
| Black or Red | Both balls | 3 to 1 |
| High or Low | Both balls | 3 to 1 |
| Black and Red Play | One ball on a black number and the other on a red number | 1 to 1 |
*Online casinos with double-ball roulette games will usually offer juicy jackpots when players have both balls landing in the same space.
European Vs. American Roulette Odds
Now, let’s compare American and European roulette head-to-head.
As you can see, despite the payouts being the same for all the listed bets, the odds of hitting one are slightly better when playing European roulette.
| Bet | Roulette Payout | European Roulette Odds | American Roulette Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up bet | 35:1 | 2.70% | 2.63% |
| Two Numbers | 17:1 | 5.40% | 5.26% |
| Three Numbers | 11:1 | 8.10% | 7.89% |
| Four Numbers | 8:1 | 10.81% | 10.52% |
| Five Numbers | 6:1 | 13.51% | 13.15% |
| Six Numbers | 5:1 | 16.21% | 15.79% |
| 12 Numbers (Dozen/Column) | 2:1 | 31.43% | 31.58% |
| 18 Numbers (Red/Black/Even/Odd/High/Low) | 1:1 | 48.65% | 47.37% |
Tips to Improve Your Odds of Winning
While the game of roulette doesn’t have a lot of strategies that lower the house edge, the following tips can help you play roulette with better odds. Most of these recommendations involve finding the table with the best chance of winning.
Follow the tips below, and you’ll play with the best roulette odds available.
Play Free Games and Practice
Online roulette offers free versions of every casino game. Use the “Practice” mode of free online roulette to master the game controls and learn the rules without risking your bankroll.
Know the Bets’ Odds and Payouts
Know the odds and payouts every time you make a roulette bet. Most bets have the same odds, but this helps you avoid the rare sucker bet like the Basket Bet.
Spread Your Bets
To lower volatility, spread your bets around the table. Betting on a single number is fun when you win but causes long-losing streaks.
Try Roulette Strategies
Use a roulette strategy or betting system, but avoid techniques that are proven to be harmful. Do not use progressive betting schemes if you are a beginner.
Extend Winning Streaks
Use bankroll management tips to avoid gambler’s fallacy and other pitfalls of gambling. Loss limits ensure you don’t have long-losing streaks or chase lost bets. Flat betting with 1% or less of your bankroll ensures you play longer.
Pick European Roulette When You Can
If given a chance, play European or French Roulette. Unless house rules are used, single-zero (European) roulette has a house edge of one-half as much as the American version.
Make the Best Roulette Bets and Win!
Learning the odds and payouts of each type of bet can help you maximize profits. This can be confusing, considering that there are many variants, each with its unique rules and payouts depending on the online casino.
Since roulette is a game of chance, you should make strategic choices that give you the best odds of success.
Balancing your betting strategy between high-probability and low-payout bets, and low-probability and high-payout bets can help manage your bankroll and maximize enjoyment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few common questions that roulette players ask about odds and payouts.
What is the highest payout in roulette?
The straight bet has the highest payout in roulette.
How do you calculate roulette payouts?
To calculate the roulette payouts, you’ll have to multiply the bet amount with the corresponding multiplier on the game’s paytable. The final winning amount for the round is calculated with the sum of each winning bet. Remember, you can make multiple bets, and each bet can have its win.
What does 00 pay in American roulette?
Any single bet number, including zero and double zero, would pay 35 to 1.
