By Rebecca Stone | Last updated: April 2, 2026

Rebecca Stone is a casino game analyst with 9 years of experience covering live dealer game variants, bet structures, and player strategy.

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Affiliate disclosure: We earn commissions from casinos we recommend. This does not affect our editorial independence.

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Inside vs Outside Bets in Roulette: Complete Betting Guide

Roulette offers more betting options than any other live casino table game. From a single number at 35:1 to a near-50/50 red/black bet, the range spans nearly every risk/reward profile imaginable. Understanding each bet type — its coverage, payout, win probability, and house edge — is the foundation of any roulette strategy.

This guide covers every inside and outside bet in full detail, including the announced/call bets available in European and French roulette.

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The Fundamental Trade-off

Every roulette bet operates on the same principle: more coverage = lower payout, less coverage = higher payout. The house edge is mathematically identical across all bet types in European roulette (2.70%), regardless of what you bet.

The core equation:

Payout = (36 ÷ numbers covered) - 1

• 1 number: (36 ÷ 1) - 1 = 35:1
• 2 numbers: (36 ÷ 2) - 1 = 17:1
• 6 numbers: (36 ÷ 6) - 1 = 5:1
• 18 numbers: (36 ÷ 18) - 1 = 1:1

The 36 in the formula represents the payout base. The actual wheel has 37 pockets (European). The gap between 36 and 37 is where the 2.70% house edge lives.

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Inside Bets

Inside bets are placed on the number grid — on specific numbers or the lines between them.

Straight Up (Single Number)

What it is: A bet on one specific number (0 through 36, or 00 in American).

Payout: 35:1

Win probability (European): 1/37 = 2.70%

How to place: Click directly on any number on the betting grid.

Example: $25 on number 17. If 17 lands: win $875 (35 × $25) plus your $25 stake returned = $900 total.

Who it’s for: Players who want the highest possible payout per bet. High variance — you’ll lose far more often than you win in any session, but each win is significant.

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Split (Two Numbers)

What it is: A bet on two adjacent numbers — horizontally or vertically adjacent on the grid.

Payout: 17:1

Win probability: 2/37 = 5.41%

How to place: Click on the line between two adjacent numbers.

Example: Split between 17 and 18. Wins if either 17 or 18 lands.

Strategic use: Splits let you cover two numbers for less cost than two separate straight-up bets, at a proportionally reduced payout.

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Street (Three Numbers)

What it is: A bet on a row of three consecutive numbers (e.g., 1-2-3, 4-5-6, etc.).

Payout: 11:1

Win probability: 3/37 = 8.11%

How to place: Click on the left outer edge of any row.

Special streets: 0-1-2 and 0-2-3 are available as streets at the top of the grid.

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Corner (Square / Four Numbers)

What it is: A bet on four numbers forming a square on the grid.

Payout: 8:1

Win probability: 4/37 = 10.81%

How to place: Click on the intersection point of four adjacent numbers.

Example: Corner on 14-15-17-18. Wins if any of the four numbers land.

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Six Line (Double Street)

What it is: A bet on two adjacent rows — six numbers total.

Payout: 5:1

Win probability: 6/37 = 16.22%

How to place: Click on the outer edge between two rows.

Example: Six line covering 13-14-15-16-17-18.

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Basket / Five Number Bet (American Only)

What it is: A bet on 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 — five numbers unique to American roulette.

Payout: 6:1

Win probability: 5/38 = 13.16%

House edge: 7.89% — the single worst standard bet in roulette.

Verdict: Never place this bet. The payout formula (36 ÷ 5 - 1 = 6.2:1, rounded to 6:1) creates an asymmetric disadvantage found nowhere else on the table. The house edge is 7.89% vs. the standard 5.26% for all other American roulette bets.

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Inside Bet Comparison Table

Bet	Numbers	Payout	Win Probability	House Edge
Straight Up	1	35:1	2.70%	2.70%
Split	2	17:1	5.41%	2.70%
Street	3	11:1	8.11%	2.70%
Corner	4	8:1	10.81%	2.70%
Six Line	6	5:1	16.22%	2.70%
Basket (American)	5	6:1	13.16%	7.89%

All European roulette inside bets carry identical 2.70% house edge. Payout scales exactly with coverage.

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Outside Bets

Outside bets are placed on the sections surrounding the number grid. They cover large portions of the wheel.

Red / Black

What it is: Bet that the ball lands on a red or black number.

Payout: 1:1 (even money)

Win probability (European): 18/37 = 48.65%

Zero: Zero is green — outside bets lose on zero (except with La Partage in French roulette).

Who it’s for: Players who want near-50/50 odds with even-money payouts. The foundation bet for most betting systems (Martingale, Fibonacci, D’Alembert).

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Odd / Even

What it is: Bet that the ball lands on an odd or even number.

Payout: 1:1

Win probability: 18/37 = 48.65%

Note: Zero is neither odd nor even — outside bets lose on zero.

Mathematically identical to Red/Black in all respects.

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High / Low (1-18 / 19-36)

What it is: Bet on the lower half (1-18) or upper half (19-36) of numbers.

Payout: 1:1

Win probability: 18/37 = 48.65%

Mathematically identical to Red/Black and Odd/Even.

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Dozens

What it is: Three separate bets covering 12 numbers each:

• First Dozen: 1-12
• Second Dozen: 13-24
• Third Dozen: 25-36

Payout: 2:1

Win probability: 12/37 = 32.43%

Example: $25 on First Dozen. If any number 1-12 lands: win $50 (2 × $25) plus stake returned = $75.

Strategic use: Covering two dozens ($50 total) gives 24/37 = 64.86% win probability on a $25 net exposure (one dozen wins, one dozen loses). The remaining 13 numbers lose both bets. Payout is 2:1 minus the losing dozen = net +$25 per win.

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Columns

What it is: Three columns running vertically down the number grid, each containing 12 numbers:

• 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

Payout: 2:1

Win probability: 12/37 = 32.43%

Mathematically identical to Dozens.

Note: Zero is not in any column — column bets lose on zero.

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Outside Bet Comparison Table

Bet	Numbers Covered	Payout	Win Probability	House Edge
Red / Black	18	1:1	48.65%	2.70%
Odd / Even	18	1:1	48.65%	2.70%
High / Low	18	1:1	48.65%	2.70%
Dozens	12	2:1	32.43%	2.70%
Columns	12	2:1	32.43%	2.70%

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Announced / Call Bets (European and French Roulette)

Call bets cover specific sections of the wheel rather than grid positions. They’re standard on European and French tables, typically placed via a “racetrack” interface showing the wheel layout.

Voisins du Zéro (Neighbors of Zero)

Coverage: 17 numbers — 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25

Cost: 9 chips minimum

• 2 chips on the 0-2-3 trio
• 1 chip each on splits: 4-7, 12-15, 18-21, 19-22, 32-35
• 2 chips on corner: 25-26-28-29

Win probability: 17/37 = 45.95%

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Tiers du Cylindre (Thirds of the Wheel)

Coverage: 12 numbers on the opposite side of the wheel from zero — 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33

Cost: 6 chips on 6 splits: 5-8, 10-11, 13-16, 23-24, 27-30, 33-36

Win probability: 12/37 = 32.43%

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Orphelins (Orphans)

Coverage: 8 numbers not covered by Voisins or Tiers — 17, 34, 6, 1, 20, 14, 31, 9

Cost: 5 chips:

• 1 chip straight on 1
• 1 chip each on splits: 6-9, 14-17, 17-20, 31-34

Win probability: 8/37 = 21.62%

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Neighbors

Coverage: Any number plus the 2 numbers on each side of it on the wheel = 5 numbers total.

Cost: 5 chips (one on each straight-up number)

Win probability: 5/37 = 13.51%

Payout: 35:1 on the winning number; lose the other 4 chips. Net win: 35 - 4 = 31 chips.

Who it’s for: Players who want to cover a wheel section (perhaps based on recent spin locations) rather than grid-based betting.

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Combining Bets: Coverage Strategies

Some players spread bets across multiple types to balance coverage and payout:

High Coverage Play

• Red/Black ($25) + Dozens ($10 each on two dozens) = $45 total, covers 30+ numbers
• Win rate varies; net exposure is moderate

Single Number + Even Money

• Straight Up on favorite number ($10) + Red ($25) each spin
• The even-money bet sustains the session; the straight-up provides high-payout potential

Two Dozens Coverage

• $25 on First Dozen + $25 on Third Dozen = $50 total, covers 24 numbers
• Win: one dozen wins 2:1 (+$25 net), other loses (-$25 net) = breakeven on number wins
• Loss: ball lands in Second Dozen (13 numbers) or zero = -$50

Important: No coverage strategy changes the 2.70% house edge. These combinations change the experience and variance pattern — not the expected value.

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Bet Selection by Player Profile

For new players: Even-money outside bets (Red/Black, Odd/Even). Near 50/50, simple, low variance.

For session extension: Dozens or Columns. 2:1 payouts with ~32% win probability keep the game interesting with moderate variance.

For high-stakes excitement: Straight-up or split inside bets. High variance, high payouts, dramatic sessions.

For structured systems: Even-money bets + any of the Martingale, Fibonacci, or D’Alembert systems.

For wheel enthusiasts: Call bets (Voisins, Tiers, Neighbors) via the racetrack interface.

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FAQ: Roulette Bet Types

What is the best bet in roulette? No bet changes the 2.70% house edge in European roulette. The “best” bet depends on your risk preference: even-money bets for low variance, straight-up for high payout potential.

Do inside bets have better odds than outside bets? No. All European roulette bets carry identical 2.70% house edge. Inside bets have higher payouts and lower win probability; outside bets have lower payouts and higher win probability. Expected value per dollar wagered is the same.

What is a split bet in roulette? A split bet covers two adjacent numbers on the betting grid. It pays 17:1 and wins when either number lands.

Can I place multiple bets simultaneously? Yes. You can place bets on any combination of inside and outside positions in the same round. All bets are resolved independently when the ball lands.

What is the worst bet in roulette? The Basket/5-number bet in American roulette (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) carries a 7.89% house edge — nearly three times worse than European roulette bets. Never place it.

What are call bets in roulette? Call bets (Voisins, Tiers, Orphelins, Neighbors) cover specific wheel sections rather than grid positions. They carry the same 2.70% house edge and are primarily for players who prefer wheel-section thinking.

Do outside bets pay even money? Red/Black, Odd/Even, and High/Low pay 1:1 (even money). Dozens and Columns pay 2:1. Neither changes the house edge.

What happens to my bets when zero lands? In European roulette: all outside bets lose; inside bets lose unless they cover zero. In French roulette with La Partage: half your even-money bet is returned. In American roulette: both 0 and 00 cause all outside bets to lose.

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Ready to Bet?

Every bet type in European roulette carries identical expected value — the choice comes down to variance preference. High-coverage outside bets for sustainability; inside bets for excitement and high payouts; call bets for wheel-section strategy.

For the full strategic framework including betting systems and variant selection, see our complete roulette strategy guide. For European vs American house edge comparison, see our variant comparison guide.

Play every bet type at top live roulette tables → mynewcasino.com

Gamble responsibly. Set a budget before every session. Visit begambleaware.org for support.

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