Understanding the odds and payouts of any casino game you intend on playing is key, and when playing roulette efficiently is your goal, this practice couldn’t be any more important. In fact, roulette payouts may seem enticing, but knowing which roulette bets are worth the money isn’t always clear-cut.
To that end, join us as we explore the science behind the odds in roulette and help you solidify your understanding of this fundamental aspect of roulette games. After that, you will be able to take your knowledge and apply it to all the roulette tables at LV BET.
HOW CAN YOU INCREASE THE CHANCES OF WINNING IN ROULETTE?
Before getting into the best odds for roulette and roulette payouts, let’s clarify what roulette is all about.
Roulette is a casino game of pure chance where players bet on where the ball lands on the roulette wheel. Although there is no way of influencing where the ball lands, players can still be selective with their betting options to maximise their chance of winning and avoid losing money easily.
First off, you should play European roulette if you want to avoid the staggering 5.25% house edge of an American roulette table. The European game includes a house edge of 2.7%, meaning the casino will see less of your bet.
Furthermore, utilising a betting system and a bankroll management system is extremely important — the two go hand in hand, so do not neglect one or the other. Making smarter betting choices always helps, but in the long run, a player must go for bets with a good probability of paying. Even-money bets are a good option in this regard.
ODDS DEPEND ON THE TYPE OF ROULETTE TABLE
As we’ve mentioned previously, understanding roulette wheel odds is fundamental in order to identify the payout rate of the particular roulette game you wish to play. In this section, you’ll find an in-depth explanation of the odds in roulette variants.
ROULETTE ODDS OF A EUROPEAN ROULETTE WHEEL
The European wheel (also called the Single-zero game) consists of 37 numbered pockets, including the numbers one to 36 and a single green pocket for the number 0. The odds of winning in European roulette depend on the type of bet you make. The European roulette odds differ from bet to bet as follows:
- Straight-up bet: This is a bet on a single number. The odds of landing a win with a straight-up bet in this roulette variant are 1 in 37, or 2.70%.
- Split bet: This is a bet on two adjacent numbers on the table. The odds of landing a win with this bet in this roulette variant are 2 in 37, or 5.41%.
- Street bet: This is a bet on three numbers in a row on the table. The odds of landing a win with this bet in this roulette variant are 3 in 37, or 8.11%.
- Corner bet: This is a bet on four numbers that meet at a corner on the table. The odds of landing a win with this bet in this roulette variant are 4 in 37, or 10.81%.
- Line bet: This is a bet on six numbers that form two adjacent rows on the table. The odds of landing a win with a line bet in this roulette variant are 6 in 37, or 16.22%.
- Dozen bet: This is a bet on a group of 12 numbers – either 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36. The odds of landing a win with a dozen bet in this roulette variant are 12 in 37, or 32.43%.
- Column bet: This is a bet on a column of 12 numbers on the table. The odds of landing a win with a column bet in this roulette variant are 12 in 37, or 32.43%.
- Even/Odd or Red/Black bet: This is a bet on whether the winning number will be even or odd, or red or black. The odds of landing a win with an even/odd or red/black bet in this roulette variant are 18 in 37, or 48.65%.
ROULETTE ODDS OF A FRENCH ROULETTE WHEEL
Similar to the European roulette odds, in French roulette, there are 37 numbered pockets (1-36 and a single zero pocket) coloured red or black. The chance of winning on any given spin of the wheel depends on the type of bet you place.
- Straight up bet (betting on a single number): 1 in 37, or 2.70%.
- Split bet (betting on two adjacent numbers): 1 in 18.5, or 5.41%.
- Street bet (betting on three numbers in a row): 1 in 12.3, or 8.11%.
- Corner bet (betting on four numbers that form a square): 1 in 9.25, or 10.81%.
- Line bet (betting on six numbers in two adjacent rows): 1 in 6.20, or 16.22%.
- Dozen bet (betting on a group of 12 numbers): 1 in 3.10, or 32.43%.
- Column bet (betting on a column of 12 numbers): 1 in 3.10, or 32.43%.
- Red/Black bet (betting on the pocket colour): 1 in 2.06, or 48.60%.
- Even/Odd bet (betting on whether the number will be even or odd): 1 in 2.06 (48.65%)
- Low/High bet (betting on whether the number will be in the low range of 1-18 or the high range of 19-36): 1 in 2.06, or 48.65%.
ROULETTE PAYOUT ODDS IN AMERICAN ROULETTE WHEEL
The American and European roulette wheels are very different. In contrast to European roulette’s 37 pockets, American roulette includes 38 numbered pockets (1-36, a single zero pocket, and a double zero pocket) coloured red or black. This difference severely affects the American roulette odds.
For this reason, the American roulette wheel is sometimes called the “Double-zero wheel”, while European or French tables are called the “Single-zero wheel”.
Here are the American roulette odds:
- Straight up bet (betting on a single number): 1 in 38, or 2.63%.
- Split bet (betting on two adjacent numbers): 1 in 19, or 5.26%.
- Street bet (betting on three numbers in a row): 1 in 12.7, or 7.89%.
- Corner bet (betting on four numbers that form a square): 1 in 9.5, or 10.53%.
- Line bet (betting on six numbers in two adjacent rows): 1 in 6.3, or 15.87%.
- Dozen bet (betting on a group of 12 numbers): 1 in 3.15, or 31.58%.
- Column bet (betting on a column of 12 numbers): 1 in 3.15, or 31.58%.
- Red/Black bet (betting on the pocket colour): 1 in 2.11, or 47.37%.
- Even/Odd bet (betting on whether the number will be even or odd): 1 in 2.11, or 47.37%.
- Low/High bet (betting on whether the number will be in the low range of 1-18 or the high range of 19-36): 1 in 2.11, or 47.37%.
WHAT IS PROBABILITY IN ROULETTE?
Probability in roulette refers to the likelihood of a specific outcome occurring on any given spin of the roulette wheel.
In roulette, the more specific the bet, the lower the probability of winning, but the higher the potential payout. This is why you should remember that bets with the best odds on roulette outcomes rarely pay.
Conversely, the more general the bet, the higher the probability of winning, but the lower the potential payout. Even-money bets are the perfect example of this (such as the Odd or Even and Red or Black bets).
HOW TO CALCULATE THE PROBABILITY IN ROULETTE?
To calculate the probability of winning a bet, one must determine the number of possible winning outcomes and divide it by the total number of possible outcomes.
For example, if a player bets on two numbers on an American roulette wheel, there are two winning outcomes out of 38 possible outcomes, so the probability of winning this bet is 2/38 or approximately 5.26%.
WHAT ARE ROULETTE BETS?
Although roulette is a fairly straightforward game, there are several bets that players can make. Roulette bets are classified into two categories: inside and outside bets.
OUTSIDE BETS WITH A HIGHER PROBABILITY
Outside bets are placed on the areas outside the number grid on the roulette table. These bets generally have a lower payout but also have a higher probability of winning. The types of outside bets include:
- Red or Black: A bet placed on the colour of the number that the ball will land on. The payout is 1 to 1.
- Odd or Even: A bet on whether the number will be odd or even. The payout is 1 to 1.
- High or Low: A bet on whether the number will be in the high half (19-36) or low half (1-18). The payout is 1 to 1.
- Dozens Bet: A bet placed on one of three groups of 12 numbers: 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36. The payout is 2 to 1.
- Column Bets: A bet placed on one of three vertical columns of numbers. The payout is 2 to 1.
INSIDE BETS WITH LOWER PROBABILITY
Inside bets, on the other hand, are placed on the numbers within the number grid on the roulette table. These bets are generally considered to have a higher payout but also have a lower probability of winning.
The types of inside bets include:
- Straight Up Bets: A bet placed on a single number.
- Split Bets: A bet placed on two adjacent numbers on the table.
- Street Bets: A bet placed on three numbers in a single row.
- Corner Bets: A bet placed on four numbers that form a square on the table.
- Basket Bet: A bet placed on the numbers 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3.
CALLED BETS
Also known as Announced bets or Neighbour bets, called bets (or variable called bets) are a type of roulette bet in roulette typically found in European and French roulette.
These bets are made by verbally announcing the bet to the dealer or croupier, who will place the chips on the appropriate section of the roulette table. These bets cover specific sections of the roulette wheel and are typically made by experienced players.
Here are some examples of call bets:
- Voisins du Zéro: This bet covers 17 numbers on the wheel, including the numbers 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, and 25. To place this bet, you need to bet on a minimum of nine chips, and the chips will be placed on various split bets, corner bets, and a trio bet.
- Tiers du Cylindre: This bet covers 12 numbers on the wheel, including the numbers 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, and 33. To place this bet, you need to bet on a minimum of six chips, and the chips will be placed on various split bets and corner bets.
- Orphelins: This bet considers eight numbers on the wheel, including the numbers 17, 34, 6, 1, 20, 14, 31, and 9. To place this bet, you need to bet on a minimum of five chips, and the chips will be placed on various split bets.
ROULETTE HOUSE EDGE
The house edge in roulette refers to the advantage that the casino has over the player. It is expressed as a percentage, and it represents the expected amount that the casino will win over the long run.
The house edge in roulette varies depending on the type of roulette game you’re playing, as well as the specific bets you’re making. European roulette has a house edge of 2.70%, while American roulette has a higher house edge, at 5.25%. French roulette he lowest house edge, at 1.35%, owing to the La Partage rule.
BETTING TABLE IN ONLINE ROULETTE
Playing online roulette is similar to land-based roulette in more ways than one; however, online roulette games tend to offer faster gameplay since:
- It is a single-player game, meaning no other players are placing their bets.
- The dealer is fully automated, as are the wheel and ball. The ball landing on the wheel never takes longer than a few seconds.
Nevertheless, playing roulette at online casinos is similar to the land-based experience, except that it is faster but less immersive.
WHAT ARE THE ODDS IN LIVE ROULETTE?
In most cases, live roulette (played at an online casino with a real dealer) has the same odds as other roulette online games, but different variants might have different odds. To find out the true odds for your live roulette game, check the roulette table odds through the game settings.
CONCLUSION – CHOOSE THE BEST STRATEGY AND INCREASE YOUR ROULETTE ODDS
Although the best odds in roulette offer the highest payout, they rarely end up being winning bets. For example, pursuing a single number bet will yield the highest payout if you’re lucky, but there is only a 2.70% chance of winning. In the long term, this is not feasible.
Therefore, players intent on stretching their bankroll have a different concept of the best roulette bets. Such bets would be even-money bets such as the Red or Black. While it may not offer the highest odds in the game, it has a 48.65% chance of paying — the highest in the game.
Coupled with some well-refined strategies such as the Martingale, players can stretch their potential roulette winnings considerably.
FAQ
✅ What is the best bet in roulette?
That depends on what the player classifies as the best roulette bet. If the player is looking for slightly better odds than even-money bets, then the Single number bet is a great option. On the other hand, if more regular payouts are what you’re after, Odd or Even and Red or Black bets should be your go-to. These bets have the best roulette odds (1 in 2.11).
✅ How can I increase my chances of winning at roulette?
Odds and payouts are not something that a player can influence in roulette. Your best option is to use a strategy to stretch your bankroll for as long as possible.
If you wish to increase your chances of landing a win, we would advise going for a Three number bet instead of a Single bet, since this covers more numbers.
✅ Does knowing the roulette paytable increase my odds of winning?
Understanding the roulette table layout and the roulette payout chart will help you identify your preferred selection of bets, but it won’t increase your chance of winning.
✅ Do I need a roulette odds calculator?
No, you don’t need a calculator to find the odds on roulette. Table games usually offer a view of the payout odds in their ‘Settings’ or ‘Rules‘ tab. Some may even include a roulette payout chart.