Roulette Bets Explained: Inside and Outside Bets with Payouts
Nov 7, 2026 · The Editors
Roulette bets explained simply: inside bets (straight, split, street, corner, six line), outside bets (red or black, odd or even, high or low, dozens, columns), the payouts, the odds, and American versus European wheels.
Roulette looks complicated because the table layout is crowded, but every bet is simply a set of numbers. The fewer numbers you cover, the more a win pays.
The wheel
- European wheel: 37 pockets — 1 to 36 and a single 0.
- American wheel: 38 pockets — 1 to 36, 0 and 00.
The numbers 1 to 36 are half red, half black. The zeros are green, and they are where the house gets its edge.
Inside bets
Placed on the numbered part of the layout.
| Bet | Covers | Chip placement | Pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 1 number | On the number | 35 to 1 |
| Split | 2 numbers | On the line between them | 17 to 1 |
| Street | 3 numbers in a row | On the outer edge of the row | 11 to 1 |
| Corner | 4 numbers | Where four numbers meet | 8 to 1 |
| Six line | 6 numbers | On the outer edge between two rows | 5 to 1 |
On an American wheel there is also the top line or basket, covering 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 — it pays 6 to 1 and is the worst bet on the table.
Outside bets
Placed in the boxes around the edge.
| Bet | Covers | Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Red or black | 18 numbers | 1 to 1 |
| Odd or even | 18 numbers | 1 to 1 |
| Low (1–18) or high (19–36) | 18 numbers | 1 to 1 |
| Dozen (1–12, 13–24, 25–36) | 12 numbers | 2 to 1 |
| Column | 12 numbers | 2 to 1 |
Zero loses every outside bet. That is the catch.
Roulette odds explained
The payouts are set as though the zeros did not exist. A straight-up bet pays 35 to 1, but on a European wheel the true odds are 36 to 1, and on an American wheel 37 to 1. The difference is the house edge:
- European wheel: 2.7% on every bet.
- American wheel: 5.26% on every bet (7.89% on the top line).
So no bet is better than another in the long run on the same wheel — except the top line, which is worse. Betting systems do not change this; the wheel has no memory.
How a round works
- Players place chips on the layout.
- The croupier spins the wheel one way and rolls the ball the other.
- "No more bets" is called as the ball slows.
- The ball drops into a pocket. The croupier marks the winning number, clears losing bets, and pays the winners.
Playing at home
A tabletop roulette wheel, a printed or felt layout and a box of chips is all a home game needs. Use chips with no cash value and the game is pure entertainment — the best way to play roulette anyway. How to play roulette at home.
