Understanding Roulette Probability

Roulette has long reigned as one of the kings of the casino business, both in brick-and-mortar and online casinos. Arguably, it is one of the simplest games to play, as well as being sociable. There are many different ways that you can enjoy roulette, and there is a bet type to suit every budget. Today, we will learn all about roulette probability.

If you are new to the game and want to find out more, then you have come to the right place. In this article, we will break down all of the different bets that you can place and what odds you can expect to find.

Betting on numbers

Outright

The biggest odds in roulette are when you bet on numbers outright.

Carrying odds of 35/1, the only way that you can win this bet is if the number you have placed your chips on ends up hitting and landing. The joy of roulette is that there is no limit to the amount of numbers that you can bet on. You can increase your chances by betting on a combination.

Splitting

If betting outright on numbers seems too risky, one way to use roulette probability and spread the risk is by placing a bet that covers two numbers. If you place a chip on the grid line between two numbers, this is called splitting. For example, if you bet on the split between 19 and 20 and either number was landed on, you would be paid out. The odds for this bet are smaller than outrights, with the odds being 17/1.

Corner bet

One of the most popular number bets is a corner bet. A corner bet covers four different numbers and is placed when a chip is placed on a grid line where four numbers intersect. For example, a corner bet would cover 7,8, 10 and 11. If any of these numbers were to hit and you had covered the corner bet, you would win at odds of 8/1.

Outside bets

Whilst betting on the numbers can be fun, what makes roulette better for some players is betting on the outside numbers. Let’s cover some of these scenarios below.

Red or black

It could be argued that betting on red or black is the most famous bet of all. Simple to understand, betting on red or black gives you the chance to double your money. It’s not concerned with the number at all; if you bet on a red colour and that colour hits, your bet will be classed as a winner. If the number is black, your bet will be a loser. The odds for this bet are 1/1.

Odd or even

Similarly to betting on red or black, another popular bet that carries 1/1 odds is betting on odd or even. Again, there isn’t a worry about what particular number hits; the only thing to worry about is whether the number is odd or even. If you bet on odd and the ball ends up landing on 3, you will be a winner; if it lands on 18, your bet would be a loser.

High or low

With the roulette table containing 36 different numbers, you can bet on what half of the table the number will land on. You can bet on whether the ball will land on a number between 1-18 or 19-26. This bet also carries 1/1 odds.

Bigger odds outside bets

The final set of bets you can place in our roulette probability guide offer odds of 2/1.

Betting on thirds

With the table containing 36 numbers, you can bet on what third of the table you think the number will land. Able to bet on 1-12, 13-24 and 25-36. If you correctly predict the right third that the ball will land in, you will win at 2/1 odds.

Betting on columns

The final outside bet that you can bet on is a column bet. With a roulette table containing three different columns, you can bet on which column you think the ball will land on. If you correctly guess the right column, your bet will return at 2/1.