The roulette betting table, explained box by box
A roulette betting table is a map of 37 numbers and the ways to group them. Once you can read it, every table in every casino is the same: the grid, the boxes around it, and on most online tables the racetrack beside it. This site goes through each area, each bet, what it covers, what it pays and what it costs. Start here for the overview, then follow the pages for the detail.
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The three areas
The grid. Numbers 1 to 36 in twelve rows of three, with the zero at the head. Chips placed on or between numbers are inside bets: the high-payout, low-frequency end of the table.
The outside. Boxes around the grid for dozens, columns, red, black, odd, even, low and high. Chips here are outside bets: lower payouts, much more frequent wins.
The racetrack. An oval of the numbers in wheel order, for bets that follow the physical wheel rather than the layout: neighbours and the French sections.
Inside bets at a glance
| Bet | Placement | Numbers | Pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight-up | On a number | 1 | 35:1 |
| Split | On a line between two numbers | 2 | 17:1 |
| Street | On the outer edge of a row | 3 | 11:1 |
| Corner | On a four-way intersection | 4 | 8:1 |
| Six line | On the edge between two rows | 6 | 5:1 |
The inside bets page covers each with its exact position on the grid.
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Outside bets at a glance
| Bet | Numbers | Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Dozen (1–12, 13–24, 25–36) | 12 | 2:1 |
| Column | 12 | 2:1 |
| Red / black | 18 | 1:1 |
| Odd / even | 18 | 1:1 |
| 1–18 / 19–36 | 18 | 1:1 |
All lose on zero, unless the table is French with La Partage, where the even-money bets get half back. The outside bets page has the detail.
Racetrack bets
Neighbours (a number and those either side on the wheel), Voisins du Zéro, Tiers du Cylindre and Orphelins. Placed in one tap as a fixed pattern of inside chips. Same odds as the inside bets they are made of; different coverage. The neighbours page explains each.
What every bet costs
On a single-zero wheel the house edge is 2.70% on every bet above, because every payout is set as if the wheel had 36 pockets and it has 37. A £1 straight-up and a £1 bet on red both cost 2.7p on average per spin. The difference is variance: the straight-up pays big and rarely, red pays small and often. The best-bet page goes through how to choose on that basis.
Reading the limits
Every table shows a minimum and maximum, and often two minimums: a lower one per chip on the inside and a higher one for outside bets or for the total per spin. A table advertised at 20p may need £1 on the layout before it spins. The rules page covers limits, settlement and the etiquette that still applies online.
Two layouts to know
The European layout has one zero. The American layout has 0 and 00 side by side at the top and a five-number bet across them. Same grid otherwise, same payouts, and a house edge of 5.26% instead of 2.70% on everything. If the table has two green boxes, the right move is to find the one with one.
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Questions
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How many types of bet are there in roulette?
Seven standard bets on the main layout — straight-up, split, street, corner, six line, dozen or column, and even-money — plus the racetrack bets that cover sections of the wheel. The American layout adds the five-number basket.
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Which bet on the roulette table is best?
On a single-zero table they all cost the same 2.70%, so none is better value. They differ in how often they win and how much. Even-money bets on a French table with La Partage are the one genuinely cheaper option at 1.35%.
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What is the minimum bet on a roulette table?
Set per table. Online RNG tables go as low as 10p a chip; live tables usually start at 50p to £1. Many tables have a higher minimum for outside bets than for inside chips, shown in the limits panel.