The layout has two pockets that belong to no standard section
Most roulette bets group numbers that sit next to each other on the wheel. The orphans bet does something different. It picks up the numbers that the standard called bets leave out, which is how the name sticks. On a European wheel the orphans are the eight numbers not covered by the tiers and voisins sections: 1, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 31 and 34. Three of those sit together on the wheel, and the other five are scattered, but on the felt they form a recognisable pattern.
This is a called bet, sometimes listed as an announced bet or a call bet. That means you do not place the chips yourself number by number. You announce the bet to the dealer, who lays the chips across the layout in the fixed pattern that the bet requires. The total stake is divided into a set of straight-up and split bets, so the orphans bet is really a bundle of smaller wagers rather than one single position.
What the bet covers
The standard version of the orphans bet uses five chips. One chip goes straight up on the number 1. The other four chips are placed as splits: 6/9, 14/17, 17/20, and 31/34. That is eight numbers covered by five units of stake. The number 17 appears in two of the splits, which matters when you read the payout table, because a hit on 17 pays on both of the splits that include it.
Some tables offer a variant called the orphans by four numbers, or the mini orphans. This version drops the straight-up bet on 1 and keeps only the four splits, covering six, nine, fourteen, seventeen, twenty, thirty-one and thirty-four. The total stake is lower, and the number 1 is no longer covered. Which version is available is a table-rule question, not a universal one, so check the felt or ask the dealer before you announce the bet.
| Bet version | Numbers covered | Chips used | What the chips buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full orphans | 1, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 31, 34 | 5 | One straight on 1; splits on 6/9, 14/17, 17/20, 31/34 |
| Orphans by four | 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 31, 34 | 4 | Splits on 6/9, 14/17, 17/20, 31/34 |
How a round runs from announcement to settlement
You buy in at the table and receive roulette chips. When the dealer is accepting called bets, you announce the orphans bet and place the total stake on the table. The dealer then positions the chips in the fixed pattern. From that point the round is identical to any other spin: the wheel is spun, the ball is released, and the result is the single pocket where the ball settles.
If the winning number is one of your eight, the dealer pays the winning component of the bundle and takes the losing chips. If the number is not covered, the full stake is collected. A hit on 17 pays on both splits that contain it; a hit on any other covered number pays on the single component that includes it. The straight-up bet on 1 pays at the straight-up rate, and the splits pay at the split rate.
Where the house edge comes from
The orphans bet does not have a special edge of its own. It is a set of straight and split bets, so each component carries the same house edge as any other straight or split bet on the same wheel. On a European wheel with 37 pockets, a straight-up bet pays 35 to 1, and a split pays 17 to 1. The edge is built into the gap between those payouts and the true odds of the bet.
Because the orphans bundle mixes straight and split components, the total return depends on which component hits. A number covered by a split returns less per unit than the straight-up number 1, and 17 returns on two splits at once. The overall expected loss per round is the weighted average of the components, and it stays in line with the wheel's standard edge for those bet types. The bet does not change the mathematics; it only changes which numbers you are exposed to on a given spin.
| Wheel type | Pockets | Straight-up payout | Split payout | Effect on the orphans bet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| European | 37 | 35 to 1 | 17 to 1 | The standard layout the orphans bet is built for |
| American | 38 | 35 to 1 | 17 to 1 | Extra double-zero pocket raises the house edge on every component |
What to check before you announce it
Called bets are not offered at every table. Many automated and low-stakes tables only accept bets placed directly on the layout, so the orphans bet may not exist there. On tables that do accept called bets, the minimum stake for a called bet is often higher than the general table minimum, because the bet is a bundle of several positions. The dealer or the table signage states the minimum.
Also confirm which version the table runs. If you announce the orphans bet expecting the full five-chip version and the table only offers the four-chip version, your stake and your coverage will differ from what you intended. The same applies in reverse. The time to settle this is before the ball is in motion, because called bets are announced and laid in a few seconds.
Common procedural mistakes
One mistake is announcing a called bet at a table that does not take them, then trying to place the chips yourself in the same pattern. The dealer will usually correct the placement, but the moment of confusion can cost you the spin if the ball is already moving. Another is assuming the orphans bet covers the same numbers on an American wheel. The called-bet sections are built around the European single-zero layout, and the extra double-zero pocket on an American wheel changes the geometry of the wheel sections. A third is misreading the payout on 17 and expecting a single combined payout rather than two separate split payouts.
None of these mistakes changes the house edge, but each can change what you thought you had wagered. The cleanest habit is to announce the bet by its full name, state the stake, and watch the dealer lay the chips before the spin begins.
FAQ
Is the orphans bet a good bet compared with other roulette bets?
It carries the same house edge as the straight and split bets it contains. It is not better or worse than those bet types on the same wheel; it only spreads one stake across eight numbers in a fixed pattern. The American wheel version carries a higher edge on every component because of the extra double-zero pocket.
Why is the number 1 included as a straight-up bet?
The orphans bet is designed to cover the numbers left out of the main called-bet sections. The number 1 sits apart from the other seven on the wheel, so it cannot be paired into a split with any of them, and it is covered with a single straight-up chip instead.
Can I place the orphans bet on any roulette table?
Only on tables that accept called or announced bets, and only in the version that table offers. Automated tables and many low-minimum tables require chips to be placed directly on the layout, so the bet may not be available. The dealer or the table rules state whether called bets are taken and at what minimum.
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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.