Roulette: odds and house edge of every bet
On a European wheel every bet has the same house edge, 2.70%. On an American wheel it is 5.26%, and on a triple-zero wheel 7.69%. The zeros are the whole of it: every bet is paid as if they were not there.
Choose the wheel first
| Wheel | Pockets | House edge, number bets | House edge, even-money bets |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (single zero) | 37 | 2.70% | 2.70% |
| French, with la partage | 37 | 2.70% | 1.35% |
| American (0 and 00) | 38 | 5.26% | 5.26% |
| Triple zero (0, 00 and 000) | 39 | 7.69% | 7.69% |
The single biggest decision at a roulette table is the wheel. An American wheel costs about twice as much as a European one on every bet; a French wheel with la partage halves the cost of even-money bets again.
Every bet
| Bet | Pays | Chance, European wheel | House edge, European | Chance, American wheel | House edge, American |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single number | 35 to 1 | 2.70% | 2.70% | 2.63% | 5.26% |
| Split (2 numbers) | 17 to 1 | 5.41% | 2.70% | 5.26% | 5.26% |
| Street (3 numbers) | 11 to 1 | 8.11% | 2.70% | 7.89% | 5.26% |
| Corner (4 numbers) | 8 to 1 | 10.81% | 2.70% | 10.53% | 5.26% |
| Six line (6 numbers) | 5 to 1 | 16.22% | 2.70% | 15.79% | 5.26% |
| Dozen or column (12 numbers) | 2 to 1 | 32.43% | 2.70% | 31.58% | 5.26% |
| Red/black, odd/even, high/low (18 numbers) | 1 to 1 | 48.65% | 2.70% | 47.37% | 5.26% |
On an American wheel the five-number bet on 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 pays 6 to 1 and has a house edge of 7.89%, the worst bet on that table.
Systems do not change the edge
Doubling after each loss, betting on the numbers that came up least, or covering most of the table: every one of these is a sequence of bets with the same house edge, so the average loss stays the edge times the total staked. Systems change the shape of the results, typically many small wins and an occasional heavy loss. See the expected loss calculator.
Questions
What is the best bet in roulette?
On a French wheel with la partage, the even-money bets, at 1.35%. On a European wheel every bet costs the same.
Are red and black equally likely?
Yes, 18 pockets each. The zero is neither, which is why an even-money bet wins slightly less than half the time.
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