Roulette payouts range from 35:1 for a single number down to 1:1 for red, black, odd or even. The bigger the payout, the lower your chance of winning, so every bet balances out. On a European wheel each bet carries the same 2.70% house edge, while an American wheel raises that to 5.26% because of its extra zero.
Roulette odds and payouts follow one simple rule: the harder a bet is to win, the more it pays. A single number is a long shot that pays 35 times your stake, while an even-money bet lands almost half the time but only doubles your money. Understanding what each bet pays, and the real chance of it landing, is the difference between playing blind and playing informed. This guide breaks down every bet, the odds behind it, and the house edge that never changes, building on our complete guide to roulette.
- Payouts scale with risk. Straight up pays 35:1, splits 17:1, and even-money bets 1:1, always matched to how often they win.
- Every European bet costs the same. No bet has a lower house edge than another. They all sit at 2.70%.
- The American wheel is worse. Its double zero pushes the edge to 5.26% on the same bets and payouts.
- “Best bet” is about style, not edge. Even-money bets last longer, single numbers pay bigger, but the long-run cost is identical.
Roulette odds and payouts for every bet
Here is every standard roulette bet with what it pays and how often it wins on a single-zero European wheel. Inside bets cover specific numbers and pay more, while outside bets cover large groups and win more often. The payout and the win chance always move in opposite directions, which is what keeps the house edge the same across the board.
| Bet | Numbers covered | Payout | Win chance (European) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside bets | |||
| Straight up | 1 number | 35:1 | 2.70% |
| Split | 2 numbers | 17:1 | 5.41% |
| Street | 3 numbers | 11:1 | 8.11% |
| Corner | 4 numbers | 8:1 | 10.81% |
| Line (six line) | 6 numbers | 5:1 | 16.22% |
| Outside bets | |||
| Column | 12 numbers | 2:1 | 32.43% |
| Dozen | 12 numbers | 2:1 | 32.43% |
| Red / Black | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 48.65% |
| Odd / Even | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 48.65% |
| High / Low (1 to 18, 19 to 36) | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 48.65% |
A quick worked example: a straight-up bet pays 35:1, so a winning CA$10 chip returns CA$350 in profit plus your CA$10 stake. An even-money bet on red pays 1:1, so the same CA$10 returns CA$10 profit plus your stake. The single number is 18 times harder to hit, and the payout reflects exactly that.
Inside bets explained
Inside bets are wagers on specific numbers or small groups of numbers on the inner part of the layout. They win less often but pay the most, making them the choice for players chasing a big return from a small stake.
- Straight up (35:1): a bet on a single number, including zero. The hardest bet to win at 1 chance in 37, and the biggest payout on the table.
- Split (17:1): a chip on the line between two adjacent numbers, winning if either comes up.
- Street (11:1): covers a row of three numbers with a chip on the edge of the row.
- Corner (8:1): a chip on the intersection of four numbers, winning if any of them lands.
- Line (5:1): also called a six line, covering two adjacent rows of three numbers, six in total.
Outside bets explained
Outside bets sit around the edge of the layout and cover large groups of numbers. They pay less but win far more often, which makes them the go-to for players who want their bankroll to last. The even-money bets are the closest thing roulette offers to a coin flip.
- Column (2:1): covers one of the three vertical columns of 12 numbers. The zero is not included, so a column wins just under a third of the time.
- Dozen (2:1): covers the first, second or third dozen (1 to 12, 13 to 24, or 25 to 36), also 12 numbers.
- Red or Black (1:1): covers all 18 numbers of one colour. Close to a 50/50 shot, but the green zero keeps it just under half.
- Odd or Even (1:1): covers the 18 odd or 18 even numbers. Zero counts as neither, so it loses these bets.
- High or Low (1:1): covers the low half (1 to 18) or the high half (19 to 36).
Roulette payout calculator
Pick a bet, choose the wheel, and enter a stake to see what the bet pays, how often it wins, and the average long-run cost. Notice that the expected loss per spin stays the same whichever bet you choose on a given wheel, because the house edge is fixed.
The roulette house edge, and why every bet costs the same
The house edge in roulette is 2.70% on a European wheel and 5.26% on an American wheel, and it applies equally to every bet. The reason is the zero. A straight-up bet pays 35:1, but there are 37 numbers on a European wheel, so a truly fair payout would be 36:1. That missing unit is the casino's margin, and the same gap is baked into every other bet, which is why none of them is cheaper to play.
This is the single most important fact about roulette odds: no bet, pattern or combination lowers the house edge on a given wheel. A straight-up number and an even-money bet on red both cost you 2.70% of your stake on average. The only genuine way to pay less is to choose a better wheel, which is where the difference between the variants matters.
American vs European roulette payouts
The payouts on American and European roulette are identical, but the odds behind them are not. Both wheels pay a single number 35:1, but the American wheel has 38 pockets instead of 37, so your real chance of winning is lower on every bet. That is how the same payout hides a very different house edge: 2.70% on the European wheel against 5.26% on the American one.
| Feature | European | American |
|---|---|---|
| Pockets | 37 (single zero) | 38 (zero and double zero) |
| Straight-up payout | 35:1 | 35:1 |
| Single-number win chance | 2.70% | 2.63% |
| House edge (all bets) | 2.70% | 5.26% |
The takeaway is simple: when both wheels are available, the European wheel is always the better value, because you get the same payouts at nearly half the long-run cost. The American wheel also carries a unique five-number bet on 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 that pays 6:1 and has an even worse 7.89% edge, so it is best left alone.
What are the odds of red or black?
Red and black each pay 1:1 and each cover 18 of the wheel's numbers, but the odds are not quite 50/50. On a European wheel your chance of hitting red is 18 in 37, or 48.65%, because the single green zero belongs to neither colour. On an American wheel it drops to 18 in 38, or 47.37%, thanks to the second green pocket.
This is why the “red or black” bet feels like a coin flip but is not one. That small gap, the green zero, is the entire house edge on the bet. If you like even-money betting, French roulette is worth seeking out, because its La Partage rule returns half your stake when the ball lands on zero, cutting the edge on red, black, odd, even, high and low to just 1.35%.
What are the best bets in roulette?
There is no single “best” bet in roulette, because every bet on a given wheel carries the same house edge. What changes is the experience. If you want your bankroll to last and enjoy frequent small wins, the even-money bets on red, black, odd or even are the steadiest choice at close to a 49% win rate. If you are chasing a big score from a small stake, a straight-up number pays 35:1.
The genuinely smart choices sit outside the bet itself: pick a single-zero European or French wheel over an American one, set a budget before you play, and treat the payouts as entertainment rather than a system. For staking approaches and why none of them beat the edge, see our guide to roulette strategy and betting systems, and to make a bankroll last, our bankroll management guide.
