Best Roulette Bets

4 May 2024

By Jerry Stickman

From Gerald:

Hi Stickman,

I have often walked by the roulette table and thought I would like to play. It looks a little intimidating. People are placing chips all over the layout. I am unsure how to actually play. I need help not only in the placing of the bets, but in knowing which are the best bets to place.

Please help me out, sir.

Thank you,

Gerald

Hi Gerald,

Roulette can be a fun and exciting game. Similar to craps, there are many different bets you can make – and you can make each of the bets yourself. The croupier (dealer) handles the wheel, the ball, and bet payoffs, but does not place any bets.

There are differences also. The house edge on craps bets ranges from less than one percent to 25 percent. Almost all roulette bets have roughly the same house edge. The house edge for standard American (double-zero) roulette is 5.26 percent. If you can find a single-zero (European) roulette wheel, the house edge is 2.70 percent.

Unfortunately, roulette with three zeros has invaded casino floors and is rapidly multiplying. The house edge for triple-zero roulette is a whopping 7.69 percent.

Are there bets that are better than others in roulette? Let’s take a look.

For the lowest house edge, try to find a single-zero roulette table. Any bet you make on this table has a better house edge than any bet on a double-zero roulette table.

These tables are not all that common, so let’s look at the American (double-zero) bets.
The best bets (which all pay 5.26 percent) are:

• Even money bets –
o Red or Black
o Even or Odd
o 1-18 or 19-36

• Other bets paying 5.26 percent –

o 1-12, 13-24, 25-36 – pays 2-1
o Six number combination – pays 5-1
o Four number combination – pays 8-1
o Three number combination – pays 11-1
o Two number combination – pays 17-1
o Any one number – pays 35-1

Bet with a house edge higher than 5.26

• 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 – pays 6-1, House edge – 7.89

As the information above shows, all roulette bets pay the same except for the “First Five Numbers” bet. Avoid that bet.

There is one other rule on some roulette tables called “en prison” or “surrender.” In Atlantic City and at a few other casinos where this rule applies, betting even money bets only lose 50 percent if any of the zeros hit. The effective house edge betting these even money bets with the en prison rule is 2.63 percent. It is certainly worth the time and effort to ferret these tables out.

In general, roulette is a game with the potential to win a large amount on a single bet (35-1). However, this happens only once every 38 spins on average. The overall house edge is higher than most other table games.

If this game still appeals to you, try to find a single-zero table or a roulette table with the en-prison (surrender) rule. If that is not possible, make sure to stay away from the “first five numbers” bet and its 7.89 percent house edge.

As always, may all your wins be swift and large, and your losses be slow and small.

Jerry “Stickman”

Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines and 888casino.com. He authored the video poker section of “Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pai Gow Poker!” You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerryg@gmail.com