Roulette Odds Explained
As one of the most popular online casino games in the UK, Roulette offers you a perfect blend of strategy, chance, and thrills. However, it can be tricky to get a handle on roulette odds, the different bet types, their probabilities, and potential payouts.
In this guide, we’ll help you to understand all these aspects of the game. So, whether you’re a roulette newbie or a pro-level player, we’ll give you all the tools you need to master the wheel!
Understanding UK Casino Roulette Odds
Understanding the odds and how they work is the key to making informed decisions anytime you play roulette. They can help to guide your choices at the table and prevent you from making random bets and blowing your budget.
The simplest way to think about roulette odds is that they tell you the probability of winning a specific bet based on where the ball lands.
Each type of bet you place at the best online roulette sites UK, it covers a different number of outcomes on the wheel and determines both the odds and payout of your wager.
Here’s how this works in practice:
- Betting on a single number: Known as a straight-up bet, this means you are picking one number out of the 36 available on a standard European roulette table. The chances of this happening, i.e. the odds, are much lower than other bet types but the payout will be higher.
- Betting on red or black: This covers nearly half the outcomes on a roulette table. So the odds of it happening are much higher but the payout will be lower compared to betting on a single number.
European vs. American Roulette: Odds Comparison
The variant of roulette you choose to play will have the biggest single impact on the odds you are getting. Here’s a basic breakdown of the odds stack up for European and American roulette:
- European Roulette
- American Roulette
- 37 pockets – numbers 1-36 and a single zero.
- The House edge is 2.7%.
- Top choice if you are looking for better odds.
- 38 pockets – numbers 1-36, a single zero, and a double zero.
- The House edge is 5.26%.
- Top choice if you want more unpredictability in your gameplay.
As you can see, by choosing European roulette variants, you’ll get a better statistical advantage over the long term.
Calculating the Best Roulette Bets
Unless you loved doing maths at school, messing around with numbers is probably not at the top of your wish list of activities to do in your free time. Understanding the stats is an important part of playing roulette but we want to make it as effortless as possible with the following advice and tools.
How to Calculate Roulette Payouts
To calculate how much you could potentially win, you’ll need to multiply your bet amount by the payout ratio of your chosen bet.
Here’s how that works in practice:
- Pick the type of bet you want to place e.g., straight-up, split, red/black etc.
- Check the payout ratio for that bet type.
- Multiply your bet amount by the payout ratio.
For example, if you place a £1 bet on a straight-up bet with a payout ratio of 35:1, your potential winnings would be £1 × 35 = £35.
Roulette Payout Chart
We’ve created a handy table below featuring all the common roulette bets, their payout ratios, and odds. You can use this as a quick reference to work out your next move at any roulette table.
| Bet Type | Numbers Covered | Payout Ratio | European Probability | American Probability |
| Straight Up | 1 | 35:1 | 2.70% | 2.63% |
| Split | 2 | 17:1 | 5.41% | 5.26% |
| Street | 3 | 11:1 | 8.11% | 7.89% |
| Corner | 4 | 8:1 | 10.81% | 10.53% |
| Red/Black | 18 | 1:1 | 48.65% | 47.37% |
| Even/Odd | 18 | 1:1 | 48.65% | 47.37% |
Understanding Roulette Probabilities
Roulette probabilities are determined by the number of possible winning outcomes divided by the total number of pockets on the wheel.
To give you a real-life example:
- In European roulette, betting on a single number gives you a 1/37 chance (2.70%) of winning.
- The house edge, built into the game, ensures the casino’s advantage over time. In this example, there would be a chance of 36/37 (97.30%) of the house winning this bet.
- While this doesn’t guarantee immediate losses, it’s a crucial factor to consider when developing your strategy.
There’ll be an interactive calculator arriving here soon!
Insider Tips for Mastering Roulette Odds
We’ve compiled the following tips to help you get the most out of your time at the roulette table. These pointers can help you master the often complex odds at the roulette table and have a more enjoyable experience.
Play European Roulette
The wheel with a single-zero will give you better odds than the double-zero American version does.
Use on Even-Money Bets
Also known as ‘outside bets’, Red/Black, Even/Odd, and 1-18/19-36 bets have a close to 50% chance of winning. This makes them lower-risk options, ideal if you are a roulette newbie.
Use Strategies
Using advanced betting strategies such as the Martingale, or Fibonacci can easily bring some focus to your game. To see how they work and which ones best suit your playing style, see our full guide to the best roulette strategies to win.
Never Chase Losses
You must gamble responsibly to stick to your pre-defined budget at all times. Chasing losses is a shortcut to quickly blowing your budget and having a much worse experience.
FAQs on UK Roulette Table Odds
Which roulette bets have the best odds?
The best odds come from even-money bets like red/black, even/odd, or high/low, known as outside bets. These bets cover 18 numbers in total and give you a 48.65% statistical chance of winning when you play European roulette.
Can a betting system improve your odds?
No, unfortunately not. A betting system can’t change the house edge, but it can help you improve your bankroll management and overall gameplay. Using roulette strategies like Martingale or D’Alembert provides structure but will never guarantee wins as roulette is a game of pure chance.
What’s the difference between inside and outside bets?
Inside bets focus on specific numbers or small groups of numbers and can give you higher payouts but lower odds. By contrast, outside bets cover larger groups of numbers, such as red/black or odd/even. They typically have lower payouts but higher chances of winning.
What are the best roulette odds for European vs. American variants?
European roulette wheels have 37 pockets, numbers 1 to 36 plus one zero, giving you a 2.70% of winning. Whereas, American roulette wheels have a total of 38 pockets thanks to the addition of a double-zero, giving you a 2.63% chance of winning a single number bet.