The payout you see is not the true odds of winning
When you place a chip on a roulette layout, the number printed on the felt tells you what the house will pay if your bet wins. A straight-up bet on a single number pays 35 to 1. That is not the same as the chance of the number landing. On a European wheel with 37 pockets, the true odds against any single number are 36 to 1. The gap between those two numbers is the house edge, and it is built into every bet on the table.
This article walks through how each bet pays, how the odds differ between bet types, and what changes when you move from a single-zero wheel to a double-zero wheel. The payouts themselves are fixed by the game's structure, not by the operator, so the numbers below hold across standard layouts. What varies is the wheel type, which changes the true odds underneath those payouts.
Inside bets: higher payouts, longer odds
Inside bets sit on the numbered grid. They cover specific numbers or small groups of numbers, and they pay more because they win less often. The table below lists the standard inside bets, how many numbers each covers, and the payout for a winning bet.
| Bet name | Numbers covered | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 1 | 35 to 1 |
| Split | 2 | 17 to 1 |
| Street | 3 | 11 to 1 |
| Corner | 4 | 8 to 1 |
| Six line | 6 | 5 to 1 |
A split bet sits on the line between two adjacent numbers. A street covers a row of three numbers, placed at the end of the row. A corner sits where four numbers meet. A six line covers two adjacent rows. Each of these bets pays less than the true odds against it, and the size of that gap is the house edge.
Outside bets: lower payouts, more frequent wins
Outside bets sit around the numbered grid and cover larger groups of numbers. They pay less per win but hit more often, which changes the shape of a session without changing the underlying edge. The table below lists the standard outside bets.
| Bet name | Numbers covered | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| Red or black | 18 | 1 to 1 |
| Odd or even | 18 | 1 to 1 |
| High or low | 18 | 1 to 1 |
| Dozen | 12 | 2 to 1 |
| Column | 12 | 2 to 1 |
Red or black, odd or even, and high or low each cover 18 of the 37 numbers on a European wheel. The zero is not covered by any of them, which is where the house edge comes from. A dozen bet covers the first, second or third group of twelve numbers. A column bet covers one of the three vertical columns on the layout.
What the wheel type does to the odds
Roulette wheels come in two standard forms. A European wheel has 37 pockets: the numbers 0 through 36. An American wheel has 38 pockets: the same numbers plus a double zero. The extra pocket does not change any payout. A straight-up bet still pays 35 to 1 on both wheels. What changes is the chance of winning, because there is one more losing pocket on the American layout.
On a European wheel, the house edge on a straight-up bet is the difference between the true odds of 36 to 1 and the payout of 35 to 1, spread across all 37 pockets. On an American wheel, the same payout applies but there are 38 pockets, so the edge is larger. The same pattern holds for every bet on the table. The payout stays fixed; the true odds get worse when the double zero is added.
How a round plays out from buy-in to settlement
You sit down, place cash or chips on the table, and the dealer exchanges it for roulette chips. These are often a distinct colour so the dealer can tell your bets from those of other players. You place your chips on the layout before the dealer calls for no more bets. The ball is spun in the opposite direction to the wheel, and when it settles in a pocket, the dealer marks the winning number, clears losing bets, and pays winners.
Each decision point is simple: you choose which bets to place and how much to stake on each. You can place multiple bets in the same round, and they settle independently. A straight-up bet on 17 and a red bet can both win in the same spin. The payout for each is calculated separately according to the table above.
Procedural mistakes that cost new players
The most common mistake is not understanding which bets the zero defeats. On a European wheel, the zero is green and is not covered by red or black, odd or even, or high or low. A player who bets on black and watches the zero land loses the full stake. The same applies to the double zero on an American wheel.
A second mistake is confusing the payout with the probability. A 35 to 1 payout sounds generous, but the chance of hitting a single number is low, and the payout is below the true odds. No betting pattern changes that relationship. Spreading chips across many numbers increases the chance of winning something on a given spin, but it does not change the expected loss per unit wagered.
A third mistake is playing on an American wheel when a European wheel is available at the same venue. The double zero increases the house edge on every bet, and the payouts are identical. Choosing the wheel with fewer pockets is a rule variant choice, not a strategy, and it changes the expected rate of loss without changing how any bet pays.
FAQ
What is the best roulette bet to place?
There is no bet that removes the house edge. Outside bets like red or black win more often but pay even money, while inside bets pay more but win less often. The house edge is the same across most standard bets on a given wheel, so the choice is about how much variance you want in a session, not about finding a better bet.
Do all roulette tables pay the same?
The payout ratios are standard across layouts: 35 to 1 for a straight-up, 17 to 1 for a split, and so on. What differs is the wheel type. A European wheel has 37 pockets and a lower house edge than an American wheel with 38. Some tables may also have special rules that affect certain bets, so check the posted table rules before you play.
Can I bet on zero and what does it pay?
Yes. Zero is a number like any other on the layout. A straight-up bet on zero pays 35 to 1, the same as any single number. On an American wheel, the double zero is a separate pocket and also pays 35 to 1 as a straight-up bet. Neither zero is covered by the even-money outside bets, which is where the house edge on those bets comes from.
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This article is general information about how these mechanics work. It is not legal advice and not a recommendation to gamble or to use any particular operator. Availability and legality differ by jurisdiction — check the rules that apply where you are.