Inside Bets

Roulette has been around for centuries but it is still one of the most beloved casino games. Many players associate the game with nice payouts and lots of excitement. With the advent of technologies, roulette entered the digital world. Currently, we can safely say that it is one of the most popular games of chance around the globe.

Knowing the rules of the game brings you a step closer to the long-coveted win. Roulette offers many betting options, each coming with various odds, probabilities, and payouts. Inside bets usually whet the appetite of roulette fans who are after big prizes. This category of roulette bets is often referred to as high-risk because it offers high payouts but low odds of winning.

The different types of inside bets are a little more complicated to learn compared to the outside bets. Players have to remember where exactly to position their chips on the table layout to accurately indicate the bet they wish to place. Now, let us discuss the different types of inside bets.


Types of Inside Bets

Straight-Up Bets
Split Bets
Street Bets
Corner Bets
Five-Number Bet
Six Line Bet

Straight-Up Bets

Straight-Up bets cover a single number on the table layout. Roulette fans can pick a number between 1 and 36 and place their chips exactly in the middle of the respective betting box. Placing a Straight-Up bet on 0 (or 00 in American Roulette) is also an option. Players can place as many Straight-Up bets as they wish to as long as the sum of their bets does not exceed the maximum table limits. Provided that you place a Straight-Up bet on a given number and it comes out, then you will collect a payout of 35:1.


Split Bets

A bet placed on two adjacent numbers on the table layout is a Split bet. If you want to place a Split bet, you have to position chips on the horizontal or vertical line between the two numbers. If any of the two numbers turn out to be profitable, the player receives a payout of 17:1. Some roulette enthusiasts believe that if they place two Straight-Up bets on two adjacent numbers, they will win more than they would if they had placed a Split bet. We will explain why this conception is wrong by giving an example.

Let’s assume that you place two Straight-Up bets by using 2 chips in total. You can win only one of the Straight-Up bets, meaning that you will collect a total of 36 chips (the player is paid 35 chips and keeps the initial wager). On the other hand, if you place a Split bet and you win, then the house will pay 17 chips for each chip you wagered plus the additional wager. In other words, if you have placed a Split bet using 2 chips, then the payout will be again 36 chips.


Street Bets

Street bets are placed on any three-number rows to be found on the table layout (for example, 1, 2, and 3). Casino enthusiasts who want to place a Street bet have to position their chips on the outer line that borders the selected row. For example, if you want to place a Street bet on 1, 2, and 3, you have to stack your chips on the outside line that borders the number 1. The payout for this inside bet is 11:1.


Corner Bets

The Corner bet is also known as a Square or a Quarter as it covers four numbers shaping a square on the table layout. An example of a Corner bet includes the numbers 7, 8, 10, and 11. Roulette enthusiasts who want to place a Square bet have to position their chips exactly in the middle of the square where the lines of all four numbers cross. Provided that any of the numbers in the square comes out, the Corner bet wins and the payout will be 8:1.


Five-Number Bet

As its name suggests, this bet covers five numbers. What is specific about the Five-Number bet is that it is available only on the American Roulette table and it includes the following numbers: 00, 0, 1, 2, and 3. Alternative names for this bet are Basket and Sucker bet.

Players are advised to avoid the Basket bet as it increases the house edge of the game to 7.89%, which is above the average for American Roulette (5.26%). In our guide to American Roulette, you can find more about the math behind this bet.

A Basket bet is placed by positioning chips on the line that connects the numbers 0 and 1. Winning Basket bets pay out at odds of 6:1.


Six Line Bet

Also known as a double Street bet or Quint bet, the Six Line covers six numbers included in two adjacent rows – for example, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Assuming that you wish to place a Six Line bet, you have to position chips on the outer corner shared by the two selected rows. The bet offers a payout of 5:1.


The Math Behind Roulette Bets

1Overview

In this section, we would like to explain what probabilities and odds stand for and how to calculate them. In that way, players will be able to calculate the odds and probabilities of the different types of inside bets according to the roulette variation they play. Keep in mind that these vary depending on whether you play single-zero or double-zero roulette.

2Probabilities

The probabilities of winning a given bet are calculated by comparing all possible ways to win and all possible outcomes. For better understanding, probabilities are expressed in percentage terms. The formula for calculating the probabilities is Probability = (ways to win/all possible outcomes) x 100.

For example, if you play a single-zero roulette and you place a Straight-Up bet, the probabilities of success are (1/37) x 100 = 0.0270 x 100 = 2.70%.

3Odds

Unlike probabilities, odds are fractions that compare the likelihood of a given event to occur and the likelihood of the same event not to occur. Let us assume that you play a single-zero roulette variation and you place a Straight-Up bet. Then, you have only 1 way to win and 36 ways to lose. Hence, the odds of winning a Straight-Up bet are 1/36.

Casinos usually determine the payout of a given bet based on the odds against success. To find out what the odds against success are, compare the ways to lose against the ways to win. This means that if you place a Straight-Up bet when playing European or French Roulette, the odds against success are 36/1. These are the true odds. But the payout associated with this type of bet is 35:1. As you can see, there is a discrepancy between the true odds and the payout.

4Inside Bets - Odds and Probabilities

Now, you know how to calculate the odds and probabilities associated with the different types of roulette bets. For the best convenience of our readers, our dedicated team compiled a table that compares the probabilities and payouts of all inside roulette bets in American and European/French Roulette:

Bet Single-Zero Roulette Probability Double-Zero Roulette Probability Payout
Straight-Up 2.70% 2.63% 35:1
Split 5.41% 5.26% 17:1
Street 8.11% 7.89% 11:1
Corner 10.81% 10.52% 8:1
Basket N/A 13.16% 6:1
Six Line 16.22% 15.79% 5:1

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