Roulette neighbours and the racetrack

Pick a number. The bet covers it and the pockets either side of it on the wheel, two each way by default, five numbers in total, one chip on each as a straight-up. Neighbours of zero: 26, 3, 0, 32, 15. Neighbours of 5: 23, 10, 5, 24, 16. One hit pays 35:1 on one chip, so a five-chip bet returns 36 chips for a net gain of 31. Wins 5 of 37 spins, 13.5%.

Most tables let you widen or narrow the arc. One each side is three chips covering 8.1% of spins; four each side is nine chips covering 24.3%. The edge per chip is 2.70% whatever the width.

The seventeen numbers around zero, from 22 to 25 by wheel order. Two chips on the 0-2-3 street, two on the 25-26-28-29 corner, one each on the splits 4/7, 12/15, 18/21, 19/22 and 32/35. A hit returns a net of plus 9 (split or corner) or plus 15 (street). Wins 45.9% of spins.

The twelve numbers opposite zero, 27 round to 33. One chip on each of the splits 5/8, 10/11, 13/16, 23/24, 27/30, 33/36. A hit returns a net of plus 12. Wins 32.4% of spins.

The eight numbers in the two gaps between Voisins and Tiers: 17, 34, 6 and 1, 20, 14, 31, 9. One chip straight-up on 1, one each on the splits 6/9, 14/17, 17/20, 31/34. A hit on 1 nets plus 31, on a split plus 13, on 17 (in two splits) plus 31. Wins 21.6% of spins.

A tighter arc around zero: 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15. One chip straight-up on 26, one each on the splits 0/3, 12/15, 32/35. Nets plus 32 on 26, plus 14 on a split. Wins 18.9%. Offered on French tables and some European ones.

Sections smooth the ride compared with single numbers: a Voisins bet wins almost every other spin, with modest returns, rather than once in 37 with a big one. They also feel like roulette in the traditional sense, calling an arc of the wheel rather than a box on the table. What they do not do is find a biased section. Online wheels and RNG tables are checked for that; the sections are a betting style, not an edge.

Tap the number in the racetrack for neighbours; tap the labelled section for Voisins, Tiers, Orphelins or Jeu Zéro. The game places the chips on the grid and shows the total. Check the total before spinning: a Voisins bet at a £1 chip is £9 on the table, and at a 20p chip with a £1 table minimum it is £1.80.