- Roulette odds reflect the likelihood of a bet winning and the casino’s interest in the game.
- Each betting option has unique odds in roulette.
- Game rule variations and wheel layout have a strong impact on roulette odds.
Roulette odds provide bettors with some of the most important information for gameplay. These facts reveal the amount of risk in a bet, how much the casino expects to make off a wager, and what kind of return bettors should expect if they win.
Since online roulette is a pure game of chance, players can’t manipulate the odds to improve their chances of winning. But they can use the information they provide to make calculated decisions about which bets to place. Creating a roulette betting strategy begins with how casinos define roulette odds and where to find that information.
What Are Roulette Wheel Odds?
Whether you win at online roulette entirely depends on which wheel pocket the pill (the ball) rests in when the round concludes. The roulette wheel odds are simply the chances that the ball will come to rest in a particular pocket after a spin.
However, the payout odds don’t exactly match the wheel’s true odds of producing a favorable result. Two factors shape these odds: the house edge and probability.
What is the Roulette House Edge?
The house edge is the portion of all money wagered that the casino expects to keep. In general, the riskier a bet is, the larger the house edge is, as the casino expects to make more money off that wager than other bets that are more likely to pay out for players. To offset this to some degree, the casino offers higher payout odds for these riskier bets.
What is Roulette Probability?
Roulette probability is the simple likelihood that the requisite results will occur and result in a win. This is also called “true odds” because it’s the true chance of the roulette pill resting in a specific pocket.
How Do Casinos Determine Roulette Odds?
All of your attempts to predict where the pill will land in roulette come with unique odds that the casino determines according to several factors:
- The casino house edge
- The probability of the results specified in the wager occurring
- The type of roulette the game represents
The type of roulette you’ve chosen to play has a significant impact on this math. It also increases or decreases the number of betting options at your disposal.
Why Do the Odds Change in Different Types of Roulette?
American and European roulette are the most common types of roulette games you’ll find at online and physical casinos. The main difference is that American roulette adds a green 00 pocket to the wheel, giving it a total of 38 pockets compared to European roulette’s 37.
That extra pocket means that there are more possibilities for each spin of the wheel, which makes each individual result less likely to occur in American roulette. Casinos account for that when they set roulette odds and list payouts.
What Are Roulette Payouts
Payouts are the stated return that you can expect from a wager in all types of roulette. This is the expression of roulette odds that has accounted for the house edge, probability, and roulette type.
For example, a bet on black usually pays 1:1 in both American and European roulette. That means that if you bet $10 on black and you got lucky, your payout would be $20 (your $10 stake returned plus $10 in profit).
What Are the Odds of the Most Common Roulette Bets?
Examining the odds for various standard roulette bets can give you an idea of which are the worst roulette bets for you, depending on your comfort with risk, and which wagers are more in line with that comfort level. This is because, in general, the bets with shorter odds tend to be less risky, and the wagers with longer odds tend to carry greater risk.
| Roulette Bet | European Probability | American Probability | Odds/Payout |
| Black or Red | 18 in 37 | 18 in 38 | 1:1 |
| Even or Odd | 18 in 37 | 18 in 38 | 1:1 |
| High or Low | 18 in 37 | 18 in 38 | 1:1 |
| Dozens (a wager on one of three sets of 12 numerically sequential numbers) | 12 in 37 | 12 in 38 | 2:1 |
| Line (a bet on two adjacent rows of numbers on the roulette table) | 6 in 37 | 6 in 38 | 5:1 |
| Corner (a wager on four numbers that form a square on the roulette table) | 4 in 37 | 4 in 38 | 8:1 |
| Street (a wager on a three-number row on the roulette table) | 3 in 37 | 3 in 38 | 11:1 |
| Split (a wager on a pair of adjacent numbers on the roulette table) | 2 in 37 | 2 in 38 | 17:1 |
| Straight (a wager on a single number) | 1 in 37 | 1 in 38 | 35:1 |
As you can see from the chart, the more valuable the potential payout, the greater the difference between the probability and that payout. These differences are also clarified when comparing inside bets and outside bets in roulette rules. Smart players use that information to manage risk while enjoying roulette.
How Do You Use Roulette Odds to Make a Responsible Gambling Plan?
A lack of detailed planning that accounts for budget constraints and risk is a primary reason why betting systems fail. For roulette, you can use this information about odds to customize a plan that allows you to stick to your limits.
To do so, you may decide on an overall bankroll and a number of wagers that you want to place, and allocate that budget to the various bets according to the odds. If you want to play conservatively, you might allocate most of your budget to the wagers with shorter odds like black or even and leave a smaller portion of your bankroll to riskier wagers such as corners or dozens so that you can make the most of any good luck that comes your way.
Roulette Odds FAQ
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about roulette odds:
How Can You Figure Out the Odds in Roulette?
Compare the number of ways a bet can win to the total number of possible outcomes, then remove the green 0 (and the green 00 in American roulette) to account for the house edge. The result is the odds for your roulette bet.
What is the House Edge in Roulette?
The house edge is the casino’s interest in the game, represented by the green 0 (and green 00 in American roulette). In European roulette, this works out to a standard house edge of 2.7%, and in American roulette it’s 5.26%.
Why Don’t Roulette Bets Pay Out True Odds?
Roulette bets don’t pay out true odds because the casino charges you for providing the entertainment. Think of the house edge in roulette like the ticket you buy to see a movie.
What Are the Safest Bets in Roulette?
Rule variations can have a significant impact on payouts, but in general, the black and red, even and odd, and high and low bets are the safest wagers in roulette.
Which Roulette Bets Have the Longest Odds?
Certain roulette variants allow for more creative wagers, but in terms of the normally available bets, the split bet and the straight bet have the longest odds.
Betting on Roulette the Smart Way at BetMGM Casino
Your RTP in casino games depends on your luck and how well you apply your knowledge of aspects like roulette odds. How much you enjoy your experience overall depends on choosing the best online casino, which for roulette is BetMGM.
When you register for BetMGM, you can check out the huge selection of roulette titles and the valuable bonuses on the apps and website for fans of the game. Regardless of how you like to play, the odds are that you won’t regret playing at BetMGM
