Roulette Odds Guide at Lottomart UK
The wide variance in roulette odds is one of the main reasons this casino classic has everlasting appeal. It appeals to conservative players and those who prefer taking bigger risks with their gambling selections. Add in a return to player (RTP) rate that can venture into the high 90s, and roulette is also one of the fairest casino games with a low house edge.
Below, we take a closer look at the odds of roulette selections and how the odds can be affected depending on the game type played.
The odds difference between European and American roulette
If you pay close attention to the RTP rate between the different roulette variations at Lottomart, you’ll see a significant disparity between the European and American options. With European roulette, the RTP is 97.30%. American roulette, however, sees the RTP drop to 94.74%.
There is one small yet significant difference that alters the RTP so drastically between the two game types. European Roulette only features one green 0 pocket on the wheel. In comparison, American roulette has two green pockets (0 and 00). The result is that a European roulette wheel has 37 pockets in total, while an American roulette wheel has 38 pockets.
Say you have bet on a single number. With European roulette, you have a one in 37 chance of the ball landing on that number. With American Roulette, this goes up to a one in 38 chance. It’s not a drastic change, admittedly, but it is one that makes a mathematical difference to the odds.
The addition of the 00 pocket also doesn’t impact just one or two betting options. It decreases the odds across the board. For example, selecting red or black is judged as an even bet with a 1:1 payout rate. Yet the odds of landing either is less than a 50/50 chance because not every pocket is red or black. With European roulette, the one green pocket drops the odds of landing on red/black to 48.65%. American roulette’s two green pockets cause it to go down to 47.40%
When you’re searching for ways to reduce the house edge as much as possible, the obvious choice is to go with European roulette.
Roulette outside bet odds
There are two main categories used for roulette bets: outside and inside bets. While you might believe an outside bet correlates to betting options with long odds, the outside/inside names come from the roulette table’s layout.
In fact, outside bets generally supply the best odds of receiving a payout when playing roulette. A payout will never be overly generous in terms of the odds available, but wins should come with greater regularity than picking an inside bet option.
The outside bet options are:
- Red or Black (1:1)
- High or Low (1:1)
- Odd or Even (1:1)
- Dozen (2:1)
- Column (2:1)
In European roulette, the odds of landing any even 1:1 bet is 48.65%, giving the house a small edge. The same applies to the Dozen and Column options with a 2:1 payout rate. Rather than having a 33.33% chance of winning, the minimal house edge means the odds are 32.40%.
Roulette inside bet odds
Named due to their position within the roulette table’s inside, these betting options have less chance of landing compared to outside bets. Yet to compensate for this, inside bets deliver a significantly bigger payout if they land.
The inside bet options are:
- Double Street Bet (5:1)
- Basket Bet (6:1)
- Corner Bet (8:1)
- Street Bet (11:1)
- Split Bet (17:1)
- Straight Bet (35:1)
A straight bet, aka a single number bet, has a 35:1 payout rate. This means if you place £10 on, say, the number 22 and it lands, you gain £360 in return. However, the odds of doing so are low because the percentage of correctly predicting a number on a European roulette wheel is only 2.70%. You can significantly up the odds in your favour by picking multiple numbers at the same time. For instance, a Corner bet involves four numbers, and there’s a 10.81% chance the ball will land on one of them.
Depending on the roulette table you’re playing on, additional betting options could also be available. These include called bets that, rather than being based on their positions on the table, are grouped together according to their location on the roulette wheel. For example, a “Zero Game” bet accounts for seven number segments near to the green 0. Called bets typically involve multiple bets on multiple options, which means the odds can vary significantly.
Other Roulette Guides
Explore our range of guides at Lottomart, designed to teach you all about roulette and how to play. Check them out below!
| Roulette Jackpots Guide | Online Roulette Guide | Mobile Roulette Guide |
| Real Money Roulette Guide | Online Roulette Strategies |
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