Roulette is easy to follow. You bet on where the ball will land, the wheel spins, and the bet either wins or loses. The only real decision that changes your expected return is which wheel you play.
Choose the wheel first
- European roulette has 37 pockets: the numbers 1 to 36 and a single zero. The house edge is 2.70%.
- American roulette has 38 pockets, adding a double zero. The payouts stay the same, so the house edge rises to 5.26%.
- French roulette uses the European wheel and often adds a rule called la partage: if the ball lands on zero, even-money bets lose only half. That cuts the edge on those bets to 1.35%.
Given the choice, play a single-zero wheel.
Bets and payouts
Inside bets cover specific numbers and pay more. Outside bets cover large groups and win more often. Chances shown are for a European wheel.
| Bet | Covers | Pays | Chance to win |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 1 number | 35 to 1 | 2.70% |
| Split | 2 numbers | 17 to 1 | 5.41% |
| Street | 3 numbers | 11 to 1 | 8.11% |
| Corner | 4 numbers | 8 to 1 | 10.81% |
| Six line | 6 numbers | 5 to 1 | 16.22% |
| Dozen or column | 12 numbers | 2 to 1 | 32.43% |
| Red or black, odd or even, high or low | 18 numbers | 1 to 1 | 48.65% |
The edge is the same on every bet
On a European wheel, every bet in the table above carries the same 2.70% house edge. A straight-up bet pays 35 to 1, but there are 37 pockets, and that gap is where the edge comes from. Inside bets are not worse value than outside bets. They are simply more volatile.
The one exception is on American tables: the five-number bet covering 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 has a higher edge of 7.89%. Avoid it.
Betting systems
Systems such as doubling your stake after every loss feel safe because wins come often. They do not change the house edge. A long losing run, which will eventually arrive, either reaches the table limit or empties the budget before the recovery bet can be placed. Use a system if you enjoy the structure, but do not expect it to beat the wheel.
Playing it well
- Pick a single-zero wheel, with la partage if you can find it.
- Use outside bets if you want a longer, steadier session.
- Use inside bets if you prefer rare bigger wins, with smaller stakes.
- Decide your budget and your stopping point before the first spin.
Want to see a real wheel? Live roulette uses the same bets and payouts. Read how live dealer games work.