How To Calculate Roulette Bets

Sports betting is all about odds. You look at the action offered at your favorite sportsbook, handicap accordingly, and place your bets. With our bet calculator you can know exactly what you’d win before making your picks. How to Use an Odds Calculator. No matter the type of bet you’re making, our calculator has you covered.

For the most part, calculating roulette payouts is just a matter of multiplication. Each bet pays out at certain odds, and that determines what you multiply the bet by to get the payout. Also, as with most table games, the payouts are done on an X to Y basis, as opposed to an X for Y basis.

This post wants to cover roulette payouts in some degree of detail, though, including how much each bet pays off.

More importantly, I want to explain how the croupier is able to calculate payouts for roulette so quickly. Guess what? They have a system for that.

Payout Odds in Gambling

When you’re gambling on something, you get paid off using odds. Some games offer even odds, which means that if you bet $100, you win $100 when you win.

Most games, though, have various payouts for various kinds of bets.

The top jackpot on a video poker machine pays off at 800 for 1.

And that’s an important distinction. There’s a big difference between a payoff of 800 for 1 and a payoff of 800 to 1.

With table games like roulette, the payoffs are in the form of 2 to 1, 3 to 1, 35 to 1, etc.

This means that if you win the bet, you get to keep the amount you bet, and you get the winnings along with it.

If you bet $100 on a single number at the roulette table and win, you get a payoff of $3,500. But you also get to keep your $100.

How To Calculate Roulette Bets Today

With gambling machines, payouts are made on a “for” basis instead of a “to” basis. This means your winnings are traded for what you risked.

Best bets roulette

If you bet $5 on a slot machine and win a $10 payout, you don’t get your $5 back on top of that.

This is an important distinction you should make. Most gamblers don’t stick just with roulette, so if you’re going to play other games — and you probably will — you should understand how that works.

Specific Payouts in the Game of Roulette

In roulette, you have a huge variety of bets you can place. You bet on a single number. Or you can bet on two numbers — if either of those numbers come up, you win. Or you can bet on three numbers, and if any of those three numbers come up, you win.


The more likely it is for you to win, the lower the payout is.

A bet on black wins almost half the time. The payoff for that bet is only 1 to 1, or even money.

A bet on a single number pays off at 35 to 1, which is a big payoff, but it also only wins 1 out of every 38 spins on average.

The Difference Between the Odds of Winning and the Payout Odds

The casino makes its money from the difference between the odds of winning and the payout odds.

You know how you can express the payout on a bet as odds?

35 to 1 is an example of how you’d express a payoff on the single number bet.

The odds of winning can also be expressed in the same way.

On a standard American roulette wheel, you have 37 ways to lose a single number bet and only one way to win.

This means the odds of winning are 37 to 1.

Since the odds of winning are lower than the payoff for the bet, the casino makes a profit in the long run.

Once out of every 38 spins, they’ll pay off a single number bet, but they’ll only pay off 35 to 1 on that bet. The rest of the money goes into the casino’s pocket.

The casino deals in long-term averages, especially when it comes to roulette.

Roulette Bets and Their Payoffs

Here’s a list of bets you can make at the roulette table and how much each of them pays off.

The Outside Bets

These are the bets on the outside of the betting surface, and they’re the bets that pay off the most often. As a result, you win less with these bets.

Here are the outside bets you can make:

  • Red(or Black) – You can bet on the color of the number, and the payout is even money — 1 to 1
  • Even (or Odd) – You can bet that the number will be even or odd, and the payout is again even money — 1 to 1
  • Low (or High) – You can bet that the number will be 1-18 (low) or 19-36 (high). The payout is even money on this one, too
  • Columns – The numbers on the betting surface are organized into three columns. You can bet that the ball will land on one of the numbers in that column. The payoff, if you guess right, is 2 to 1
  • Dozens – The numbers can be divided into 1st third (1-12), 2nd third (13-24), and 3rd third (25-36). If you guess right, you get a 2 to 1 payout

On all these outside bets, 0 and 00 count as losses. Those numbers are green, and they’re not considered even or odd, high or low.

The Inside Bets

These are the bets on the inside of the betting surface. They pay out better but have a bigger chance of losing.

Here are the inside bets you can make:

  • Straight Up – This is a bet on a single number and pays off at 35 to 1
  • Split – This is a bet on two numbers that are next to each other. It pays off at 17 to 1
  • Street – This is a bet on three numbers, and it pays off at 11 to 1
  • Corners – This is a bet on four numbers, and it pays off at 8 to 1
  • The 5-Number Bet – You can only bet on 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 if you want to bet on five numbers, and it pays off at 6 to 1. This is the only bet on the roulette table with a different house edge from the other bets — 7.89% (the other bets have a house edge of 5.26%)
  • Line – This is a bet on six numbers and pays off at 5 to 1

All these bets would be a break-even proposition in the long run IF the wheel didn’t have a green 0 and a green 00.

How the Croupier Makes the Payouts So Quickly

The first thing the croupier does after the decision is to clear all the losing bets off the roulette table. Since he’s intimately familiar with the layout of the betting surface, this doesn’t take long at all.

Also, all the players at the roulette table have chips that are specifically colored so that they have the same color. You can’t use the roulette chips at the other table. This enables the croupier to tell your bet from someone else’s. It’s the color of the chips.

To calculate the payouts, you just multiply the bet by the payout odds.

If someone bet two chips on a single number and it won, you’d multiply 2 by 35 and get 70. That’s how many chips you’d give the player in winnings.

He doesn’t really have a magical system, either. He knows the payouts for the various bets, and he’s able to do the multiplication in his head. It’s easy multiplication, but even if it weren’t, he’d eventually just be able to memorize the correct payout relative to the number of chips bet.

Also, he doesn’t really think of the chips as money. They’re just betting units.

Can Any of This Information Help Me Win at Roulette?

Naw.

Roulette’s a negative expectation game.

You might get lucky in the short run, but if you play long enough, the math behind the payouts will eventually reduce your bankroll to 0.

Conclusion

And that’s how to calculate roulette payouts. You just memorize which bets are possible and how much they pay off. Once you know that, calculating the payouts is just a matter of multiplication.

How To Calculate Roulette Bets Youtube

Croupiers are able to do it quickly because they do it all day every day.

I’m able to make change in my head because I worked for years on cash registers that didn’t calculate change. I know how to subtract from 100 without any effort at all.

Calculating roulette payouts is a similar skill.

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KNOW YOUR ROULETTE ODDS

Best bet on roulette table

How To Calculate Roulette Bets Video

Roulette odds provide you with the information you need to know how likely you are to win any bet. There are many different bets available on a roulette table, and each one has its own odds. These range from even money bets that pay off nearly half the time, to single number bets that are hard to hit, but which will earn you a lot of money when they do.

Before diving deeper into roulette odds, however, it’s important that you understand the basics of how to play roulette. Before every spin, you will have the opportunity to place as many bets as you like all around the roulette table. Each of these bets covers one or more of the numbered pockets on the roulette wheel, and comes with its own specific odds of winning.

When the croupier spins the ball around the wheel, it will eventually fall into one of these pockets. The number and color of that pocket will determine which bets win on that spin. At this point, the croupier will mark the winning number, losing bets are taken off the table, and roulette payouts are made for the remaining winning bets before the next spin.

AMERICAN VS. EUROPEAN ROULETTE PROBABILITIES

While the American and European games may seem similar at first glance, the two games actually use different roulette wheels. The American wheel has both a zero (0) and a double zero (00) on it, while the European wheel only has the single zero.

This actually makes a major difference to players. European roulette odds are much better for players, because there is one less pocket on the wheel for the ball to fall into. Since both versions offer the same roulette payouts, this means that the odds and house edge are smaller in European roulette.

Some European roulette games offer additional rules that further help the player cut into the house edge. When a casino offers la partage, that means that you will only lose half of an even money bet (meaning bets like odd/even or red/black) if the ball lands on zero.

En prison is a variation of the la partage rule. Rather than getting half of your bet back, the money will instead be put “in prison”. after which you can win it all back If the next spin results in a win for that bet. In either case, these options offer the best odds in roulette, as they cut the house edge roughly in half.

EUROPEAN

AMERICAN

NODOUBLE ZEROYES
37NUMBER OF SECTORS38
2.7%HOUSE EDGE5.26%
97.3%AVERAGE PAYOUT FOR 100 €94.74%

ROULETTE ODDS AND PAYOUTS EXPLAINED

While there are a wide array of roulette bet types to choose from, these options can mainly be divided into two types: inside bets and outside bets. These categories get their names based on where these bets occur on the roulette table layout. Inside bets are placed on the numbers at the center of the table, while outside bets have special betting areas on the outer portion of the board.

Inside Bets

Inside bets tend to have a lower probability of winning, but they offer the biggest roulette payouts. For this reason, they are often the best way to start playing for those who are new to the game, as they give you a chance to earn a big payout on any given spin without having to risk much money on each bet.

Straight: A bet on a single number. If the ball lands on that number, the bet pays 35-1.

Split: A bet on two adjacent numbers on the roulette table. If either of those numbers hits, the bet pays 17-1.

Street: A bet on a row of three numbers on the roulette layout. If any of those numbers wins, your bet pays out at 11-1 odds.

Corner: A bet on a “square” of four numbers on the roulette betting layout. If any of these numbers wins, the bet pays 8-1.

Six Line: A bet on two consecutive rows, covering six numbers in total. If the ball lands on any of those numbers, you’ll win at 5-1 odds.

First Four: This bet is only available on European roulette tables, and covers the zero along with 1, 2, and 3. If any of those four numbers wins, the bet pays 8-1.

Trio: Like a street bet, this bet covers three numbers, but it includes one of the zeros. For instance, a player can make a trio bet covering 0, 1, and 2. If any of those numbers wins, the bet pays 11-1.

Top Line: This bet is only available on American roulette tables and covers five numbers in total: the zero, double zero, 1, 2, and 3. If the ball lands on any of those numbers, your bet pays out at 6-1 odds.

Outside Bets

Outside bets cover large sections of the wheel, giving you a better chance of winning your bet. However, they also come with smaller payouts, and may require higher minimum wagers than inside bets.

Columns: A column bet covers one of the three columns on the roulette table layout, each of which contains 12 numbers. If any of those 12 numbers wins, your bet pays 2-1 odds.

Dozens: These bets cover sets of 12 consecutive numbers: 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36. If a number in the range you bet on wins, the bet pays 2-1.

Odd/Even: These bets cover all of the odd or even numbers on the table (note that zeros do not count as either odd or even). If a matching number wins, then your bet pays out even money.

Red/Black: These bets cover all pockets – 18 each – of that color. If the ball lands on that color, you win at even money odds.

High/Low: These bets cover the range of 1-18 and 19-36. Should the ball land on a number in the range you’ve chosen, the bet pays even money.

Called & Announced Bets

Called and announced bets are roulette bet types that may not be familiar even to many experienced players. These are more frequently seen in European casinos, and they allow players to make bets by announcing them to the croupier. Called bets can be made on credit, while announced bets require a player to actually have the money on the table in order to make them.Typically, such bets are only offered to known players, usually high rollers. In modern roulette, announced bets are far more common than called bets, as most casinos cannot or will not allow their players to wager on credit.

While any bet can be an announced bet, this option is typically only used for complex wagers, most of which are known as the French bets. These bets cover specific portions of the roulette wheel, which takes several chips to accomplish and can be unwieldy to manage on the standard roulette betting layout. Instead, the croupier can manage those bets for players, sometimes by using the “racetrack” layout seen on some European roulette tables.

Common announced bets include:Voisins du Zero: This bet covers 17 numbers using nine chips. Your payout will be determined by the type of bet covering the winning number: 16 chips on the corner bet, 22 on the trio, or 17 chips if one of the splits wins.

Jeu Zero: The “zero game” covers just seven numbers using four chips. If a split wins, the bet will pay out 17 chips. If the number 26 hits, you win 35 chips.

Tiers du Cylindre: This bet covers 12 numbers that lie far away from the zero. It takes six split bets to cover these numbers, and you get a payout of 17 chips if any of them wins.

Orphelins: Made with five chips, this bet has varying payouts. The straight bet on 1 pays 35-1, while the split bets would pay 17-1.

Finals: A final bet covers every number that ends in a specific digit. These are all straight bets paying out at 35-1 odds.

Full Completes: A full complete is a true maximum bet on a single number. These bets involve heavy risks to the player, with the exact payouts depending on what number is hit, various table maximums, and which number is being maxed out.

You can find out more details on each of these on our called bets and announced bets page.

THE BEST ROULETTE BETS FOR YOUR BANKROLL

Our team of experts has years of experience playing roulette, meaning we know all the pro tips and tricks that can help you get the best roulette odds possible. One of the most important things we can share is how to make the best bets possible each time you step up to the roulette table. Here are our favorite bets in roulette:

La Partage: When it comes to roulette odds, it doesn’t get better than playing at European roulette tables that offer la partage rules on even money bets. When these rules are in effect, you’ll get half your money back if the ball lands on zero, meaning the house edge is reduced to just 1.35%.
En Prison: This variant of la partage is nearly as good for players. Depending on the exact rules being used, en prison – which gives players the chance to rescue their even money bets after a zero – can also drop the house edge to 1.35% for players.
Straight Bets: We recommend straight bets to new players because of their potential for massive payouts, as they pay 35-1 – which is the highest roulette odds on the table. If you want to manage your risk, you can also make multiple straight bets on each spin.
Even Money Bets: If you’re more risk-averse, even money bets like red/black and odd/even will give you the most security possible, as you’ll win nearly half the time. This is perfect if you’re trying to nurse a small bankroll over a long session with friends at the casino. Unless your luck is extremely bad, you’ll be unlikely to lose much money even over hundreds of spins.

THE WORST ODDS TO WATCH OUT FOR

While we’re happy to give you tips on how to find the best odds in roulette, the best thing we can do for our players is steer them away from bets that aren’t worth their time. By avoiding the worst of the worst options, you’ll improve your roulette odds and have more fun playing knowing you aren’t getting ripped off.

The biggest example is the Top Line or First Five bet on American roulette tables. While the odds in roulette are very consistent across almost all bets, this particular bet is an exception. This is because payouts in roulette are generally designed to be fair for a wheel with 36 pockets, with the house edge coming from the fact that there are actually 37 (European roulette) or 38 (American roulette) pockets for the ball to fall into.

On an American table, that means that whether you make a straight bet at 35-1 payout, or bet on black at even money, the house edge is 2/38, or 5.26%. However, the Top Line bet covers exactly five numbers (0-00-1-2-3), a number that 36 can’t be evenly divided into. Casinos offer 6-1 on this bet, which would only be a fair bet if there were 35 pockets. The result of this is a house edge of 7.89%, which is much higher than on any other bet.

The Top Line isn’t always the only sucker bet on the table. Generally, it’s best to avoid unusual side bets that may be added to the game, especially in online roulette. As in other casino games, these side bets are almost always added to make more money off players and come with extraordinarily high house edges.

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR ODDS AT ROULETTE

One of the best ways to improve your odds in roulette is by brushing up on your roulette strategy. While the results of each spin are random, roulette strategies can be used to manage your sessions and get the kinds of results you’re looking for.

For instance, let’s say you want to maximize your chances of booking at least a small win at the end of a session. Your best bet may be the Martingale System, which asks you to place even money bets, doubling your bet amount after a loss. On the other hand, a player looking for a huge payday would be better off trying something like the Guetting System. We cover many of these systems as well as other ways to improve your odds on our roulette strategy page.

The most important thing you can do to maximize your roulette odds is to get some practice in before you try playing for real money. If you’re looking to develop your skills or test a new betting strategy, you’ll want to check out the 80+ free online roulette titles which are available for you to try without risking any money.

PLAY AT THE TOP ONLINE ROULETTE SITES

At this point, you should have a strong knowledge of roulette odds and payouts, which bets you want to seek out, and which to avoid. Armed with this information, you should feel confident about playing roulette for real cash at one of our top-rated casinos.

We only recommend the most trustworthy and reputable online casinos for our readers. Any of the sites in the table below will provide you with a safe and secure place to enjoy playing roulette.

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FAQ

🎲 Are roulette odds good?

While roulette odds vary depending on the type of table you are playing at, the odds are generally quite good. That’s especially true when compared to other popular gambling options like slot machines, which normally have much higher house edges.

❤️ What is the best bet in roulette?

If you want the best odds in roulette, you’ll want to find a European roulette table where you can take advantage of la partage rules on even money bets. Under those conditions, the house edge is just 1.35%.

🎰 What are the best roulette bet combinations?

There are many different roulette bet combinations that are effective, with the best one depending on your goals at the table. Familiarizing yourself with bet systems can help you determine what works for you, and what doesn’t.

💰 How much is a roulette chip worth?

The most common value for a roulette chip in an American casino is one dollar. However, this amount can vary depending on how much you buy in for at the table. When you purchase your chips, your croupier will set a value that leaves you with a reasonable amount of chips to play with: buy in for $100, and you’ll get dollar chips; start with $10,000 on the table, and each chip might be worth $100 instead.

Are roulette tables rigged?

Bets

Generally speaking, roulette tables are fair. Casinos have a mathematical advantage and don’t need to cheat to get roulette odds they are happy with. However, there have been plenty of cases where biased wheels have made some numbers appear more often than others – something that attentive players can take advantage of.

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