Read the table first
Inside, outside and call bets are three different placement ideas
Inside and outside describe where the chips sit on the layout. A call bet describes a recognised group of inside placements, usually announced by name on a French-style table.
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| Group | Where it goes | Typical coverage | How to settle it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside | On or around the numbered grid | 1–6 pockets per chip | Apply the payout for that exact placement. |
| Outside | Boxes around the numbered grid | 12 or 18 pockets | The named group must contain the winning number. |
| French call bet | Several announced inside placements | A wheel sector | Settle every component chip separately. |
Number-grid bets
Straight, split, street, corner and six-line bets
Inside bets offer larger headline payouts because each chip covers fewer pockets. The hit rate below uses a 37-pocket European wheel.
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| Bet | Placement | Pockets | Payout | Hit rate | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | Centre of one number | 1 | 35:1 | 2.70% | 2.70% |
| Split | Line between two adjacent numbers | 2 | 17:1 | 5.41% | 2.70% |
| Street | Outer edge of one three-number row | 3 | 11:1 | 8.11% | 2.70% |
| Corner | Intersection shared by four numbers | 4 | 8:1 | 10.81% | 2.70% |
| Six line | Outer corner shared by two rows | 6 | 5:1 | 16.22% | 2.70% |
Chip position is part of the bet
A chip on the line between 8 and 11 is a split. Move the same chip to the centre of 8 and it becomes a straight-up bet with different coverage and payout.
Uses virtual chips and does not involve real money.
Group bets
Dozens, columns, red/black, odd/even and low/high
Outside bets hit more often than a single-number bet, but the payout is lower. On a standard European table they retain the same 2.70% house edge because zero sits outside these groups.
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| Bet | Placement | Pockets | Payout | Hit rate | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dozen | 1st, 2nd or 3rd 12 box | 12 | 2:1 | 32.43% | 2.70% |
| Column | 2 to 1 box below a vertical column | 12 | 2:1 | 32.43% | 2.70% |
| Red or black | Red or black outside box | 18 | 1:1 | 48.65% | 2.70% |
| Odd or even | Odd or even outside box | 18 | 1:1 | 48.65% | 2.70% |
| 1–18 or 19–36 | 1–18 or 19–36 outside box | 18 | 1:1 | 48.65% | 2.70% |
Place a bet, spin once and read why it won or lost.
Four worked examples
Payout is not the same as total money returned
Casino tables quote net profit “to one”. A winning stake is also returned. If one unit wins at 35:1, the profit is 35 units and the original one unit comes back: 36 units in total.
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| Placed bet | Stake | Result | Profit | Total returned |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up on 17 | 1 unit | Wins at 35:1 | 35 units | 36 units |
| Split on 17/20 | 2 units | Wins at 17:1 | 34 units | 36 units |
| Street on 16/17/18 | 3 units | Wins at 11:1 | 33 units | 36 units |
| Black | 10 units | 17 is black; wins at 1:1 | 10 units | 20 units |
Do not add the stake twice
A 35:1 quote means 35 units of profit for each winning unit. The returned stake makes the total 36; it does not make the payout 36:1.
The house-edge pocket
What happens when the ball lands on zero?
A straight-up zero bet wins at 35:1. An inside bet containing zero can also win according to its placement. Standard dozens, columns, red/black, odd/even and low/high lose because zero belongs to none of those groups.
- Zero is green, not red or black.
- Zero is neither odd nor even.
- Zero is outside 1–18 and 19–36.
- La Partage may return half of eligible even-money stakes on a French table; check the displayed rules.
French wheel sectors
Jeu Zéro, Voisins, Tiers and Orphelins are bundles of sub-bets
A call-bet name tells the dealer which component chips to place. Because those chips can use different bet types and unit weights, the group has no honest single payout or single hit rate.
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| Call bet | Total units | Component bets |
|---|---|---|
| Jeu Zéro | 4 units | 1u Split 0/3; 1u Split 12/15; 1u Straight up 26; 1u Split 32/35 |
| Voisins du Zéro | 9 units | 2u Street 0/2/3; 1u Split 4/7; 1u Split 12/15; 1u Split 18/21; 1u Split 19/22; 2u Corner 25/26/28/29; 1u Split 32/35 |
| Tiers du Cylindre | 6 units | 1u Split 5/8; 1u Split 10/11; 1u Split 13/16; 1u Split 23/24; 1u Split 27/30; 1u Split 33/36 |
| Orphelins | 5 units | 1u Straight up 1; 1u Split 6/9; 1u Split 14/17; 1u Split 17/20; 1u Split 31/34 |
Confirm the house layout
Call-bet conventions can be presented differently by a table interface. Check the visible component chips before confirming the wager.
Compare each visible component before confirming a grouped bet.
Roulette bet-type questions
What is the difference between inside and outside roulette bets?
Inside bets sit on the number grid and cover one to six pockets. Outside bets sit in labelled boxes and cover 12 or 18 pockets. Smaller coverage produces a larger payout, not a better standard European house edge.
- Inside includes straight, split and corner.
- Outside includes dozens, columns and colors.
- Zero affects the group bets.
Which roulette bet pays the most?
A straight-up single-number bet has the largest standard payout at 35:1. It also has the narrowest coverage: one of 37 pockets on a European wheel.
- Profit is 35 units per winning unit.
- The stake is also returned.
- Total return is 36 units.
What is the difference between roulette payout and total return?
A payout quoted as 35:1 means 35 units of profit for each winning unit. The original winning stake is also returned, so one unit produces 36 units back in total.
- Payout describes profit to one.
- The winning stake is returned.
- Do not rewrite 35:1 as 36:1.
What does a French roulette call bet pay?
There is no single call-bet payout. The dealer places several straight, split, street or corner bets, and the winning components settle separately.
- Check the unit count.
- Read each component placement.
- Do not treat the bundle as one bet.
Where can I practice roulette chip placement?
Use a virtual-chip European roulette table. Place one bet at a time, spin, then compare the highlighted winning and losing placements with this guide.
- No real-money deposit is needed.
- Start with straight and red/black.
- Check the payout explanation after the spin.
Sources and calculation notes
How placement, payout and probability were checked
- Wizard of Odds: RouletteUsed to verify standard payouts, wheel probabilities and house edge.
- UK Gambling Commission: Roulette rulesUsed as an independent rules reference for common roulette bets and outcomes.
More coverage is not a promise of profit
Every standard European bet carries negative expected value. Use virtual chips to learn settlement, and if playing for money, use only a pre-set entertainment budget and stop at the written limit.