Roulette Odds and Payouts

Just like any other game of chance, Roulette is all about probabilities, odds, and payouts. However, unlike games like Blackjack, these are pretty straightforward to calculate. In French Roulette, for instance, there's just one winning number out of a possible 36 (plus the zero).

Bets are locked in before the ball starts spinning, meaning players don't make any decisions during gameplay. While the winning probabilities for different bets might not surprise many, not everyone truly understands how to calculate Roulette payouts or the various types of bets available. Let's dive in!

How Does Roulette Payout Work: Figuring Out the Odds in South Africa

Let's start by looking at the winning chances for various Roulette bets and why the house edge remains consistent across all of them. For these examples, we'll use an American Roulette table, but the same calculations apply easily to a European Roulette wheel.

When you place a 1:1 bet, like Red/Black, you win if the ball lands on one of the 18 pockets of your chosen colour. So, your chance of winning is 18 out of 37 (for European Roulette) or 18 out of 38 (for American Roulette). Let's stick with the American version for consistency: that's approximately 47.37%.

Here's how this translates to the house edge for a 1:1 bet: You win 47.37% of the time and lose 52.63% of the time.

This is how the Roulette payout calculation works out to the house edge:

0.4737 (Win %) - 0.5263 (Loss %) = -0.0526 (or a 5.26% house edge)

Things get a bit more complex when we look at other Roulette bets available at top online casinos. For example, betting on a single number pays out 35:1 if you win.

You only win if the specific number you bet on hits. Your chance of winning on any given spin is 1 in 38, or about 2.63%. If you do win, you get 35 times your bet back. If you lose, you lose your original stake.

So, here's how these Roulette calculations determine the house edge:

(0.0263 * 35) - 0.9737



0.9211 - 0.9737 = -0.0526 (That's still a 5.26% house edge)

Roulette is a unique casino game of chance because the house edge remains consistent, regardless of the odds for different bets. This means that players don't need complex strategies to win; simply placing your bet is all that's required. Always choose a top online casino for the best experience.

Understanding Outside Bet Probabilities in South Africa

Outside bets offer players some of the most popular Roulette combinations:

Red/Black, High/Low, and Odd/Even Bets

The most common bets at online casinos in Mzansi include the simple "Red/Black" bet, the high/low bet (1-18/19-36), or the "Even/Odd" bet. These are often referred to by their French names – Rouge/Noir, Pair/Impair, and Manque/Passe – due to the game's origins.

With these bets, your payout is just shy of 50%. Due to the zero pocket (or double zero in American versions), your actual winning chance is closer to 48.65%. These bets all pay 1:1.

Dozens Bets

The dozen bet (covering 12 numbers) is another popular outside bet. You can bet on the first 12 numbers (1-12), the middle 12 (13-24), or the last 12 (25-36). Your chance of winning is about 32.43%, and these bets pay out at 2:1.

Column Bets

Similar to the dozen bet, the column bet also covers 12 numbers. You're betting on one of the three vertical columns on the Roulette table. The winning probability is the same (32.43%), and so is the payout ratio (2:1).

Understanding Inside Bet Probabilities

So-called inside bets involve betting on either a single number or a small group of numbers. The choices here are smaller than for outside bets, although there’s honestly quite a lot to choose from:

Plein / Number / Straight-Up Bet

The lowest probability of winning here is betting on an exact number. This amounts to 2.70%. Players can expect a payout ratio of 35:1.

Split / Cheval

The Plein is followed by the Cheval, which involves betting on two exact numbers instead of just one. The probability of winning here increases to 5.41%. If the prediction is correct, the payout ratio is 17:1.

Transversal Plein

After betting on one or two numbers, it now follows betting on 3 numbers. A bet on one street (3-number combination) offers a winning probability of 8.11%. The payout ratio is 11:1.

Carré

10.81% probability of winning is offered by betting on a corner or Carré (4 numbers). The payout here is still 8:1.

Transversal Simple

The double straight contains six different numbers and thus results in a winning probability of 16.22%. This bet pays out at a ratio of 5:1 if it hits.

Winning Probabilities of the Announcements

If players want to bet on announcements, they should look for a Roulette board with a racetrack. What’s interesting is that some live casino tables offer this feature. At some tables in the Roulette live casinos, announcements can also be placed via special versions, such as in the French Roulette Gold from Evolution Gaming.

The so-called announcement differs again a little from the previously presented inside and outside bets. In these best Roulette bets with announcements, numbers are grouped together that are not in sequence on the table but on the Roulette wheel. With the announcements, players can bet on certain areas of the pot.

Voisins du Zéro

Here, the "neighbors of zero" would be interesting. 17 numbers are covered. A total of 9 bets must be made to arrive at a winning probability of 45.9%. Of course, it’s easier with a race track. On the RaceTrack, players can bet directly on the Voisins du Zero using the mentioned Roulette table odds.

Tiers

In the Tiers bet the 12 numbers that lie directly opposite the Voisins du Zero are covered. The probability of winning is 32.4%.

Jeu Zero

Bets on tens/columns in inside bets also offer a similar probability of winning. In Jeu Zero, the zero game, we are talking about a weakened version of the neighbors of zero. In this case, 7 numbers close to 0 on the Roulette wheel with a winning probability of 18.9%.

Orphelin's

All other numbers on the wheel that do not fall under these announcements are grouped under the term Orphelins (the orphans). These have a winning probability of 41.6%.

Voisins

The neighbor’s game is also simply called Voisins. It is not to be confused with the neighbors of 0 (Voisins du Zero), which can be bet on the track. Players bet on a number and its Voisins in the cup when playing with neighbors.

This makes it easier to bet on certain areas of the cauldron. For example, if players bet on the neighbors of the six, they bet on the numbers 17, 34, 6, 27, and 13 - the numbers in the pot next to the six. The probability of winning a bet on Voisins is 13.5%.

The Finals

In the variable announcement "Finals" players bet on numbers ending in special digits. The probability of winning, in this case, is 8.1%. The bet can be extended to two digits. For example, 1 and 3, in which case the number on which the ball stops must end in either 1 or 3. In this case, the probability of winning increases to 10.8%.

The Probability of Improbable Outcomes in Roulette

Players often want to know the probability of unusual or improbable events in Roulette - like the case of Roulette odds green or Roulette payouts 00. For example, one question that always comes up among players is how often they would lose all their chips (their bankroll) using the Martingale system.

The Martingale system consists of doubling bets whenever the previous bet was lost. Depending on the maximum limit at the Roulette table, it would take seven losing one-to-one bets in a row before reaching the maximum limit.

At this point, the player cannot increase his bets any further. The probability of this occurring on a European Roulette wheel is 1 in 106.

Unlikely outcomes can sometimes work out in the players’ favor. The same number can hit two or even three times in a row. However, this is not something players should count on! Before each spin, the probability of hitting the number the player has selected on the next three spins is 50,652:1 (for European Roulette) and 54,871:1 (for American Roulette).

For those who are unaware of this, betting systems have become a losing option even though they may seem like a good thing.

How Anyone Can Calculate the Roulette Odds and Payouts

We’ve reviewed all the essential bets and stakes on the Roulette table in the review. Especially beginners often wonder how other players come up with these numbers.

The principle behind it is amazingly simple. Players don't have to be particularly fit in probability calculation. They don’t need a table book for functional analysis - a piece of paper with a pen and a calculator is enough.

For the best Roulette odds, players simply divide the number they bet on by 37 in French Roulette. In American Roulette, the calculation is 38 - thanks to the double zero.

This results in 4/35 for a Carré - 4 numbers - that is 0.114. Players simply need to multiply by 100, and they know the probability.

With this quite simple method, players can calculate the Roulette odds payout for every bet at the table. It’s worth giving it a go - for example, by betting on two carrés or several split bets at one of the top online Roulette casinos.

Conclusion

Roulette has truly stood the test of time - and it’s easy to understand why. This game isn’t just about hitting those Roulette numbers. It’s much more.

The game in itself is pretty complex and offers casino players the chance to experience something completely strunique which can be mastered and perfected to amazing levels.

That’s why it’s so important to keep an eye out on the Roulette payout chart at all times, to know in each given moment what the Roulette best odds are and how to make the most out of the maximum bet on Roulette.

Knowing the ins and outs of the game can make all the difference in maximizing your winnings and having a successful roulette experience. So, take the time to learn how to play Roulette, try out different strategies, and avoid common Roulette mistakes to become a true master of the game.

Now it’s just time to find the right Roulette casino and grab an inviting bonus to make it even more exciting!