How to Calculate Roulette Payouts

By Alex Smith, Last updated Mar 23, 2024

Calculating roulette payouts are, generally speaking, pretty straightforward. Usually, you only need to multiply the amount of money you have on a number by the payout. You see, at the roulette table, each bet pays out at specific odds. These odds determine the amount of money and how much you need to multiply the bet to reach the payout.

On this page, we will look at roulette payouts in depth. We will also look at some of the different roulette bets, including methods to calculate the payouts.

Different Roulette Bets and Their Payouts

There are many different bets you can place at the roulette table. We will look at some of the most common bets you can place at the roulette table. We will look at payouts.

Please note, depending on which version of roulette you play, the payouts below may differ slightly from those offered.

Even-Money Roulette Wheel Bets

Even-money bets are likely the most common wager you’ll see players placing at the roulette table. This roulette bet can be placed on the European roulette wheel and other variations; American roulette odds, for example, are the same. Online roulette odds are also the same.

Even-money bets are bets at the roulette table that pay out even money. For example, if you placed a $10 bet and it won, you would win $10 + the original $10 bet. Even-money bets can be found in a few spots at the roulette table; red/black, odd/even, and high/low. One of the significant benefits of even-money bets is that they are straightforward to place, and you have slightly under a 50% chance of winning.

Straight-Up Number Betting

The straight-up bet, also known as straight-up number betting, is the second most popular bet on the roulette wheel. It’s a good bet for those who want to have a chance of winning more than ‘even money’ from their bet.

If you look at the roulette table, you will notice that you can place chips down on all the numbers. For example, placing a $10 chip on the number 15 will count as a straight-up bet. If that bet were a winning one, you would be paid out at 35/1. So, in our example, the $10 bet would return $350 + the $10 bet.

However, the house edge for this type of bet is slightly higher than even money bets. This is especially true if you’re playing at a roulette wheel that uses American roulette odds.

Third, or 2/1 Betting

Some players at the roulette wheel want to be able to win more than even money but don’t want to take on the risk of placing a straight-up bet. This is where third, or 2/1 betting, comes in. As the name suggests, this type of bet awards a payout of 2/1.

The bet is quite similar to the even-money bets we just looked at. However, in return for the increase in win potential, there is, of course, more risk involved. With these bets, you’re placing a wager on which third of the roulette table the ball will land in. If you place a $10 bet and win, you will receive $20 in winnings, plus the $10 you stakes.

Most roulette casino games let you place bets on “thirds.” However, some online versions of the casino game may choose not to offer it — so just make sure the game you’re playing offers this type of bet.

We also recommend you have a read-through of the roulette odds chart for the version of the game you’re going to be playing.

Tier Betting

Tier bets are another very common bet at the roulette wheel. The roulette odds for tier bets vary depending on which of the bets you do. There are three main tiers. These include: Les Voisins de zero, Tiers du Cylindre, and Orphelins. If you put a chip down on one of the tiers, you will be placing a bet on all the numbers covered by that tier.

Neighbor Bets and the Roulette Table

More experienced players typically use neighbor bets. You generally won’t find players placing them when there are a lot of players at the table. View a roulette payout chart to see the actual payouts.

If you place a neighbor bet, you will be placing your wager on one number and the four numbers on either side of that number. This process is completely automated when you play online, like all casino games. However, when placing this bet in land-based casinos, you will hand the chip to the dealer. They will then place the chip onto the roulette wheel and work out the payouts/chips once it has stopped spinning.

Variations of Roulette

Today, roulette is one of the world’s most popular casino table games. You can head to virtually any land-based casino and find many tables on offer. The same applies to online casinos; head to any online casino, and you’ll find tens of roulette variations. Of course, the popular versions of the game, like European roulette and American roulette, can be found at most online casinos. However, there are also several specialized, more unique roulette variations.

Below, we will look at the most common types of roulette games you’ll encounter online. These include both the popular versions of the game (such as European roulette) and more uncommon versions.

European Roulette

European Roulette is the most popular version of the game available at online casinos today. If you visit a land-based casino outside of the United States or log in to an online casino, European Roulette will almost certainly be available.

With 37 numbers, European Roulette is the most well-known type of roulette. Aside from French Roulette, European Roulette has one of the lowest house advantages, and straight-up number bets pay out at 35/1, meaning a one-dollar wager pays $36 if it’s a winning bet.

The European roulette odds are some of the best in the industry. Like most casino games, you can find European roulette offered at land-based and online casinos. European roulette is favored by players thanks to the excellent roulette payouts it offers. It’s also straightforward to play. If you want to play European roulette, check out the European roulette payout chart to see the game’s payouts!

American Roulette

Despite one noticeable difference, American Roulette is quite close to European Roulette in terms of functionality. Because there is a zero and a 00 on an American Roulette wheel, there are 38 numbers. On the other hand, straight-up number bets pay 35/1, demonstrating that American Roulette has a substantially higher house advantage than European Roulette.

As a result, most players tend to stay away from American Roulette. If you have the choice, play European or French Roulette instead of American Roulette since the probabilities are better.

Thankfully, American roulette is most commonly found in land-based casinos. That’s because the costs of opening — and running — a roulette table in a land-based casino are much higher than at online casinos.

French Roulette

While French Roulette is difficult to come by, it is the best game form to play since it has the lowest house edge. Any even-money wagers you put that lose when the zero pops up are not lost; instead, the casino will refund you 50% of your stake.

As you can expect, casinos aren’t very keen about offering players French roulette. Even so, if it’s available, you should take advantage of it — particularly at land-based casinos, where it’s rare.

The main goal of playing roulette is to place winning roulette bets. On European and American roulette wheels, the chance of you winning your roulette bet is pretty good. However, the chance of winning on the French roulette wheel is much higher.

Mini Roulette

Mini roulette is only available at online casinos, and it’s more of a gimmick game than anything else. Still, it can be a lot of fun, particularly if you’re searching for something different than traditional roulette.

Mini roulette is, as the name suggests, a tiny version of traditional roulette. While each game creator has their approach to things, most mini roulette games contain 11 or 15 numbers.

You make your bets the same way you would in conventional roulette, but the rewards are smaller since there are fewer numbers. If you want to play mini roulette, you should also check out the roulette payout odds for that game. You will often find they differ from conventional roulette payout odds.

Double Ball Roulette

Roulette with two balls Is a novel twist on the classic roulette game, with more action on every spin, that was initially seen at bookies in the UK on their fixed-odds betting terminals. Double Ball Roulette, as the name implies, is played with two balls rather than one. When you start a new game, both spin around the wheel, and after it lands, payouts are given according to the game’s outcome.

Of course, the odds are halved since two balls are spinning — effectively, you have twice the chances of winning. Alternatively, as is more common, your whole stake is simply shared between the two spinning wheels.

Progressive Jackpot Roulette

Progressive jackpot roulette can be quite hard to find. Generally, casinos prefer to offer players live dealer games — Lightning Roulette, for example. However, you can find progressive jackpot roulette if you know where to look. (Playtech-powered casinos often have versions of progressive jackpot roulette on offer.)

As the name suggests, Progressive jackpot roulette features a progressive jackpot, which can be won by players hitting a specific combination. However, the exact way the progressive jackpots are won varies depending on the type of roulette you’re playing — and the game developer or software provider who produced it.

For example, some progressive jackpot roulette games will offer the main progressive jackpot roulette payout if the ball lands in the zero segments three times in a row. You also need to place a particular roulette bet to be in with the chance of winning the progressive jackpot. The best thing to do, as is the case with all casino games, is to bring up the game’s payout table.

This will explain which progressive jackpot roulette bet you need to place and how the main progressive jackpot is awarded.

No-Zero Roulette

No-zero roulette is a very unusual kind of roulette that is only available at a few online and land-based casinos around the globe. No-zero roulette is played on a wheel without a zero segment, as the name implies. Naturally, this is very advantageous to players since it means you can play the game without worrying about the house advantage.

Even-money bets (red/black, odd/even, for example) continue to be paid out at 1/1 when playing no-zero roulette. But that is the true odds, so the casino has no statistical advantage for you in the long term.

It’s unclear why internet casinos opt to provide no-zero roulette. It’s almost certainly a marketing ploy. Casinos may entice players to join up at their website by stating that they have a roulette wheel with no house advantage. Even though there is no house edge and the casino has no mathematical advantage, there is no assurance that you will win.

However, as you would expect, zero-ball roulette is difficult to come by, and you’ll have to look long and hard to locate it. If you succeed, the maximum wager will almost certainly be minimal, and some casinos may even restrict the amount of money you spend at the table.

FAQs

Are roulette odds good?

This is somewhat of a subjective question. You see, the roulette odds you can get depend entirely on the specific bet you are placing and the variation of roulette you are playing. Generally speaking, roulette has poorer odds than other casino table games like blackjack and baccarat.

As a general rule, if you want to improve your odds at the roulette table, you should stick to the even-money bets. While it can be tempting to place straight-up bets, instead, the house edge grows significantly when you play these bets. Furthermore, you should always try to play on a French or European roulette table. American roulette features significantly poorer odds, and the house edge increases substantially.

What are the best roulette bets to place?

The best roulette bet depends on what you are looking for. For example, a straight-outlet is probably your best bet if you want to be in with a chance of hitting a big win. This is because a straight alphabet pays out at 35:1. However, the chances of hitting a straight-up winning bet are pretty slim.

Because of this, if you want more stable action or plan to play roulette for lengthy periods, an outside bet on red or black is a more suitable approach. It is well worth taking the time to read up on the different bets and roulette odds so you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into.

What are the odds of red or black landing in roulette?

If you would like to know about roulette odds in terms of red or black numbers landing, we will look at that now. For this example, we will assume you’re playing on an American roulette wheel. The roulette odds will change if you play European or French game variations.

The odds of hitting red or black on the American roulette wheel are 47.4%. That means the casino’s house edge for this specific bet is 2.6%. However, if you play European roulette, the odds change slightly. On a European roulette wheel, the odds of the bet winning is 48.6%. This means the casino’s house edge is almost halved! For this reason alone, you can see why so many players prefer European roulette over other game variations.

What happens if zero lands?

This depends on the variety of roulette you’re playing. For example, if you’re placing roulette bets at a European roulette wheel, if zero lands, you lose your bet (unless you have precisely placed a bet on zero.)

However, if you’re playing at a French roulette table and placed a line bet (red or black), half your stake will be returned if zero lands. This is one of the key reasons why so many players prefer French roulette wheels over European or American variants. The house edge is much lower, and placing red/black bets makes much more sense here.

Can I use any roulette strategies?

Some players believe that a roulette strategy will help them to improve their odds. However, the reality is that all roulette strategies are nothing more than luck. Think about it; if a roulette strategy existed that could be used to beat casinos, would land-based casinos and online casinos still be in business? Or course, they wouldn’t.

As a game of chance, there is no foolproof way to beat the roulette wheel. However, by placing smart bets and managing your bankroll, you can improve your odds of winning. Please note, however, that the game is still nothing more than luck. Unlike some other casino table games like blackjack, roulette lacks skill elements.

What is a split bet?

A split bet, as the name implies, is a bet that’s split between two numbers. For example, let’s take the numbers zero and two. These numbers border each other on the roulette wheel, which means placing a split bet on them is possible. If you choose to place this split bet, it means that half of the bet will be placed on zero, and half will be placed on two.

So, for example, if you were to place a $5 chip down, $2.50 would be staked on zero, and another $2.50 would be staked on two. It’s just a quicker way of placing bets at the roulette table — and it’s another way of covering more numbers than straight-up number bets.

Can maths help you win at roulette?

If you’d like to be able to calculate potential payouts before placing any bets, then sure, knowing some basic math can be beneficial to your roulette game. However, the reality is that it’s simply not possible for players to win at roulette in the long run. As a result, learning the odds and understanding the math isn’t give you an exceptional edge over other players.

Can I try roulette for free?

Yes! All game developers and software providers offer a demo version of their roulette games. This means you can try the game out without having to risk any of your own money. Finding these demo games is easy; most casinos let you play them. However, if you’re based in the UK, you must complete a know-your-customer (KYC) check before you can play free-to-play games.

Can I win money playing roulette?

Yes, you can win real money from playing roulette. However, as roulette is a game of luck — no skill involved — you need to hit the table at the right time. Generally speaking, you should try to play European roulette when available. This version gives you the lowest house edge: 2.64%. Remember that even if you win in the short term, the casinos will always win in the long run.

What’s an outside bet?

An outside bet is simply a bet that’s placed outside of the main numbers board on the roulette table. For example, red/black bets are considered outside bets.

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