Roulette Odds and Payouts Explained

Roulette is a game of chance in which no one can predict where the ball will land. Every bet placed on the table carries a predefined payout ratio and a corresponding set of odds, both fixed by the rules of the game. This page explains how those odds and payouts are structured across all standard bet types, and how winnings are calculated. It is a reference guide only; no betting strategies or approaches to play are covered here.

In roulette, odds and payouts are related but distinct concepts. 

Odds refer to the likelihood of a given outcome occurring, expressed as the ratio of outcomes that do not produce a win to those that do. On a European wheel, a straight up bet on a single number has odds of 36 to 1 against: there are 36 outcomes that do not match the chosen number and one that does. On an American wheel, the same bet has odds of 37 to 1 against, because there is one additional pocket. 

Payouts refer to what a winning bet returns, expressed as a ratio to the stake. A payout of 35:1 means that for every £1 staked, £35 is returned in winnings if the bet wins, plus the original £1 stake back. In the case of a straight up bet, the payout is 35:1 on both European and American wheels. 

The key point is that roulette payouts for each bet are slightly lower than the true odds of that bet winning. This relationship holds across all bet types and is a structural feature of the game. Payout ratios are fixed by the game rules and do not change based on how many players are at the table or what bets others have placed.

Inside bets are placed on specific numbers or small groups within the number grid. The table below shows how much each inside bet pays, and what the corresponding odds are on both European and American wheels.

Payout ratios are the same regardless of which wheel type is in use. The odds column differs between European and American because the American wheel has one additional pocket, which reduces the proportion of outcomes covered by any given bet.

Outside bets are placed on the broader groupings that surround the number grid. They cover a larger number of outcomes per bet and carry lower payout ratios accordingly. The zero pocket (and double zero on American wheels) is not included in any outside bet: if the ball lands on zero, all outside bets lose. It is the presence of the zero, or zeros in American games, that means outside bets covering red or black do not represent a precisely even split of outcomes.

As with inside bets, payout ratios are fixed and identical across wheel types. The odds differ slightly between European and American wheels because the American wheel’s additional zero pocket reduces the proportion of outcomes covered by each bet.

Roulette payout ratios are calculated against a baseline of 36 numbers. A straight up bet pays 35:1 because the structure treats the bet as covering 1 outcome against a field of 36, returning 35 units of profit for every 1 unit staked on a winning result. The same logic scales across all bet types: a split covering 2 numbers pays 17:1, a street covering 3 pays 11:1, and so on. 

To illustrate: if a wheel had exactly 36 pockets and no zeros, a straight up bet would cover 1 outcome in 36, and a mathematically fair payout would be 35:1, returning 35 units of profit for the 35 losing outcomes and 1 unit of stake for the winning one. A split covering 2 numbers would pay 17:1 (34 losing outcomes, 2 winning), a street covering 3 would pay 11:1 (33 losing, 3 winning), and so on. The payout ratios in the game are built on exactly this 36-number model. 

The zero pocket sits outside this baseline. On a European wheel, there are 37 pockets in total; on an American wheel, 38. The roulette payouts for each bet are therefore slightly lower than the true odds of that bet winning: the zero pocket adds one outcome that is not accounted for in the payout structure. 

The single-zero wheel format has been in use since François and Louis Blanc introduced it in 1842. American casinos later added a second zero pocket, taking the number of pockets from 37 to 38 while retaining the same payout ratios. The effect on every bet type is the same: a wider gap between payout and true odds. 

More complex bets, such as called bets, are more difficult to express in a single payout figure, as they involve placing several chips across a series of numbers. The payout on these wagers varies depending on which of the chosen numbers the ball lands on.

The relationship between payout ratios and true odds is consistent in structure across all standard roulette variants, but the specific odds differ depending on the wheel configuration in use. 

Double-zero (American) wheel: 38 possible outcomes. The payout ratios remain the same, but the true odds against winning are slightly longer for every bet type, because each bet now covers a smaller proportion of total outcomes.

Single-zero (European) wheel: 37 possible outcomes. All standard payout ratios apply as described in the tables above. 

French roulette uses the same single-zero wheel as European roulette. Some French roulette tables operate with additional rules that apply specifically to even-money outside bets (red/black, odd/even, high/low) when the ball lands on zero.

The two most common are La Partage and En Prison.

1. Under La Partage, when the ball lands on zero, half the stake on any even-money outside bet is returned to the player and the other half is collected. The bet does not continue to the next spin. 
2. Under En Prison, when the ball lands on zero, the even-money bet is held in place and carried forward to the next spin. If the next spin produces a winning result for that bet, the original stake is returned in full, but no winnings are paid. If the next spin results in a loss, the stake is collected. 

Both rules apply only to even-money outside bets and only when zero is the outcome. They do not alter the payout ratio of those bets; they affect only what happens to the stake in the specific case of a zero result. 

Other variants may introduce further structural modifications. A full overview is available at roulette variants.

Winnings from a roulette bet are calculated by multiplying the stake by the payout ratio. The result is the profit returned on a winning bet. The original stake is also returned separately. 

• Formula: Winnings = stake × payout ratio
• Total return: winnings + original stake 

For example, a £5 stake on a corner bet at 8:1 produces £40 in winnings. The original £5 stake is returned alongside those winnings, giving a total return of £45.

The same calculation applies to every bet type: only the payout ratio changes. A £5 stake on a dozens bet at 2:1 returns £10 in winnings plus the original £5, giving a total return of £15. A £5 stake on a straight up bet at 35:1 returns £175 in winnings plus the original £5, giving a total return of £180. 

When multiple bets are placed on a single spin, each is calculated independently. Winnings from successful bets are paid at the applicable rate; stakes on unsuccessful bets are collected.

Odds, payouts, and common misunderstandings

Payout ratio is not the same as the probability of winning. A 35:1 payout does not mean a 35:1 chance of winning. On a European wheel, the true odds against a straight up bet winning are 36 to 1: there are 36 other pockets the ball could land in. The payout ratio of 35:1 is set slightly below the true odds, and this relationship holds across all bet types.

The odds and payout of each bet vary by roughly the same proportion. As shown in the tables above, there is no single bet type that is significantly more favourable than others in terms of payout relative to odds. The relationship between coverage, odds, and payout is consistent across all standard bet types.

Broader coverage does not remove the effect of zero. Outside bets cover 18 numbers, representing just under half the wheel on a European table. The zero pocket is not included in any outside bet, which means zero is always a possible outcome that results in the loss of all outside bets, regardless of which outside bet type is placed.

Each spin is independent. The result of one spin has no effect on the result of the next. The wheel carries no record of previous outcomes, and the odds and payouts on any given spin are identical to those on the spin before. A sequence of red results does not increase or decrease the probability of the next spin producing black. 

Payout ratios do not vary by session or table. The ratios set out on this page are fixed by the game rules and are the same at every standard roulette table operating under those rules.