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Table-game strategy

Roulette Odds & Payouts

Every bet's payout, true odds and house edge.

House edge
2.70 %
Even-money house edge
2.70 %
Expected loss per spin
0.27 ₽
Numbers on the wheel
37
BetPaysWin chanceProfit on winTotal returnEdge
Straight up (1)35:12.70 %350 ₽360 ₽2.70 %
Split (2)17:15.41 %170 ₽180 ₽2.70 %
Street (3)11:18.11 %110 ₽120 ₽2.70 %
Corner (4)8:110.81 %80 ₽90 ₽2.70 %
Six line (6)5:116.22 %50 ₽60 ₽2.70 %
Column (12)2:132.43 %20 ₽30 ₽2.70 %
Dozen (12)2:132.43 %20 ₽30 ₽2.70 %
Red/Black, Odd/Even, 1-18/19-361:148.65 %10 ₽20 ₽2.70 %
European vs American, bet by bet
BetEU chanceUS chanceEU edgeUS edge
Straight up (1)2.70 %2.63 %2.70 %5.26 %
Split (2)5.41 %5.26 %2.70 %5.26 %
Street (3)8.11 %7.89 %2.70 %5.26 %
Corner (4)10.81 %10.53 %2.70 %5.26 %
Six line (6)16.22 %15.79 %2.70 %5.26 %
Column (12)32.43 %31.58 %2.70 %5.26 %
Dozen (12)32.43 %31.58 %2.70 %5.26 %
Red/Black, Odd/Even, 1-18/19-3648.65 %47.37 %2.70 %5.26 %
Five number (0-00-1-2-3)13.16 %7.89 %

Same payouts on both wheels; the extra pocket is what moves the edge.

How it works

Every roulette bet pays out as if the zero (and the double zero on an American wheel) did not exist. That gap between the true odds and the payout is the house edge, and it is the same for almost every bet on the table — 2.70% on a European single-zero wheel, 5.26% on an American double-zero wheel.

Because the edge is baked into the payouts, no combination of bets and no betting system can change it. The single worst bet is the American five-number line at 7.89%. The clearest takeaway: always choose a single-zero (European) wheel, where the house edge is nearly half the American one.

edge = 1 − win chance × (payout + 1)

How the Roulette Odds & Payouts works

Roulette is the purest house-edge game: every payout is fixed and the only thing that varies is which numbers a bet covers. This free calculator lays out the payout, true win probability and house edge for every bet on both the European single-zero and American double-zero wheels, with the expected loss on your stake.

Where the house edge comes from

A straight-up number pays 35 to 1. If the wheel had only 36 numbers that would be a fair bet — but the zero (and a second zero on the American wheel) tips it in the casino's favour. The payout ignores the zeros; the odds do not. That gap is the house edge.

On a European wheel it works out to 2.70% on essentially every bet; on an American wheel the extra pocket pushes it to 5.26%. The edge is identical whether you bet a single number or red/black, because every payout is shortened by the same proportion.

Why systems cannot beat it

Since the edge is built into each payout, no staking pattern changes it — Martingale, D'Alembert and the rest only rearrange when you win and lose, never the long-run rate. Every bet on the table carries the same expected loss per unit staked.

The one bet that is worse is the American five-number line (0-00-1-2-3), which pays 6 to 1 for a 7.89% edge — avoid it. The single most valuable decision in roulette is simply to play a single-zero wheel, halving the house edge.

European vs American roulette

The two wheels pay identically. A straight-up number returns 35 to 1 on both, red/black returns 1 to 1 on both, and every bet in between is unchanged. The only difference is the number of pockets: 37 on the European wheel, 38 on the American, because it carries a double zero as well as a single one.

One extra pocket doubles the cost. The house edge goes from 2.70% to 5.26%, so a player staking 10 a spin loses 0.27 per spin on a European wheel and 0.53 on an American one. Over a thousand spins that is 270 against 530 — the same game, the same payouts, twice the bill. French tables go further: with la partage an even-money bet only loses half its stake to a zero, which halves the edge again to 1.35% and is the best price in the casino outside blackjack.

Reading the payout table

Roulette payouts are quoted as odds to one: 35 to 1 means 35 units of profit plus your stake back, so a 10 chip on a single number returns 360 in total and shows 350 profit. A table that says '36 for 1' is quoting the same thing inclusive of the stake — worth checking, because the two look almost identical on a felt.

The table above puts profit, total return, win chance and house edge side by side for every bet, on whichever wheel you select. What stands out is how flat the edge column is: apart from the American five-number line, every bet costs exactly the same per unit staked. The choice of bet buys you variance, not value.

FAQ

What is the house edge in roulette?expand_more

2.70% on a European single-zero wheel and 5.26% on an American double-zero wheel. It applies to almost every bet, because all payouts are shortened by the same proportion.

Does a straight-up number have a worse edge than red/black?expand_more

No. On a given wheel every bet carries the same house edge — only the variance differs. A straight-up wins rarely for a big payout; red/black wins often for a small one.

Which roulette bet is the worst?expand_more

The American five-number bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3), which pays 6 to 1 and carries a 7.89% house edge — higher than any other bet on either wheel.

Can a betting system beat roulette?expand_more

No. The house edge is fixed in the payouts, so no system changes the long-run expected loss. Systems only alter the pattern of wins and losses, not the math.

How many zeros does a roulette wheel have?expand_more

A European wheel has one (37 pockets, 2.70% edge), an American wheel has two (38 pockets, 5.26%). Some online triple-zero wheels have three, at 39 pockets and a 7.69% edge — the worst version of the game in circulation.

What happens to my bet if the ball lands on zero?expand_more

Under standard rules every outside bet loses outright. On a French table with la partage an even-money bet gets half its stake back, and with en prison the stake is frozen for one spin and released if the next one wins; either rule halves the even-money edge to 1.35%.

What does 35 to 1 actually pay?expand_more

35 units of profit plus your stake. A 10 chip on a single number returns 360 in total: 350 profit and the original 10 back.

Key terms

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