Key takeaways
- Inside bets: fewer numbers, bigger payouts.
- Outside bets: more numbers, smaller payouts.
- 2.70% edge on every European bet.
- French even-money bets: 1.35%.
AnswerEvery bet on a European wheel has a 2.70% house edge. Choose bets by how often you want to win.
Inside bets
| Bet | Numbers | Pays | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 1 | 35 to 1 | 2.70% |
| Split | 2 | 17 to 1 | 5.41% |
| Street | 3 | 11 to 1 | 8.11% |
| Corner | 4 | 8 to 1 | 10.81% |
| Line | 6 | 5 to 1 | 16.22% |
Outside bets
| Bet | Numbers | Pays | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dozen or column | 12 | 2 to 1 | 32.43% |
| Red or black | 18 | 1 to 1 | 48.65% |
| Odd or even | 18 | 1 to 1 | 48.65% |
| High or low | 18 | 1 to 1 | 48.65% |
Why the edge is the same
Payouts are set as if the wheel had 36 numbers. It has 37. That one-in-37 shortfall applies to every bet alike.
French rules
La partage returns half an even-money stake when zero lands; en prison holds it for the next spin. Either halves the edge on those bets.
£37, three ways
| How it is bet | Average return | Average cost |
|---|---|---|
| £1 on every number | £36 | £1 |
| £37 on red, once | £36 | £1 |
| £1 on one number, 37 spins | £36 | £1 |
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Called bets
Voisins du zéro, Tiers and Orphelins cover sections of the wheel with several chips at once. They are convenient ways of placing ordinary bets and carry the same 2.70%.
Reading a payout
"35 to 1" means £35 profit and your £1 back. "1 to 1" doubles the stake.
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House edges and RTPs are standard published figures for common rules, and are long-run averages. Offer terms dated 5 October 2026. How we check. 18+. Free help: 0808 8020 133 or safer gambling.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best roulette bet?
French even-money bets; otherwise all are equal.
What pays 35 to 1?
A single number.
What are the odds of red?
48.65% on a single-zero wheel.
Is there a strategy?
No.