What are the roulette rules and bet types?
Roulette rules and bet types determine which numbered pockets your chips cover and how a winning selection is paid. Inside bets cover individual numbers or small groups; outside bets cover larger groups such as red, black, dozens or columns. A standard single-zero wheel has 37 pockets, while a double-zero wheel has 38. Those extra losing outcomes matter: a bigger payout or a recent run of one colour does not remove the house edge.
What is the difference between single-zero and double-zero roulette?
Single-zero roulette has 37 pockets; double-zero roulette has 38 because it adds 00. With conventional unchanged payouts, that additional losing pocket increases the house edge.
- A standard single-zero wheel has 37 pockets: numbers 1 to 36 and zero.
- A double-zero wheel has 38 pockets, adding 00.
- Zero pockets are not red, black, odd or even for ordinary outside bets.
- They create losing outcomes that matter even when the layout looks almost balanced.
For a standard single-zero red bet, 18 outcomes win and 19 lose. With a £1 stake and an even-money payout, expected net return is (18 × £1 − 19 × £1) ÷ 37 = −£0.0270 per wager. The corresponding house edge is about 2.70%. This calculation assumes ordinary rules without special zero treatment.
Roulette illustrates a principle that applies across casino games: probabilities and payouts must be considered together.
How do inside roulette bets work?
A straight-up bet covers one number. A split covers two adjacent numbers on the betting layout, a street usually covers three, a corner covers four, and a six-line covers six. The location of the chip determines the selection, so zoom in or inspect the confirmation before submitting an online bet.
- Standard profit payouts are 35:1 for a straight-up bet, 17:1 for a split, 11:1 for a street, 8:1 for a corner and 5:1 for a six-line.
- The original stake is also returned on a winning bet.
- Special combinations and variants can have different payouts.
How do outside roulette bets work?
- Red or black, odd or even, and low or high ordinarily pay 1:1.
- Dozens and columns cover 12 numbers and ordinarily pay 2:1.
- Covering more numbers raises the chance of a winning outcome for that individual bet while reducing its payout.
- It does not automatically reduce the underlying house edge.
For a single-number £1 wager on a 37-pocket wheel, one outcome earns £35 profit and 36 outcomes lose £1. Expected net return is (35 − 36) ÷ 37 = −£0.0270. Despite a very different payout pattern, this is the same expectation as the ordinary red bet described above.
How does an extra zero change the house edge?
An extra zero raises the house edge when it adds a losing pocket without increasing the payout. A conventional 35:1 straight-up bet has about 2.70% house edge on 37 pockets and 5.26% on 38 pockets.
On a 38-pocket wheel, a standard straight-up bet still commonly pays 35:1. The calculation becomes (35 − 37) ÷ 38 = −£0.0526, or about 5.26% house edge. This is a comparison of conventional rules, not a universal claim covering every roulette variation.
- Some tables apply special rules such as returning part of an eligible even-money bet when zero appears.
- Multiplier variants may reduce ordinary payouts or add other conditions.
- Read the actual paytable; do not carry an assumed percentage from a different wheel into the game.
Can previous spins or staking systems predict roulette?
- A display of previous colours is a record, not a forecast.
- On an independent fair spin, a sequence of reds does not make black due.
- Doubling after losses changes the size of later stakes, not the probabilities or payouts.
- Six consecutive losses starting at £1 and doubling each time cost £63; the next proposed bet is £64.
What should you check before placing roulette chips?
- Confirm the wheel type, total value of all chips, payout rules and closing time.
- Several small selections can add up to a large combined stake.
- Set limits before placing chips and stop at them.
- Roulette is negative-expectation entertainment under standard casino rules, not a mechanism for turning a staking pattern into income.
What else should you know about roulette?
Is zero an even number for a roulette bet?
Zero is not treated as an even outcome for ordinary roulette odd/even bets. It also falls outside red/black and low/high selections. Special zero rules must be stated by the table; do not infer them from ordinary arithmetic.
Does 35:1 include the original roulette stake?
A 35:1 profit payout pays 35 units of profit plus the returned winning stake. A winning £1 straight-up bet therefore returns £36 in total under those rules. Always distinguish profit odds from a total-return multiplier.
Is betting on more numbers safer?
Betting on more roulette numbers does not automatically reduce expected cost or protect your balance. It changes coverage, total stakes and the possible payouts, so the combined bet must be assessed.
Covering more numbers increases the chance that one of those selections wins but also commits more total stake or reduces the payout for a grouped bet. It does not automatically improve expected return. Calculate the combined chips placed, not just one chip.
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement: rules of the games provides the primary reference for the rules discussed here. Its jurisdiction and product scope remain relevant when applying the example.