Which Bet Should You Make When Playing Roulette?
Roulette is a staple game in casinos across multiple platforms. At first glance, roulette seems easy to play. The wheel spins, and you guess which pocket the ball will land on. But what contributes to making roulette a thrilling game choice is that it combines the element of chance with the wide selection of bets available on every round.
Roulette has two main bet categories, inside bets and outside bets. Certain features and payout returns characterize each category. To know which bets hold the bigger bang for your buck, check out this roulette guide.
Inside Bets
Inside bets are wagers that are placed on the inner part of the roulette-betting table where all the numbers are located. There are various types of inside bets. You can place inside bets on a single number or on a line between the numbers.
Arranged from the highest to the lowest payout ratio, here are the common types of inside bets that you should know.
- Straight Up
Also called as straight-number bet, straight up is a bet you place on one random number, between 1 and 36. Straight-up bets are also applicable to the zero or double-zero in European and American roulette, respectively. When you opt for a straight up bet, you must place your chips at the center of the box number that you have picked, without going beyond the lines. Otherwise, your straight-up bet might be mistaken for another type of bet. If the ball lands on your number, you win. The payout for a straight-up bet is 35 to 1. This means that if you bet US$1 on a number and won, you get a total of US$36.
- Split
Instead of betting on a single number, split bets cover two adjoining numbers, either in vertical or horizontal position, on the betting table. These combinations include 1 and 2, 13 and 16, 27 and 30, and more. To go for this bet, place your chips on the line that divides your chosen adjacent numbers. Note that even though the two numbers are alongside each other, they are located separately on the roulette wheel. This gives you a higher chance of winning. When either of the two numbers comes up, you win. Winning split bets pays 17 to 1. So, for instance, if you place a US$1 split bet on 13 and 16, and the ball lands on 13, you will receive US$18.
- Street
Street bets or row bets are inside bets that cover three consecutive numbers on a certain row. These three-number bets include combinations like 1-2-3, 25-26-27, and 34-35-36, among others. If you want to play roulette using a street bet, simply place your chips on the furthest line next to the first number of a row. For instance, if you bet on 1-2-3, you should put your chips on the line beside 1. You win if any number among the three shows up after the spin. A street bet holds an 11-to-1 payout. This means you will get US$12 if you place a US$1 worth of street bet and won.
- Corner
Corner bets are also known as square bets. This combination bet covers four adjoining numbers that form a square layout. Note that the numbers should be on two consecutive rows, such as 2-3-5-6, 7-8-10-11, and 16-17-19-20. In total, there are 22 possible corner bet combinations on a roulette table.
To place a corner bet, put your chips at the center of the four numbers—that is, where the inner horizontal and vertical lines of the numbers meet. The chips should cover the inner corners of the numbers. If the ball hits a number that is part of your four-digit combination, you win an 8-to-1 payout rate.
- Five-Line/Top Line
As the name suggests, a five-line bet covers five numbers located on the top of the betting table– 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. You can use this bet only on American roulette which features a zero and a double zero pocket. If the ball lands on any of these numbers, you will get a 6 to 1 payout. Take note that five-line bets are not recommendable as they offer a high house advantage of 7.9%.
- Line
When you go for line bets, you are splitting your wager to a single bet on six consecutive numbers. These numbers should be located along two consecutive rows. Simply put, line bets are a combination of two adjoining street bets. Place your line bets by putting your chips on the farthest line between the rows of the numbers. If your line bet wins, you get a 5-to-1 payout.
Inside bets are rewarding wagers you can make when playing roulette. They hold smaller winning odds but they offer large payouts. But notice that as a bet cover many numbers, the lower the payout return it can give. So if you are a daredevil that prefers elusive odds but greater returns, then straight up is the best type of inside bet for you.
Outside Bets
Outside bets refer to all the bets placed on the outer section of the betting table. Several types of bets belong in this category, such as:
- Color Bet
A roulette table contains 18 red and 18 black pockets. If you place a color bet, you bet that the ball will land on either a red or a black pocket. Simply put your chips in the middle of the red or the black box on the table. Some casinos use a diamond shape while others put a color label on the boxes. Color bet wins if the ball lands on the color you bet on, regardless of the number inside the pocket. As this bet is an even-money bet, winning color bet gives you twice the amount of your wager. If, however, the ball lands on a zero, which has a green pocket, all red and black wagers will lose.
- Even/Odd Bet
Winning an even or odd bet depends on whether the outcome of a spin is an odd or even number. You can put your chips on the even or odd boxes located on each side of the red and black betting boxes. Like color bets, this type of bet has a 1-to-1 payout. Should the result of the spin be a zero or a double zero, both odd and even bets lose.
- High/Low
The numbers on the roulette table are divided into two sections: the low numbers (1 to 18) and the high numbers (19 to 36). If you think that the ball will land on the low numbers, then you can place your chips on the box marked “1-18.” Otherwise, place your bet on the box marked as “19-36.” You win if the ball lands on any of the numbers within your bet range. High or low is another type of outside bet that pays even money or holds a 1-to-1 payout. If your high or low bet wins, you get twice the amount of your bet.
- Column Bet
This type of inside bet covers any of the 12 numbers on the three long columns of the betting table. These are the columns and the set of numbers they contain:
- 1st column – 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34
- 2nd column – 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 35
- 3rd column – 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36
Place your bets on the 2:1-labeled box below the column you want to bet on. If the ball lands on any of the numbers within your column bet, you get a 2-to-1 payout.
- Dozen Bet
Like column bets, dozen bets cover 12 numbers. The difference is that the latter feature consecutive numbers: 1 to 12, 13 to 24, and 25 to 36. Each set of numbers offers a 2-to-1 payout. To place a dozen bet, set your chips on any of the boxes marked “1st 12,” “2nd 12,” or “3rd 12.”
Between inside bets and outside bets, the latter offer lesser risk. This is because instead of placing your bet on specific numbers, you wager on wider ranges of bets such as pocket colors, the placement of numbers on the table, or on even or odd numbers.
Now that you know the types of bet in roulette and their respective payouts, you can place your chips with confidence and anticipate how much you can get when you win after a spin. To make your experience more exciting, check out these winning roulette tips. For more gaming tips, tutorials, and game guides, visit HappiStar Tips – your go-to online learning hub for casino games.
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