The Different Types of Roulette Bets Explained

BetMGM Feb 20, 2025, 8:30 AM
min read
A roulette dealer about to drop a roulette ball into a roulette wheel.

In the world of online roulette, fortune spins on the edge of a wheel. Whether you’re a seasoned player or new to the game, understanding the variety of bets available can enhance your gameplay, improve your odds, and elevate your online casino experience.

Every time you place roulette bets, you’re risking your money in the hopes that your prediction will prove accurate. There are many different ways to either lose or win that bet, and they all come down to chance.

While you can’t control those random outcomes, you can put the odds on your side to an extent. BetMGM has a way that you can experiment with different roulette bets on the house.

The Basic Bets in Roulette

Before we dive into the different types of roulette bets, you’ll need to understand some basic terminology used in roulette. The game involves a spinning wheel with numbered pockets and a small ball the croupier releases onto the wheel.

Players place bets on where they think the ball, known as the pill, will land once the wheel stops spinning. While the pill will only rest in one of the wheel’s pockets, you can bet on that outcome in many different ways.

There are two main types of roulette: American and European roulette. The only difference between these two versions is that American roulette has an additional 00 (double zero) pocket, making it a total of 38 pockets instead of the 37 in European roulette.

This slight variation affects the odds and payouts of the different bets, so it’s important to keep this in mind while playing. European roulette is considered more player-friendly because the smaller number of possible outcomes improves the odds.

Basic roulette bets fall into two categories: “inside” and “outside” bets, each providing varying odds. Understanding these roulette betting basics is fundamental to improving your odds in roulette.

Inside Bets in Roulette Explained

To determine whether a bet is inside or outside, you only need to look at the grid on the roulette table. Roulette inside bets will be on the inside of this grid. 

These wagers tend to have longer odds of hitting compared to outside bets. However, they also offer more valuable payouts in comparison to outside wagers.

A few examples of common inside bets include the split and the street bet. Those are bets on a pair of adjacent numbers and a bet on three consecutive numbers.

Outside Bets in Roulette Explained

Roulette outside bets lie on the outside of the grid on the table. Compared with inside wagers, these tend to be safer bets but you sacrifice payout value for that security.

Common examples of these bets include black/red, high/low, and odds/evens. You can also do the dozen bet, which stakes the first 12 numbers on the wheel.

While you place all these bets simply by placing your chips on the corresponding spot on the table, there are some bets that you won’t find there. With the assistance of the croupier, you have more options.

Call Bets (Announced Bets) in Roulette

The member of the casino staff administering your game is known as the croupier and they can help you place call bets in roulette. As the name suggests, these are bets that you call for or place verbally.

Examples of these bets include the Voisons de Zero, which covers the numbers adjacent to the zero on the wheel. Between the Tiers du Cylindre and the Orphelins wagers, you can cover the rest of the wheel.

To place these bets, you need to ensure that the croupier acknowledges your request before they close the wagering. You might also need croupier assistance with some interesting side bets.

Side Bets in Roulette

Roulette side bets can be the ultimate in high-stakes play in the game. Depending on the roulette variant you choose to play, you might encounter some extreme examples.

For example, the Lucky Ball bet is a straight bet with a twist. Unlike a traditional straight bet, you don’t select which pocket you wager on. Chance determines that as well.

If you get lucky enough to have the Lucky Ball match the pocket the pill rests in, you can enjoy payouts as large as 120 times the value of your wager. It’s important to keep responsible gambling in mind when you are considering roulette side bets because they can drain your bankroll quickly.

With basic bets, call bets, or side bets, your best bet for playing roulette is to go with BetMGM. BetMGM offers the largest library of roulette titles and the most enjoyable way to play them.

Place Your Roulette Bet With BetMGM

Your exploration of roulette wagers can begin in earnest when you register for BetMGM. When you sign up and make a qualifying deposit, you can take advantage of BetMGM’s valuable casino welcome bonus for new players.

With those bonus funds, you can try your luck on standard roulette, live-dealer versions, and other top roulette variants with diminished risk. When you’re comfortable, you can start taking on some greater risk and earn BetMGM Rewards points with all your real-money bets.

Now that you have the basics of roulette wagers down, it’s time to find your favorites. BetMGM will undoubtedly become your favorite place to play.

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