A Complete Guide to Roulette Odds
21-10-2024
If you’re a roulette fan, you may find it beneficial to understand the odds of the game, so you can make calculated decisions when spinning the wheel. Although the outcome of each spin is random, some numbers are more likely to appear than others. You’ll find out more about that below.
The Odds of American Roulette and European Roulette
When playing roulette, there is always a house edge. In American roulette, you have a double zero and in European roulette, there is a single zero. The basic house edge in American roulette is 5.26% and in European roulette, the house edge is 2.7%.
The house edge is easy to explain here, as American roulette wheels have 38 pockets, and European wheels have 38. If you play
online roulette games, like Premium European Roulette or 20p Roulette then you will have a virtual table with digital chips. When you place your wager, the odds of winning will become evident, as it’s all calculated for you
via mathematical algorithms.
If you play live roulette games, like Lucky 6 Roulette Live or Red Door Roulette Live, you’ll notice that there’s a live dealer and a traditional roulette wheel. You will still play with digital chips, but you’ll have a tab at the bottom of the screen telling you the odds as you play.

Remember that roulette wheel odds are just that, odds. It’s a figure based entirely on math and if you play a short-run of a game, you may find that the outcome is different. As the game is based on luck and chance, over 20 or more spins, you may notice that you gain a few wins, or don’t win at all. Roulette probabilities are the same, whether you play one spin or many.
Red and Black Bets on a Roulette Table
If you look at the red or black bet in roulette, you`ll see that this is called even money, as you will be paid one unit for every unit wagered. When you
calculate the probability, the chance of winning is not 1:1 however. Although there are 18 red numbers and 18 black numbers, you also have the probability of hitting a zero, or two green zeros depending on the game you are playing. As a general rule, based on math probability, you will win 18 times, and lose 20 times on an American wheel. You will win 18 times and lose 19 times when betting on a European wheel.
Other bets come with a higher or lower house edge, but either way, it goes without saying that playing on a European wheel is the best way to increase your odds of winning. If you bet on red or black in a European game then your chance of winning would be 48.6% and the odds of winning on an American table would be 46.37%. If you visit a traditional casino, you may notice that American tables have a lower minimum bet amount, to accommodate the house edge.
For this reason, the table you choose will largely depend on your personal preferences. Understanding odds will also help you when placing bets, but remember that it’s all based on mathematical algorithms, and your chances of winning are always entirely based on luck and chance.