Index → Inside bets
Roulette inside bets, with the chip in the right place
Inside bets are the ones placed on the number grid: on a number, or on a line or corner between numbers. There are five of them, they pay from 5:1 to 35:1, and placing them correctly matters because a chip half a centimetre out of position is a different bet. On a touchscreen the game highlights what you have selected before you confirm; it is still worth knowing what you meant.
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Straight-up, 35:1
One chip squarely on one number, including zero. Covers 1 of 37, wins 2.70% of the time. The purest bet on the table and the one with the longest droughts: a specific number goes 100 spins without hitting about 6.5% of the time.
Split, 17:1
One chip on the line between two adjacent numbers, horizontally (such as 8/9) or vertically (such as 8/11). Covers 2 of 37, wins 5.41%. Zero splits with 1, 2 or 3 across the top of the grid.
Street, 11:1
One chip on the outer edge of a row of three, on the line at the end of the row nearest the outside bets. Covers 3 of 37, wins 8.11%. The zero streets, 0-1-2 and 0-2-3, are placed on the corner where the zero box meets the first row.
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Corner, 8:1
One chip on the intersection where four numbers meet, such as the point shared by 8, 9, 11 and 12. Covers 4 of 37, wins 10.81%. Sometimes called a square or a quad.
Six line, 5:1
One chip on the outer edge of the grid where two rows meet, covering both rows. Covers 6 of 37, wins 16.22%. Also called a double street or a line bet.
The maths behind the payouts
| Bet | Numbers | Fair payout | Actual | Shortfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight-up | 1 | 36:1 | 35:1 | 1 unit in 37 |
| Split | 2 | 17.5:1 | 17:1 | 1 unit in 37 |
| Street | 3 | 11.33:1 | 11:1 | 1 unit in 37 |
| Corner | 4 | 8.25:1 | 8:1 | 1 unit in 37 |
| Six line | 6 | 5.17:1 | 5:1 | 1 unit in 37 |
The shortfall is the same fraction of every bet: 2.70%. No inside bet is better value than another; they differ only in how the wins arrive.
American table extras
The double-zero layout allows a 0/00 split, the streets 0-00-2 and the five-number basket on 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 at 6:1. The basket is the one inside bet with a different edge: 7.89%, the worst on any roulette table. Every other inside bet on an American wheel is 5.26%.
Placing inside bets online
Tap a number for a straight-up, the line between for a split, the corner point for a corner, the row end for a street, the row boundary at the edge for a six line. Most games show the covered numbers highlighted while your finger is down. Check the highlight before releasing; the undo button is there for the cases where you did not.
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Questions
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Can I place a split with the zero?
Yes. Zero splits with 1, 2 or 3 by placing the chip on the line between zero and that number. Zero also forms streets 0-1-2 and 0-2-3 with the chip on the relevant corner of the zero box.
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Why does a corner pay 8 to 1 and not 9 to 1?
Four numbers out of 37 would fairly pay 8.25 to 1. The table rounds down to 8, as it does on every bet, and the rounding is the house edge.