Roulette has more betting options than most people realise, and knowing which ones to use can save you a lot of money.
I’ve sat at enough roulette tables — both in actual casinos and online — to have made pretty much every mistake you can make. Throwing chips on random numbers because they “felt due,” hammering single numbers for twenty spins straight, ignoring the outside bets because they seemed boring. You live and learn, mostly by losing.
This is my proper roulette betting guide — every bet type laid out plainly, with the real odds, the payout, and my honest take on whether it’s worth your time. No fluff, no system-selling, just what I wish someone had told me earlier.
One thing before we start: always play European roulette over American if you have the choice. European has one zero, American has two. That one extra zero roughly doubles the house edge, from 2.7% to 5.26%. There’s genuinely no good reason to play American roulette unless it’s the only wheel available.
The Inside Bets — High Risk, High Reward
Inside bets are the ones placed directly on numbers. They pay more, but they hit less often. These are the bets that make roulette feel exciting and also the ones most responsible for people burning through their bankroll in fifteen minutes.
Straight Up (Single Number)
- Odds of winning: 1 in 37 (European), 1 in 38 (American)
- Payout: 35/1
You pick one number, and if it lands, you get paid 35 to 1. Sounds incredible until you realise the true odds are 36 to 1, so the casino keeps the difference. I love a cheeky straight-up bet as much as anyone — there’s nothing quite like watching your number come in — but I wouldn’t build a session around it. Treat it like a lottery ticket. One or two chips maximum, for the thrill of it.
Split (Two Numbers)
- Odds of winning: 2 in 37
- Payout: 17/1
You place your chip on the line between two adjacent numbers. Covers both, pays 17/1. A slight improvement on the single number in terms of hit rate, but you’re still in volatile territory. Fine for covering a couple of nearby numbers you fancy without spreading too thin.
Street (Three Numbers)
- Odds of winning: 3 in 37
- Payout: 11/1
A row of three numbers across the table. Chip goes at the end of the row. Slightly more coverage again. I use these occasionally when I want to stay in a section of the board without going full outside bet territory.
Corner (Four Numbers)
- Odds of winning: 4 in 37
- Payout: 8/1
Chip sits at the intersection of four numbers forming a square. Decent coverage, decent payout. Honestly one of the more sensible inside bets if you’re going to play inside at all. Not boring, not suicidal.
Line Bet (Six Numbers)
- Odds of winning: 6 in 37
- Payout: 5/1
Two rows of three, so six numbers total. Chip goes at the edge between two streets. This is where inside bets start to feel almost reasonable. Nearly a 1 in 6 chance, pays 5/1. I actually use these quite a bit as a middle ground when I’m not feeling bold enough for singles but want more than the outside bets offer.
The Outside Bets — Boring But Brilliant
Outside bets sit around the edges of the table and cover large chunks of the wheel at once. Lower payouts, but they hit more often. These are the bets serious players lean on, and honestly, they’re the reason I can still afford to go to the casino.
Red or Black
- Odds of winning: 18 in 37
- Payout: 1/1 (evens)
Pick a colour, covers 18 numbers. Pays even money. The zero is where the house edge comes from — it belongs to neither colour. Simple, effective, and the foundation of most betting systems (Martingale, D’Alembert, etc.). I use red/black regularly when I want longer sessions without big swings.
Odd or Even
- Odds of winning: 18 in 37
- Payout: 1/1
Exactly the same structure as red/black, just split by odd and even numbers instead. Same odds, same payout, same zero problem. Interchangeable with red/black in terms of strategy.
High or Low (1-18 / 19-36)
- Odds of winning: 18 in 37
- Payout: 1/1
Lower half or upper half of the numbers. Again, same deal as red/black. All three of these even-money bets are essentially identical in terms of risk and reward. Pick whichever feels right — they perform the same over time.
Dozens (1-12, 13-24, 25-36)
- Odds of winning: 12 in 37
- Payout: 2/1
The table is split into three dozen groups. Cover one, pays 2/1. This is one of my go-to bets when I want a bit more excitement than even-money but don’t want the chaos of inside bets. You can also cover two dozens at once (24 numbers) for a higher hit rate, though the maths gets tighter.
Columns
- Odds of winning: 12 in 37
- Payout: 2/1
Three columns of twelve numbers running down the table. Same odds and payout as dozens, just arranged differently. Some players swear by combining columns with colour bets to cover more of the board — I’ve done this and it can feel clever right up until the zero ruins everything.
The Called Bets (French/European Wheels)
These are a bit more advanced and you’ll mainly see them on French roulette tables or European wheels with a racetrack display. They’re based on sections of the physical wheel rather than the layout of the table. Worth knowing about as part of a full roulette bets explained breakdown.
- Voisins du Zéro — covers 17 numbers around zero. Requires 9 chips across multiple splits, corners, and a trio. Common bet for players who want heavy zero-zone coverage.
- Tiers du Cylindre — covers 12 numbers on the opposite side of the wheel from zero. 6 chips on splits. A clean, balanced bet.
- Orphelins — the 8 numbers not covered by the above two. 5 chips. Rounds out the whole wheel if you’re playing all three together.
- Jeu Zéro — a smaller version of Voisins, covering just 7 numbers near zero with 4 chips.
- Neighbours — you pick a number and bet on it plus the two numbers on either side of it on the wheel. Good for targeting a section you fancy.
I’ll be honest — I rarely use called bets in casual sessions because they require more chips and more focus. But if you’re at a nice European table and the racetrack is there, Tiers is a good shout. Clean bet, decent coverage.
Which Bets Are Actually Worth Making?
Here’s my honest opinion after years of playing, winning some, and losing more:
- Best for longevity: Even-money bets (red/black, odd/even, high/low). They give you the best chance of a longer session and the most consistent results.
- Best balance of risk and reward: Dozens and columns. Still meaningful payouts, not completely reckless.
- Best inside bet: Line bets (six numbers). Just about sensible enough to use regularly without torching your chips.
- Best “fun” bet: One or two straight-up numbers per session. Small stakes, massive buzz if it lands.
- Worst bet overall: Five-number bet on American roulette (0, 00, 1, 2, 3). Only available on American wheels, carries a house edge of 7.89%. Avoid at all costs.
The roulette odds are what they are — you cannot beat the house edge over the long run. Anyone selling you a system that claims otherwise is lying. What you can do is understand which bets give you the best chance of staying in the game, having fun, and occasionally walking away up.
A Few Things I’ve Learned the Hard Way
Beyond the individual bets, here’s some stuff that’s actually helped me:
- Set a loss limit before you sit down. Not in your head — actually decide. Roulette moves fast and emotions move faster.
- Don’t chase losses with bigger bets. It feels logical in the moment. It never works out.
- If you’re up a decent amount, pocket half of it. Play with the rest. You’ll thank yourself later.
- The wheel has no memory. That number that’s come up four times in a row is just as likely to come up again as any other number. Hot and cold numbers are casino mythology.
- Live dealer roulette online can be genuinely good fun — slower than RNG roulette, more social, and you can usually find European wheels without much trouble.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the types of roulette bets won’t make you a guaranteed winner — nothing will — but it does mean you’re making informed decisions rather than just lobbing chips around and hoping. That matters, both for your bankroll and for actually enjoying the game.
Roulette is one of those games where the gap between a clueless player and a decent one isn’t about predicting numbers. It’s about bet selection, bankroll discipline, and knowing when to walk away. Get those three things roughly right and you’ll have a much better time than most people at the table.
Play smart, play European, and maybe leave that straight-up number bet until you’re already up a bit. That’s about as close to a strategy as I can honestly give you.
