Roulette Basics: Bets, Odds and the House Edge

Roulette is one of the easiest casino games to learn. A ball is spun around a wheel and you predict where it lands. The interesting part is how different bets balance risk and reward.

European vs American roulette

The European wheel has 37 pockets: numbers 1–36 plus a single zero. The American wheel adds a double zero, making 38 pockets. That one extra pocket nearly doubles the house edge.

Outside bets

Outside bets cover large groups of numbers. They win often but pay little:

• Red or Black, Odd or Even, 1–18 or 19–36 – pay 1 to 1.
• Dozens and Columns – cover 12 numbers and pay 2 to 1.

Inside bets

Inside bets target specific numbers. They win rarely but pay more. A straight-up bet on one number pays 35 to 1.

Why the zero matters

If you bet on red, 18 of the 37 pockets win and 19 lose (18 black plus the zero). The payout is 1 to 1 as if the odds were even, and that small gap is the house edge. No betting system can remove it.

Key takeaway

Outside bets give frequent small results, straight-up bets give rare large ones – but the house edge is the same for every bet on the same wheel.