Roulette Rules and Bets

Inside Bets

The inside area is a rectangular grid which comprises of 37 boxes in European roulette and 38 in American roulette. Each box includes a number which corresponds to the numbers located on the wheel. The numbers, from one up to thirty six, are arranged in a manner that forms twelve rows and three vertical columns. Each of these numbers is surrounded by either a red or black oval or rectangle. The 0 and 00 (in American roulette) are positioned at the top of the three columns. Any wagers that are being placed on the inside betting area are called “inside bets” or “layout bets”.

There are several types of inside bets. The straight-up bet, the Split bet, the Street bet, the Corner bet, the Five number bet and the Line bet.

Straight-up bet
The Straight-up bet is a bet on a single number. This type of bet pays 35 to 1 which it will grant the winner the highest payout in the game. The player makes this bet by placing the chip directly on the number that it is located in the inside betting area.
 

Split bet
The Split bet allows the player to wager on two numbers and it pays 17 to 1. To make this bet the player needs to place the chip on the line between any two adjacent numbers.
 

Street bet
The Street bet covers three numbers that are in the same horizontal row. This bet can be made by placing the chip on the vertical line that separates the outside betting area with the inside and with the chip straddles the first number in the row. A Street bet is also called Row or Line bet and it pays 11 to 1.
 

Double Street bet
The Double Street bet or Six Number bet is a wager on 6 numbers that are within two adjoining horizontal rows. The chip is placed similar to the Street bet with the only difference that the chip straddles the row above and below. This bet pays 5 to 1.
 

Corner bet
The Corner bet - also called Quad bet – is a bet on four numbers and it pays 8 to 1. The player places the chip on the intersection that is created by the borders of the four boxes of the wagered numbers. The chip overlaps all four numbers. 
 

Five Number bet
The Five number bet or Basket bet can only be found on double zero roulette game. This bet covers the zero, the double zero and the numbers one, two and three. The chip is placed on the joint between the vertical line that divides the zero and double zero and the horizontal line above the numbers one, two, and three. The payout is 6 to 1.
 

Double Zero Split bet
The Double Zero Split bet is a Split bet between zero and double zero and pays 17 to 1. Similar to the Split bet, the chip is placed on the vertical line that separates the two numbers. 

 
Alternative Split bet
The Alternative Split bet is an alternative method to make the Double Zero Split bet and it is the only bet that can be made in a different manner. Most people are unaware of this method, thus it is not commonly used. If the player is sitting at the opposite end of the roulette table it is more convenient to use this method. Players can make this bet by placing the chip on the line that separates the 2nd and 3rd dozen bets in the outside betting area. Even though this bet is placed on the outside area, this is still considered as an inside bet.
 

Outside Bets

Around the numbered area, there are several boxes where players can wager on them. These betting areas correspond to an attribute of each number i.e. even / odd, red / black or to groups of numbers, for example the numbers from 1 to 12 is the 1st group of twelve numbers (1st 12 box). The same applies for the numbers 13 to 24 (2nd 12) and 25 to 36 (3rd 12). Another type of bet is the division of the inside table (excluding the 0) in half. This means that players can bet on 1 to 18 and / or 19 to 36.

An additional type of bet is one that it is related to the three columns that are formed from the inside table. Wagers can be placed at the bottom of each column, denoting that the bet is valid for all the numbers within that column.

All of the above types of bets are called “outside bets”.

Outside bets cannot be combined with inside bets to meet the table minimum. Players that want to bet on the outside area need to reach the table minimum on this area regardless the worth of their wagers on the inside area. Outside bets are considered as good bets due to the high odds.


Types of Outside bets

Red or Black bet
The Red or Black bet allows the player to bet on either all the numbers with red-colored background or all the numbers with black-colored background which pays even money (1 to 1). However this type of bet is not an even bet since green is not included. This means that if the winning number is the single or the double zero the player looses the wager. 
 

Odd or Even Numbers bet
The bet placed on the Odd section of the table is valid for any odd number that it is situated on the roulette wheel. If the ball lands on 1, 3, 5 etc. the player wins even money (1 to 1). The same applies for the Even Numbers bet. The bet on Even Numbers corresponds to numbers such as 2, 4, 6 etc. and pays also 1 to 1. Zero and double zero are neither odd nor even numbers; hence they are excluded from both Odd or Even Numbers bet.
 

Low or High Numbers bet
The Low Numbers bet is a wager that covers all the number within the range of 1 to 18. Any number within this range pays even money (1 to 1). The High Numbers bet corresponds to numbers from 19 up to 36, which also pays 1 to 1. Neither the Low nor the High Numbers bet covers the single or double zero.
   

Dozen bet
There are three different Dozen bets. The First, the Second and the Third Dozen bet. The First Dozen bet is a wager on the first twelve numbers from 1 up to 12. The Second Dozen bet is a wager on the following twelve consecutive numbers from 13 to 24 and the Third Dozen bet is related to the last group of numbers from 25 to 36. None of the Dozen bets include the single or the double zero. The payout for these groups of bet is 2 to 1.
   

Column bet
The inside layout forms three vertical columns with twelve numbers on each row. At the bottom of each column on the outside betting area there are three boxes that correspond to each column. The chip is placed on the box below the column and it is valid for all the twelve numbers within that column. The bet pays 2 to 1. Zero is excluded from this type of bet.
 

The reason for the structure of the roulette table layout is to allow for various types of bets with different odds and payoffs. This gives the option to the player to control in a way his betting activity. There are players that like to form a strategy around the inside or outside area.