There are many ways of playing the game of roulette, and we deal with the basic rules in another section of our guide. But whether you have a system in place or just decide to hope for the best, choosing the right kind of roulette bet is vital. So, what are the different roulette betting options you need to know about?
What Are Roulette Inside Bets?
This is the selection that you will find in the numbered betting area next to the roulette wheel. They are the best roulette bets in terms of the amount of the potential payout, but they also have a lower chance of coming up than the outside bets.
Straight Up Bet
This is a wager where you place the chip on a single number. In European games, this gives you a 36 to 1 chance of winning, while the extra zero in American games increases this to 37 to 1. In terms of the return, expect to earn a 35 to 1 payout if the ball lands on the same number that you bet on.
Split Bet
By placing your chip on the line separating two numbers, you bet on both. You will get a return on your wager if the ball lands on either of the two numbers. This pays out at a rate of 17 to 1. The odds of it working out are 17.5 to 1 in European games, and 18 to 1 in the American version.
Street Bet
The next inside bet in roulette is a Street Bet, where you put your money on three numbers in the same row. You do this by putting chips at the end of the row you want to cover, on the outside edge. This gives an 11 to 1 payout if the ball lands on any of the chosen three numbers.
Corner Bet
Also known as a square bet, this type of roulette bet has you place your chip in the corner where four numbers meet. This means that you are betting on any of the four numbers coming up, which would result in a payout of 8 to 1.
Six Line Bet
For a Six Line bet, place your chip at the edge of two rows (like a Street bet but covering two rows). If the ball lands on any of the six numbers in those rows, this bet pays out at 5 to 1.
Are There Other Roulette Inside Bets?
Depending on the type of roulette you are playing, you may also be able to place bets that cover 0 and 00. Trio, First Four, and Top Line bets all cover those numbers and several others, and they pay out at odds of between 6 to 1 and 11 to 1.
What Do Roulette Outside Bets Cover?
Roulette outside bets are the options that are on the outside of the numbered grid. These have a higher chance of coming up than inside bets, with a lower potential payout if you get it right. This means that they are often used in roulette outside betting strategies like progressive systems.
Red or Black
This is where you choose whether you think the ball will land on a red number or a black number. Red or black roulette odds are 1 to 1 (or ‘evens’), with the presence of the zero pocket(s) meaning that the chance of calling it correctly is slightly lower than 50%.
High or Low
This roulette outside bet is used when you want to predict whether the ball will land on a number between 19 to 36 (high) or 1 to 18 (low). The payout and odds are the same as a Red or Black bet.
Even or Odd
With this bet, you wager on whether the ball will land in an odd number or an even number. As with the previous two outside bets, this bet gives a 1 to 1 return and has a probability of just under 50%.
Dozen Bet
You can also put your wager on whether the ball will stop on a number between 1 and 12 (first dozen), 13 and 24 (second dozen), or 25 and 36 (third dozen). There is a 2 to 1 payout for predicting this correctly, with the chances of it coming up slightly less than 33%.
Column Bet
On a roulette table, the numbers you can place your bets on are split into three columns of 12, and you can place a bet on one or more of those columns. For example, if you place a bet on the first column, your bet covers all the following numbers: 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, and 34. Column bets also pay out at 2 to 1.
Roulette Call Bets and What They Cover
Also known as an announced bet, a call bet is a type of special roulette bet that covers all the numbers within a certain section of the wheel. Many of them are known as French bets and are specific to European roulette, although the German-inspired Jeu Zéro wager is also commonly included. In online games of roulette, you may need to click on a separate tab to see these options presented in an oval, racetrack-type format.
Voisins du Zéro
This is the ‘neighbours of zero’ bet, in which you are betting on all the numbers on the roulette wheel between (and including) 22 and 25. A minimum of nine chips are needed for this roulette wager, and the payout depends upon the exact number that comes up, as not all the numbers have the same amount staked on them.
Voisins du Zéro consists of the following bets: 0/2/3 Trio x 2, 4/7 Split, 12/15 Split, 18/21 Split, 19/22 Split, 25/26/28/29 Corner x 2, 32/35 Split.
Jeu Zéro
Known as the ‘zero game’ bet, this covers all the numbers on the wheel closest to zero. You are covering seven different numbers, using at least four chips in a variety of different wagers: 0/3 Split, 12/15 Split, 26 Straight Up, 32/35 Split.
Le Tiers du Cylindre
The next of the called roulette bets is Tiers du Cylindre (sometimes simply referred to as ‘Tiers’), which covers 12 numbers, just under a third of the wheel. In this case, the numbers that are covered are those between 27 and 33.
The exact bets are: 5/8 Split, 10/11 Split, 13/16 Split, 23/24 Split, 27/30 Split, 33/36 Split.
Orphelins
The Orphelins (or ‘Orphans’) bet covers two different segments of the roulette wheel. This means that you use at least five chips to cover eight numbers: 1 Straight Up, 6/9 Split, 14/17 Split, 17/20 Split, 31/34 Split.
Final Bets
This is an option using four or more chips to cover each of the pockets that end in your chosen number – such as 3, 13, 23, 33 if you decide to place your stake on numbers ending in 3.
What Are Roulette Combination Bets?
One of the great attractions of this casino game is the fact that you can create combination roulette bets, based on whatever series of numbers you like the look of.
- A good example here is when you use the James Bond strategy (a combination of inside and outside bets) or any cover-the-table roulette strategy.
- When combining bets, the chances of winning and the probability of doing so will vary according to the bets you place.
- You should bear in mind that one part of the wager might not come up, while another does.
- In other situations, you may win with all of your stake. For example, if you choose red, odd, and 19 as part of a combined roulette inside/outside bet strategy, then you will win on all three wagers if 19 comes up.
Summary
The variety of different roulette bets that are available make it easy for you to find the exact type of wager that suits your needs and taste. Now that you understand the best roulette bets and how to place them, it is simply a question of choosing which ones you prefer to use.
Did you know?
Did you know that French roulette initially started with two zeros? Although it has one zero in today’s games, that wasn’t always the case. The double zero is what helped create the French roulette bets La Partage, through which you can get 50% of your stake back if the ball lands on zero.
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