What Bets Can You Place When Playing Roulette?

Men make their bets on a roulette-type game. (Photo by JOAQUIN SARMIENTO / AFP)

Roulette is one of the most popular online casinos games in the world. It was invented in France back in the 18th century, and the game spread across the globe, delighting players with the speed, intensity, and variety it offered.

The rise of online casino gaming has brought roulette to a new audience. You can find several exciting variants at online casinos like BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel, from classic European roulette and American roulette to lightning first-person roulette and auto-roulette.

What bets are available to players, and what does each bet pay? These are the most common bets you can place on a roulette game:

Straight Up

You can bet on the ball landing any single numbered pocket. Each number pays out 35:1. The probability of success is 2.7% on a European roulette wheel and 2.6% on an American roulette wheel. The probability is lower when playing American roulette because it has an extra pocket – the double zero – meaning you have a 1 in 38 chance, as opposed to a 1 in 37 chance when playing European roulette, which just has numbers 0 to 36.

Split

This allows you to cover any two numbers. It is used on numbers situated next to one another on the board. It pays out 17:1 if successful, and the chances of success are 5.3% on American roulette and 5.4% on European roulette.

Street

This is a bet on any three numbers in a line. It pays out at 11:1 if successful, and the odds are 7.9% on American roulette and 8.1% on European roulette.

Corner

You can cover four numbers in a square layout with your chips. This is also known as a square. It pays out 8:1 and you have a 10.8% probability of success when playing European roulette. It drops to 10.5% on American roulette.

Column

A column bet covers an entire row over numbers – 1 to 34, 2 to 35, or 3 to 36 – and pays out at 2:1. It has a 32.4% chance of landing when playing European roulette and a 31.6% chance of landing on American roulette.

Dozen

This bet allows you to cover the first dozen (1-12), the second dozen (13-24), or the third dozen (25-36). The payout is also 2:1 and the probability is the same as a column.

Color

This is probably the most popular bet among roulette players. You have two options: red or black. Half the numbers are red and half are black, apart from the green zero (and the double zero on American roulette), so it pays 1:1.

The chances of success are 48.6% on European roulette and 47.4% on American roulette. The probability increases a little if you play French roulette, as you get half your stake back if the ball lands on zero, due to the la partage rule.

Odd / Even

This is a similar side bet to red/black. The odds and probabilities are exactly the same, as half the numbers are odd and half are even. Once again, the zero is the rogue element, which gives the casino its house edge on all bets.

Low / High

This is the other popular side bet. You can either go for low (1-18) or high (19-36). It pays out at 1:1 (+100) and the chances of success are 48.6% on European roulette and 47.4% on American roulette. It is always worth choosing European instead of American, as the odds of success are better. French roulette is even more appealing.