How to Calculate Roulette Odds

By: Maeve Rich

Calculating roulette odds isn't hard, but it does require concentration. Your roulette odds can vary slightly, depending on whether you're playing on a roulette wheel with 37 or 38 spaces. A single-0 wheel has 37 numbers while a 00-wheel has 38. This means that the roulette odds for the 00 wheel are a bit worse than those for the 0 wheel.

The house always has an edge in roulette. They pay out slightly less than your odds of winning, meaning the house is always making a little bit of money.

The payout on a 0 wheel is 35 to 1. If you place a split bet, which is a bet on two numbers, your odds are 17.5 to 1. The payout on a split bet is 17 to 1. A bet on three numbers, called a street bet, puts your odds at 11.3 to 1 with a payout of 11 to 1. A square bet consists of a bet on four numbers and your odds are even better: 8.25, paying out 8 to 1. You could increase your odds of winning even more (though decreasing your winnings) by placing a bet on a column or set of twelve numbers. The odds on this type of bet are 2.08 and the payout is 2 to 1.

The side bets that you can make, including betting on colors and whether the number is odd or even have good odds but the lowest payout. The odds on this are 1.01 and the payout is even money.

Whenever you have the choice to play the 0 wheel or the 00 wheel, choose the 0 wheel. Though it's just one additional number on the 00 wheel, it nearly doubles the house advantage.

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