The line that splits the layout in two
When you first look at a roulette table, the felt is divided into two distinct areas. The numbered grid, where the 0 through 36 sit in their coloured pockets, is the inside betting area. Everything around it—the red and black diamonds, the odd and even boxes, the columns, the dozens—is the outside. The distinction matters because inside bets pay at longer odds and lose more often, while outside bets pay closer to even money and hit more frequently. Neither side changes the house edge by itself, but the bet you choose determines how your session feels.
An inside bet is any wager placed on the numbered grid itself, or on the lines that separate those numbers. If your chips are sitting on a number, touching a number, or straddling the lines between numbers, you have made an inside bet. The payout is always expressed as a multiple of your stake, and that multiple is tied to how many numbers your bet covers.
What the numbered grid is
The inside area of a roulette layout is a rectangular grid, three numbers wide and twelve rows deep, with the zero (or zeros) sitting at the top of the grid on their own. Each number occupies a box. The lines between boxes are not just decoration; they are the betting positions for combination wagers. A chip placed on a line covers every number that line touches.
Because the grid is a physical object, the same rules apply whether you are at a live table or playing an online version that renders the felt on screen. The software version still treats a chip placed on a corner as covering four numbers, and it still pays the same multiple. What changes between operators is the minimum and maximum stake for inside bets, which is printed on the table's placard or shown in the game's betting panel.
Every inside bet type, from single number to six-line
Roulette has a fixed set of inside wagers. Each one covers a different number of pockets, and each one pays a different multiple of the stake. The payout is calculated so that the operator keeps the same mathematical advantage regardless of which inside bet you choose, on a given wheel type. Here is the full set.
| Bet name | Numbers covered | Where the chip sits | Payout multiple |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 1 | Fully inside one number's box | 35 to 1 |
| Split | 2 | On the line between two adjacent numbers | 17 to 1 |
| Street | 3 | On the outer edge of a row of three numbers | 11 to 1 |
| Corner (square) | 4 | On the intersection of four numbers | 8 to 1 |
| Six line (double street) | 6 | On the outer edge where two rows meet | 5 to 1 |
| Trio | 3 | On the corner where the zero meets two numbers | 11 to 1 |
| Basket | 0, 1, 2, 3 (American only) | On the corner where the zeros meet the first row | 6 to 1 |
The trio and basket are the two inside bets that new players often miss. The trio is available on European layouts where the zero sits at the top of the grid, and it covers the zero plus the two numbers directly beneath it. The basket exists only on American wheels with both a single and double zero, covering both zeros plus the first two numbers of the top row. Because the basket covers one extra pocket without a proportional increase in payout, it carries a higher house edge than the other inside bets on the same table.
How the payout multiple is derived
Roulette payouts are built from a simple principle: the payout is what it would be if the wheel had no zero pockets, and the zero pockets are where the house edge lives. On a European wheel there are 37 pockets, so a straight-up bet on one number would pay 36 to 1 on a fair wheel with no house advantage. The operator pays 35 to 1 instead. That one-unit shortfall, applied across all 37 pockets, is the house edge.
You can see the same structure in every inside bet. A split covers two numbers, so a fair payout would be 17.5 to 1; the table pays 17 to 1. A corner covers four numbers, so a fair payout would be 8.25 to 1; the table pays 8 to 1. The rounding down is consistent, and it is how the operator's advantage is maintained without any bet being singled out.
On an American wheel, the extra double-zero pocket changes the arithmetic. There are now 38 pockets, but the payouts stay the same as on a European wheel. That means every inside bet on an American layout loses at a faster expected rate than the same bet on a European layout, because the payout multiple no longer matches the true odds as closely. The wheel type is the single most important thing to check before you sit down, because it changes the cost of every inside bet you will make.
Inside versus outside: what changes when you move your chips
The inside and outside areas of the layout offer different trade-offs, and the choice between them is the first real decision a roulette player makes. Inside bets pay more when they hit, but they hit less often. Outside bets hit more often, but they pay less. The house edge on a given wheel is the same for both areas, with the exception of the American basket bet, so the choice is about variance rather than expected value.
| Characteristic | Inside bets | Outside bets |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | 1 to 6 numbers | 12 to 18 numbers |
| Payout range | 5 to 1 up to 35 to 1 | 1 to 1 up to 2 to 1 |
| Hit frequency | Low | High |
| Session feel | Long dry spells, occasional large wins | Frequent small wins, occasional losing streaks |
| House edge | Same as outside on the same wheel, except the basket | Same as inside on the same wheel |
One common misreading is that inside bets are somehow worse because they lose more often. They are not worse in expected-value terms; they are simply more volatile. A straight-up bet can go many spins without a hit, but when it lands, the return is large relative to the stake. An outside bet on red produces regular small returns, but the losing spins still arrive at the rate the zero pockets dictate.
The sequence of a round from buy-in to settlement
Roulette follows a fixed sequence, and understanding it prevents most of the procedural mistakes that cost new players time and money. At a live table, you exchange cash for coloured chips at the table itself, not at the cashier. Each player receives a unique chip colour so the dealer can tell whose bets are whose. These chips have no denomination printed on them; their value is set when you buy in and is marked on the table's chip rack. You cannot take them to another table or cash them at the cage; they must be converted back to cash chips at the roulette table.
The round then moves through four stages. First, the dealer opens betting and players place chips on the layout. Second, the dealer closes betting, usually with a hand motion and the words "no more bets." Third, the ball is launched and the wheel is spun; the ball eventually drops into a pocket. Fourth, the dealer marks the winning number, clears all losing bets from the layout, and pays winning bets in order from the outside inward. Only after all payouts are complete does the dealer open betting for the next round.
Online roulette compresses this sequence but keeps the same logic. You select a chip value, click on the layout to place bets, and press spin. The software settles the round instantly and returns winnings to your balance. The key difference is that you cannot place a bet after the spin begins, and the software enforces the table's minimum and maximum stakes automatically.
Mistakes that cost new players at the inside grid
The first mistake is placing a chip in the wrong position and not realising which bet it creates. A chip that is slightly off-centre can be interpreted by the dealer as a different wager than you intended. On a physical table, the dealer's interpretation is final, so if you want a split, place the chip squarely on the line. If you want a straight-up, place it fully inside the box. Online, the software highlights the numbers your chip covers before you confirm, so read that highlight carefully.
The second mistake is assuming the payout is the same on every roulette table. It is not, because the wheel type changes the true odds while the payout multiples stay fixed. An American wheel's extra double-zero pocket means every inside bet loses at a faster expected rate than the same bet on a European wheel. Before you buy in, look at the wheel or the game's information panel and count the zero pockets. One zero or two is the single most important fact about the table.
The third mistake is betting the basket on an American wheel without knowing what it costs. The basket covers five numbers but pays only 6 to 1, which is a worse deal than any other inside bet on the same layout. It is the one inside bet where the house edge is materially different from its neighbours, and it is easy to place by accident when you are reaching for the zero or the top row.
Strategy charts and why the exact rule set matters
Roulette does not have a decision chart in the way blackjack does, because there is no decision to make after the ball is released. The bet you place is the entire game. What roulette does have is a set of payout multiples that are fixed across almost all tables, and a set of true odds that change with the wheel type. Any published odds table or expected-value calculation for roulette assumes a specific wheel, and the numbers do not transfer between wheel types.
If you are reading a roulette odds chart, check which wheel it was built for. A chart that lists the house edge on a straight-up bet as a single figure is only correct for one wheel type, and the same bet on the other wheel type will differ. The same principle applies to any strategy discussion that compares inside and outside bets: the comparison is only meaningful when the wheel type is held constant.
For blackjack, the parallel is exact. Published basic-strategy charts derive from the specific rule set in use, including deck count, whether the dealer stands or hits on soft 17, and which doubling and splitting options are allowed. Change one rule and the correct play on a given hand can change. The lesson is the same across table games: a strategy chart is a product of a rule set, not a universal truth.
FAQ
Is the zero considered an inside bet?
Yes. The zero, and the double zero on an American wheel, sit at the top of the numbered grid and are part of the inside betting area. A straight-up bet on the zero pays 35 to 1, the same as a straight-up bet on any other single number. The zero can also be combined with neighbouring numbers in a split, trio, or basket bet.
What is the difference between a street and a six-line bet?
A street bet covers one row of three numbers and pays 11 to 1. A six-line bet covers two adjacent rows, six numbers in total, and pays 5 to 1. The chip for a street sits on the outer edge of a single row, while the chip for a six-line sits on the outer edge where two rows meet.
Can I place inside and outside bets on the same spin?
Yes. You can place chips on the numbered grid and on the outside betting areas in the same round. Each bet is settled independently, so a straight-up bet and a red bet can both win on the same spin if the winning number is both your chosen number and red. The table's minimum stake applies to each bet separately, not to the combined total.
Gambling involves risk. Please only gamble with funds that you can comfortably afford to lose. While we do our best to offer good advice and information, we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of gambling. We do our best to make sure all the information that we provide on this site is correct. However, from time to time, mistakes or omissions may occur. We cannot be held responsible for them. This site is intended for visitors 18+ or 21+ depending on where you are; please follow the minimum age that applies to you.
Play responsibly
Gambling should be treated as paid entertainment, never as a way to earn income or recover losses. 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738)
18+ or 21+ depending on where you are; follow the minimum age that applies to you.
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.