To make the most of roulette, you should learn to calculate your odds. Read this article to find out about the details!
The outcome in roulette depends purely on luck. You can’t influence it, no matter how long you practice and how much intellectual effort you make. Nevertheless, you can evaluate the approximate potential of each bet that you place. It will help you plan your budget more reasonably and have more fun. In this article, we’ll talk about the range of odds for various bet and game varieties. You’ll find out which actions will boost your chances of winning and which ones will increase the possibility of hitting a big prize.
What Are the Odds in Roulette
Roulette wheel odds let you assess your chances of losing or winning. Let’s take the American variety of this game as an example. It has 38 numbers. When placing a bet on one number, your odds of winning will be 37 to 1. However, you need to take into account the house edge. It’s a percentage of all the bets that the gambling platform or institution takes to remain profitable. So the real payout is 35 to 1 instead of 37 to 1. Payouts are typically displayed as a ratio while odds as a percentage.
How to Estimate Roulette Winning Odds
We hope that our readers already know how to play roulette. At least, you should realize which bet varieties this game features.
There is a conventional way of indicating how much money you can earn per bet — x:1. For instance, 30:1 means that in case of a victory, you will get back the $1 that you put at stake plus $30 as a prize. There might be alternative ways of putting down the same data — such as “30x your bet”
Roulette Payout Charts
Varieties of this game differ not only by their rules but by their odds of winning and payouts too. In this article, we’ll analyze only the American and European roulettes. They are very popular and you can come across them in nearly any online or offline casino. The French variety of the game features a lower house edge —that’s why only selected venues and platforms offer it.
The table below reveals the correlation between the bet type, the odds of winning and the possible amount of the prize. For your convenience, we’ve rounded up all the data to whole numbers.
| Bet variety | Example | American roulette odds | European roulette odds | Potential sum of the prize |
| 6 numbers | 4 to 9 | 16% | 16% | 5x your bet |
| 5 numbers | 0, 00, 1, 2, or 3 | 13% | 14% | 6x your bet |
| 4 numbers | 5, 6, 8 or 9 | 11% | 11% | 8x your bet |
| 3 numbers | 28, 29 or 30 | 8% | 8% | 11x your bet |
| 2 numbers | 19 or 20 | 5% | 5% | 17x your bet |
| Single number | 7 | 3% | 3% | 35x your bet |
| Even bets | Black over red | 47% | 49% | 1x your bet |
| Dozen | 13 to 24 | 32% | 32% | 2x your bet |
| Column | Any number in the third column | 32% | 32% | 2x your bet |
Specifics of the Two Bet Varieties
The payout on roulette depends on the variety of the bet. It can be either an inside or an outside bet. The name of each variety hints at the place on the table where you put the chips. No matter which one you prefer, it won’t impact the house edge. Below, we’ll have a look at these two bet categories in detail.
Inside Bets
This bet variety can bring you an impressive prize. On the flip side, you will be winning rarely. This table should help you plan your actions.
| Bet type | American roulette odds | European roulette odds | Potential sum of the prize |
| Double street | 16% | 16% | 5x your bet |
| Basket | 13% | No data available | 6x your bet |
| Corner | 11% | 11% | 8x your bet |
| Street | 8% | 8% | 11x your bet |
| Split | 5% | 5% | 17x your bet |
| Straight | 3% | 3% | 35x your bet |
Outside Bets
With this bet variety, the chance of a payout tends to be higher than with the previous one. Outside bets cover a considerable amount of potential outcomes. Logically enough, the sum of the prize is normally rather modest. For instance, if you bet on even or odd, the expected prize will be equal to the sum that you put at stake.
Dozen and column bets cover 12 numbers on the wheel. If you opt for them, your potential payout will be twice the sum that you put at stake. Your probability of getting the prize will be roughly 33%. If the ball stops at 00 or 0, you will fail to win.
The table below sums up the profitability of each outside bet type.
| Bet type | American roulette odds | European roulette odds | Potential sum of the prize |
| Dozen | 32% | 32% | 2x your bet |
| Column | 32% | 32% | 2x your bet |
| High or low | 47% | 49% | 1x your bet |
| Odd or even | 47% | 49% | 1x your bet |
| Red or black | 47% | 49% | 1x your bet |
Tips on Enhancing Your Roulette Odds
As you can see in the tables, the odds at roulette are thoroughly calculated and you can’t change this maths. The good news is that smart tips can enable you to balance your budget. If you know how to handle the calculations, you shouldn’t run out of funds prematurely. Below, we’ll share five tried and tested recommendations.
Gamble Only in Licensed Casinos
Licensed venues and platforms always play fair. Their unlicensed counterparts, by contrast, might cheat on their audiences. The lack of a license means that authorities don’t regulate the casino. In the worst case, you might win but never get your prize. Or, the owners might fine-tune the algorithms of the game so that you’ll never win. A licensed casino can’t guarantee your frequency of winning. But at least, you can be sure you’ll get your payout honestly.
Learn the Rules of the Game
The rules of the roulette are not too difficult. It’s essential to remember the types of bets and the differences between the available game varieties. Then, nothing will come as a surprise to you and you will feel more confident.
Check the Numbers from Our Tables
When you place a bet, selected online casinos will show you its odds. If the platform fails to do it, you can rely on the tables from our article. Over time, you’ll memorize all the necessary information and won’t need our cribs anymore.
Consider Sticking to a Conservative Strategy
Each player has their individual goals. Some dream of hitting a big win, while others want to have fun first and foremost. In our article, we won’t focus on the strategies for highrollers. Such gamblers usually have impressive experience and they own elaborate tactics. Besides, they are not too numerous.
Let’s imagine that your budget is limited and you’d like to keep on playing for as long as possible. Opt for outside bets. Even though your prizes won’t be too large, you’ll be winning frequently and won’t have to leave the game prematurely.
The safest variant is to place bets with the smallest allowed sum.
And the pro tip is to place two equal bets — such as on even and red. By doing so, you’ll boost your odds of winning with different outcomes.
Play Sober and in a Good Mood
The better you control your emotions, the more likely you should be to win.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this was an informative text for you! When betting on roulette, you can’t influence the impact of the round — but it’s possible to smartly plan your actions. It’s crucial to realize the scope of consequences for each bet. The most helpful part of our article is the tables with the odds and the payouts. Feel free to save them and check their contents before or during the game!
