Roulette Bet Types Explained
Wondering which bet type aligns best with your strategy, or how different roulette variations influence betting? Our detailed guide covers everything you need to know about roulette bet types.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Discover what inside, outside and side bets are in roulette.
- Find out the payouts and odds of each roulette bet type.
- Understand how to place a call bet in French Roulette.
Different Roulette Bet Types
Roulette may be simple to play, but its wide variety of bets can boost your strategy. Let’s review the three main categories, each with its odds and payout structure:
- Inside Bets: Focused on specific numbers or groups inside the betting grid. High-risk, high-reward.
- Outside Bets: Cover broader outcomes. Low-risk, lower payouts.
- Special/Side Bets: Less common but offer unique dynamics and high potential payouts.
Inside Bets in Roulette
Roulette inside bets are very popular as they offer bigger possible payouts. Below, we review the different inside bets for playing American roulette and European variant:
| Bet & Potential Payout | European Roulette Odds | American Roulette Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Straight-up bet (35:1) | 2.7% (1/37) | 2.6% (1/38) |
| Split bet (17:1) | 5.41% (2/37) | 5.26% (2/38) |
| Street bet (11:1) | 8.11% (3/37) | 7.89% (3/38) |
| Corner bet (8:1) | 10.81% (4/37) | 10.53% (4/38) |
| Six line bet (5:1) | 16.22% (6/37) | 15.79% (6/38) |
| Basket bet (6:1) | — | 13.16% (5/38) |
- Straight Up Bet: A single-number wager with a payout of 35:1. High risk, but excellent rewards.
- Split Bet: Covers two numbers by betting on the line between them. Odds are 5.26% in American roulette, with a 17:1 payout.
- Street Bet: Placed on three numbers in a row, like 4, 5, and 6. Offers better odds (7.89%) and an 11:1 payout, but remains risky.
- Corner Bet: Covers four numbers at their intersection (e.g., 1, 2, 4, and 5). With a payout of 8:1 and 10.53% odds, it’s less volatile than other inside bets.
- Six Line Bet: A double street bet covering six numbers in two adjacent rows. Odds are 15.79%, with a 5:1 payout.
- Basket Bet: Unique to American roulette, it covers 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. Pays 6:1 but has a high house edge, with odds of 13.16%.
Outside Bets in Roulette
Roulette outside bets tend to offer higher probability but lower payouts than inside bets, and include the following in the European roulette and American version:
| Bet & Potential Payout | European Roulette Odds | American Roulette Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Red or black bet (1:1) | 48.65% (18/37) | 47.37% (18/38) |
| Odd or even bet (1:1) | 48.65% (18/37) | 47.37% (18/38) |
| High or low bet/ 1-18/19-36 (1:1) | 48.65% (18/37) | 47.37% (18/38) |
| Dozens bet (2:1) | 32.43% (12/37) | 31.58% (12/38) |
| Columns bet (2:1) | 32.43% (12/37) | 31.58% (12/38) |
- Red or Black Bet: Bet on all red or black numbers. Odds are 47.37% with a 1:1 payout. Easy to understand but offers lower payouts.
- Odd or Even Bet: Wager on whether the next number will be odd or even. Offers the same 47.37% odds and 1:1 payout as red/black bets.
- High or Low Bet: Bet on numbers in the low range (1–18) or high range (19–36). Even money odds at 47%, with simple and decent chances of winning.
- Dozens Bet: Covers one of the three dozens (1–12, 13–24, or 25–36). Pays 2:1 with a 31.58% chance of winning, offering moderate risk and returns.
- Columns Bet: Bet on one of three vertical columns, each with 12 numbers. Similar odds and payout as dozens, offering balanced probabilities and returns.
Special and Side Bets in Roulette
So, what are roulette special bets? Although they’re not as readily available as inside or outside bets, their high potential payouts are worth considering.
Lucky Ball Roulette
Lucky Ball Roulette is a fun side bet featuring four colored “lucky balls,” each linked to a wheel number. Win if the ball lands on your chosen lucky ball’s number.
Here are the odds and payouts of the Lucky Ball Roulette Bet:
| Bet & Potential Payout | Odds | Bonus Payout Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Red bet (5:1) | Low | 120 to 1 |
| Blue bet (12:1) | Moderate | 100 to 1 |
| Green bet (20:1) | High | 75 to 1 |
| Yellow bet (25:1) | Highest | 60 to 1 |
Jackpot Streets Double Six
A unique roulette bet focusing on streets and the number six. Wins occur when specific numbers in a chosen street include six. Offers payouts up to 50/1 for standard wins or 100/1 for double six hits. Some versions link to progressive jackpots for bigger rewards.
Roul 8
A high-risk bet centered on the number eight. Players win up to 100/1 if the ball lands on eight or, in some versions, its neighbors. Low odds but offers exciting, high-potential payouts.
Call Bets in French Roulette
Also known as ‘Announced Bets’ or ‘Roulette French Bets’, these are special types of roulette bets which allow players to bet on sets of numbers, based on their arrangement on the wheel. Call bets are popular because they can provide more defined coverage of the roulette wheel and allow players to cover specific sections of it.
Here is how the bets options are displayed on a French roulette table:
- Voisins du Zéro: Translated as ‘Neighbors of Zero’, this call bet covers the 17 numbers closest to 0 on the wheel.
- Tiers du Cylindre: Known as ‘Thirds of the Wheel’ in English, this bet covers 12 numbers on the opposite side of the wheel from 0, including 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16 and 33.
- Les Orphelins: Translating into English as ‘the Orphans’, this roulette bet covers the eight numbers not included in the above wagers: 1, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 31 and 34.
- Jeu Zéro: ‘Zero Game’ is a more precise version of Voisins du Zero. This is a bet that covers the numbers 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32 and 15.
- Finales en Plein: This call bet involves placing a straight-up bet on numbers that end in the same digit.
- Finales a Cheval: Translated as ‘Split Finale’, this roulette wager involves placing a split bet on numbers with two different final digits of your choice.
Your Roulette Betting Guide Is Complete!
This guide has covered everything you need about roulette bets, from low-stakes European roulette to high-stakes American variants. Use this knowledge to develop your own roulette betting strategies and make more informed decisions.
Not quite ready to spin the wheel? Read our guide on roulette odds and payouts for further information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight number bets have the lowest odds but offer the highest payout.
There’s no single “best” bet in roulette, as it’s a game of chance. Bets like column wagers offer lower house edges, but the best option depends on your strategy and game variation.
The safest bets are outside bets like red/black or high/low, which offer better odds but lower payouts. Column and street bets strike a balance between risk and reward.
Across all variations, there are 16 types of bets, including inside, outside, side, and call bets. Each has unique odds and payouts.