How To Bet Roulette
The best bet in roulette is on a European roulette table which offers the en prison option. This reduces the house edge by half again, making it only 1.35%. Here’s how it works: On a European roulette game with the en prison rule in effect, your even money bet becomes “imprisoned” when the ball lands on the zero. Software roulette games with computer animations are basically slot machines, not roulette. Online casinos rely on players to be fooled by computer animations. The only real roulette consists of a physical wheel and ball. In real roulette, the ball and wheel spin, then the ball falls and bounces around before finally coming to rest in a pocket. At roulette, the maximum win is 35:1 with a bet on a single number (Straight Bet). There are 37 numbers (36 + zero) on the European roulette wheel. We place $1 on each, that is a 37 dollars bet.
One of the most fascinating things about roulette is the variety of bets that you can place. Before you play roulette, especially for real money, it is best to have a clear understanding about the different bets and their payouts.
On this page, we’re going to go through every single bet type, including the more advanced Call/Announce Bets. If you want to see a quick “cheat sheet” with all of the different payouts in a graph for quick reference, you will find it on our page on roulette payouts.
Outside Bets
Outside bets can be found on the “outside” of the roulette table and the cover a large portion of the wheel, but the payouts are low.In total, there are 5 different kinds of outside bets which are the following:
Red and Black – There are 18 red numbers and 18 black numbers.
Odd and Even – There are 18 odd numbers and 18 even numbers.
1-18 and 19-36 – Pretty self explanatory, both of them cover 18 numbers.
The three above bets are “even money bets” because you double your money if you win e.g. bet £2 on black, win £4 back. Each of them covers just less than half of the table due to the addition of the 0 and in the case of the American game, 0 and 00.
Dozens – There are three dozens on the roulette table, 1-12, 13-24 and 25-36. Each of them covers 12 numbers which equates to just less than a third of the wheel.
Columns – These are similar to the dozens; there are three columns on the table and each of them covers 12 numbers.
Inside Bets
Inside bets can be found on the “Inside” of the table and they cover less numbers but the payouts are higher.
Straight Up Bet – This is a bet on a single number.
Split Bet – This is a bet on two numbers that are next to each other on the roulette table (not the roulette wheel).
Street Bet – Bets on three numbers that are a Street on the roulette table. For example, 1,2,3 is a Street, 4,5,6 is a Street and so on.
Corner Bet – A bet on four numbers that make a square on the roulette table. For example, 1,2,4,5 is a Corner bet.
4 Number Bet – Bets on 0,1,2,3 at the same time. Only available on European and French roulette.
5 Number Bet – Bets on 0,00,1,2,3 at the same time. Only available on American roulette. This is also the worst bet in the entire game because of the unfair payout – avoid it.
Double Street (Line Bet) – This is the same as the Street bet except it covers two Streets at the same time rather than one.
Call Bets
The Call bets, or Announce bets as they’re sometimes named, aren’t available on every roulette game and often they’re overlooked by players because they either don’t understand them or they would simply rather bet on the more simple bets above.
Before explaining what the Call bets are about, it’s worth noting that the layout of the roulette table and the roulette wheel are different. For example, as you go around the roulette wheel, the numbers are seemingly in a random order, they don’t go 1,2,3,4,5,6 etc.
The Call bets are a way of betting on sectors of the wheel. If you think of the roulette wheel as a pizza, the Call bets are a way of covering a slice or multiple slices if you want to.
Voisins Du Zero
This is a bet that covers 17 consecutive numbers on the roulette wheel, starting from 25 and working your way around the wheel to 22. They’re also known by some as neighbours of the zero because the zero is (almost) in the middle of these numbers.
The actual Voisins Du Zero bet is covered by just 9 chips and it is done like this:
2 chips on 0,2,3 street
1 on the 4/7 split
1 on 12/15 split
1 on 18/21 split
1 on 19/22 split
1 on 32/35 split
2 chips on 25,26,28,29 corner
Tier
The Tier bet is 12 numbers that are next to each other on the roulette wheel. The numbers are as follows: 27,13,36,11,30,8,23,10,5,24,16,33. The bet is covered by betting on 6 split bets at the same time which are:
5/8 – 10/11 – 13/16 – 23/24 – 27/30 – 33/36
Orphelins
This is a bet that covers 8 numbers, three that are next to each other on one sector of the wheel, 5 that are next to each other on another sector. The numbers are as follows: 6,34,17 and 1,20,14,31,9. The Orphelins bet is covered in the following way:
Straight bet on number 1
Split bet on 5/9
Split bet on 14/17
Split bet on 17/20
Split bet on 31/34
Neighbours
The Neighbours (sometimes spelt Neighbors depending where you are in the world) are 5 number bets of your choosing. Basically you pick your number and then you bet on that number and the two numbers that are on either side of it, making it a 5 number bet. A very easy way to cover large sections of the wheel. Some casinos will allow you to increase the size of your neighbours, up to eight either side of your number, making it a 17 number bet in total.
Final Bet
You may have a hard to finding this option online because very few casinos offer it. With this bet, you start by picking a number from 1-9. Once this is done, a bet will be placed on all numbers ending with the number that you chose.
Does this sound confusing? If so here is an example. If you picked 6, a bet would then be placed on the following numbers: 6, 16 and 26 because they all end in 6.
One Final Thing On Call Bets
Both online and offline, the Call bets are normally accessible via what’s called a Racetrack and in some land based casinos, you “Announce” the bet out loud rather than placing chips on it, hence why they’re sometimes referred to as Announce Bets.
If you would like to see the Call bets and try them for yourself, have a go on our free roulette pro game which has all of them available via a menu in the bottom left hand corner rather than the conventional Racetrack.
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If you're thinking of playing roulette online, however big or small the stakes, you'll need to get up to speed on how roulette betting works. Blindly putting wagers down without having a grasp of the basics can lead to a serious dent in your bankroll. Learn which bets offer the best odds to win and have the highest payouts at any Canadian online casino.
Your Main Bet Options
Roulette bets are divided into two main types: inside or outside. While each offers different odds and payouts, both are subject to the same house edge. American roulette tables have a 5.26% edge and European tables offer a 2.70% edge. Even-money bets placed at European tables with French rules are only subject to a 1.35% house edge.
Inside Roulette Bets
These are the bet spaces located inside the table. Although the inside bets might have higher payouts, they are much less likely to win on any given spin. That said, there's nothing that matches the thrill of hitting a single number for a 35/1 payday!
| Bet Name | Bet Description | Payout | American | European |
| Straight Up | A wager on a single number: 1-36. | 35/1 | 5.26% | 2.70% |
| Split | A wager on the line between two numbers | 17/1 | 5.26% | 2.70% |
| Street | Also called a 'row' bet, this is a wager on three connected numbers such as 6, 5, 4. | 11/1 | 5.26% | 2.70% |
| Trio | A wager on a corner connecting three numbers such as 0, 2, 3. | 11/1 | 5.26% | 2.70% |
| Corner | Also called a 'quad' bet, this is a wager on the corner connecting four numbers such as 2, 5, 1, 4. | 8/1 | 5.26% | 2.70% |
| Double Street | Also called a 'line' bet, this is a wager on the line between intersecting rows covering six numbers. | 5/1 | 5.26% | 2.70% |
| Basket | A wager on 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. | 6/1 | 7.89% | n/a |
Outside Roulette Bets
Outside bets are the best choice for beginners. Particularly, even-money bets including even/odd, black/red and high18/low18. These pay out 1/1 but provide a nearly 50-50 chance to win.
| Bet Name | Bet Description | Payout | American | European | French |
| Even/Odd | A wager on eighteen even or odd numbers. | 1/1 | 5.26% | 2.70% | 1.35% |
| Black/Red | A wager on eighteen black or red numbers. | 1/1 | 5.26% | 2.70% | 1.35% |
| High 18 | This wager covers numbers 19-36. | 1/1 | 5.26% | 2.70% | 1.35% |
| Low 18 | This wager covers numbers 1-18. | 1/1 | 5.26% | 2.70% | 1.35% |
| Column | A wager on twelve,non-sequential numbers in a column. | 2/1 | 5.26% | 2.70% | n/a |
| Dozens | A wager on twelve sequential numbers in a row. | 2/1 | 5.26% | 2.70% | n/a |
Navigating the Roulette Layout
When you are just starting out in online roulette, it can be difficult to actually find your favourite bets on the table layout. Below is a typical American Roulette table layout.
Hover over the diagram to see where each bet is located, or click on any part of the layout for more info.
| ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ||
| 00 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 27 | 30 | 33 | 36 | < |
| B | 2 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 26 | 29 | 32 | 35 | < |
| 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 25 | 28 | 31 | 34 | < |
| First Dozen | Second Dozen | Third Dozen | |||||||||||
| 1-18 | Odd | Red | Black | Even | 19-36 | ||||||||
Below is a typical European table layout:
| ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ^ | ||
| 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 27 | 30 | 33 | 36 | < | |
| 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 26 | 29 | 32 | 35 | < |
| 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 25 | 28 | 31 | 34 | < | |
| First Dozen | Second Dozen | Third Dozen | |||||||||||
| 1-18 | Odd | Red | Black | Even | 19-36 | ||||||||
A Closer Look at Roulette Bets
Inside Bets
The inside bets in roulette are, quite simply, found on the 'inside' of the table. They offer the lowest chance to win and the highest payouts. The different types of inside bets are explained below.
Straight Up
WHAT IS IT?
The straight up bet is one of the simplest wagers you can make in roulette. These are bets on what the number of the very next spin will be.You can either place bets on multiple single numbers at a time or combine them with outside bets.
WHAT CAN I WIN?
Hitting a single number is obviously pretty hard with only a 2.63% – 2.70% chance to win. However, when you win with a straight up bet, you can take advantage of the game's highest payout: 35/1. In other words, for a straight up bet of 1 chip, you would receive 35 chips plus your original chip back on a win.
Split
Cached
WHAT IS IT?
The split bet is a double straight up bet. You just have to put your chip stack between the two numbers you want to bet on. If either number is shown, you win.
WHAT CAN I WIN?
Split bets have the second highest pay out: 17/1. There is only a 5.26% – 5.40% chance that this type of inside bet will win each spin.
Street/Row
WHAT IS IT?
Taking inside bets to the next level, the street bet allows you to bet on a row of three numbers. Put your chips on the far line of a row, and you'll have marked this bet. See the top row of our sample layout.
WHAT CAN I WIN?
Now we start to see just a little bit of action as this kind of bet wins 7.89% – 8.11% of the time. It pays out 11/1.
Trio
WHAT IS IT?
This bet also covers three numbers at a time when chips are placed at intersections connecting numbers on the table.
WHAT CAN I WIN?
Like the street bet, the trio also has the potential to win 7.89% – 8.11% of the time and pays out 11/1.
Corner/Quad
WHAT IS IT?
To make a corner bet, put your chip stack at the intersection (or corner) where four numbers meet on the layout.
WHAT CAN I WIN?
This type of bet offers a 10.53% – 10.81% chance to win with an 8/1 payout. So, if you bet 1 chip on a corner bet space and the next spin results in a win, then you will receive 8 chips plus your original chip back.
'Many casual gamblers think roulette betting is rather black and red, but nothing could be further from the truth. From inside to outside bets, straights and corners, streets and splits, online roulette has an abundance of betting options.'
Double Street
WHAT IS IT?
The double street is just what its name implies - a bet on two 'streets' or rows. You place chips on the far side directly between the two numbers at the end of their respective streets.
WHAT CAN I WIN?
Covering six numbers under a single wager gives a double street bet the odds to win of about 15.78% – 16.22% of the time. It pays out 5/1.
Basket / First Five
WHAT IS IT?
The basket bet is a wager on 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3. Since it relies on the 00 pocket, it can only be used with American wheels.
WHAT CAN I WIN?
TThis bet has a 13.16% – 13.51% chance to win and pays out 6/1. However, with a house edge of 7.89%, it sticks out like a sore thumb as the single worst bet in roulette.
Outside Bets
Unlike inside bets, o, outside bets cover larger portions of the wheel. This is where you will find even-money bets which pay the lowest but give the highest chance to win. The next highest chance bets include columns and dozens. Both cover about a third of the numbers and payout 2/1.
Even / Odd
WHAT IS IT?
These bets are very simple to make. Just look for the spaces on the layout labeled 'Even' and 'Odd.' Put your chip stack on whichever space you'd like, sit back and watch the wheel spin. There, told you it was easy, didn't we?
Put your chip stack on whichever space you'd like, sit back, and relax. This bet has the standard 5.26 percent house edge.
WHAT CAN I WIN?
Because nearly half of the numbers are even and nearly half are odd, one of the bet spaces is going to win almost every spin. 0 and 00 aren't included in this bet giving the casino its edge. So, this type of bet has a 47.37% – 48.65% chance to win but only pays out 1/1.
Red or Black
Most Winning Numbers In Roulette
WHAT IS IT?
This bet is also an even-money wager that covers eighteen numbers at once. Placing a stack on red will cover all the red pockets on the wheel. Placing a stack on black will cover all black pockets. 0 and 00 are green and give the house its edge.
WHAT CAN I WIN?
Since most pockets are either red or black, , one of these spaces will win most of the time. Each bet has a 47.37% – 48.65% chance of winning and pays 1/1.
Betting on red or black is one of the most basic roulette bets making it perfect for beginners. Below, you can see what color each numbered pocket is.
| Red | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 |
| Black | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 31 | 33 | 35 |
High 18
WHAT IS IT?
If you bet on high 18, you are wagering that the following spin will result in a pocket numbered 19-36.
WHAT CAN I WIN?
Like any even-money bet, the chances of winning are the best of any other bet option, and the payout is the lowest at 1/1. This is another great choice for new Canada players taking online roulette for a spin.
Low 18
WHAT IS IT?
How To Bet Roulette Wheel
As the name suggests, low 18 is the opposite of high 18. It wins when the ball lands in a pocket numbered 1-18.
WHAT CAN I WIN?
Because this covers nearly half of the wheel-head,it will win around half of the time and pay out 1/1.
Column
WHAT IS IT?
The column bet is like the street bet, but it covers twelve numbers in a column instead of three in a row. There are three columns to choose from. Have a look at the numbers each choice covers below.
| Column 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 25 | 28 | 31 | 34 |
| Column 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 26 | 29 | 32 | 35 |
| Column 3 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 27 | 30 | 33 | 36 |
WHAT CAN I WIN?
Betting on a column covers nearly one-third of the wheel for a 31.58% – 32.43% chance to win and pay out of 2/1. Since it should win around once every three spins, this outside bet offers much less risk than any of the inside bets.
Dozens
WHAT IS IT?
The dozens bet, as the name implies, lets you bet on twelve numbers at a time. However, instead of betting on numbers that lie in the same column on the table, you bet on a dozen numbers in sequential order.
These numbers are broken up into three separate dozens:
| First Dozen | 1-12 |
| Second Dozen | 13-24 |
| Third Dozen | 25-36 |
WHAT CAN I WIN?
Just like column bets, these have a nearly 1 in 3 chance to win and pay 2/1.
Picking the Right Bet for You
You now have all the information you need to choose which bet suits your strategy best. Inside bets are best for Canadian players that enjoy a high risk, high reward gaming experience with infrequent, big-money wins. Outside bets are low risk, low reward and work best for players that enjoy more frequent, small wins.
Learning the basics of betting is just the beginning of your roulette journey. Check out some of our related topics at OnlineRoulette.ca: