Roulette inside and outside bets: The complete guide

While even newcomers have a vague idea of how to play roulette, have you ever stopped to wonder how many ways to bet there are? As you look at the table for the first time, you might wonder where to begin.

As we shall explain in this article, it’s not just about betting on a single number or backing red or black. There are many different bets or combinations of bets you can make at the roulette table, whether you are playing online or in a brick and mortar casino.

Roulette inside bets

The inside bets on a roulette table relate to the numbers, 1-36. But you can do more than just bet on one number. Here are the options you have for inside bets:

• Straight up: Placing a chip on a single number segment
• Split bet: Picking two neighboring numbers with one bet by placing your chip on the line dividing them both
• Street bet: Backing any of the three numbers in a particular row by placing your bet on the outer edge line of the row
• Corner bet: Picking four numbers by placing your chip on the crosshair of the four numbers
• Line bet: Picking two neighboring rows, so six numbers, by putting the chip on the common outer corner that the two lines share
• Five bet: Putting your chip on the corner share the top row (1 – 3) and zero segments. This is four numbers in European roulette, but you get to throw in the extra green double zero segment as well in the American roulette version

Each type of inside bet has odds that change according to the amount of numbers each bet has in play. A single straight-up bet is 36/1, but a line bet with six numbers is a 6/1 shot.

Outside bets in roulette

Now that you know your options for inside bets, you can best make up your inside bets strategy on how much risk you wish to take. But you also, of course, have the option of outside bets in roulette.

Firstly, and most commonly, are the well-known 50/50 bets, so red or black, or odd or even. With 36 numbers in play, 18 are black, 18 are red, 18 are odd, and 18 are even. They are described as 50/50 bets, but in truth, you do not have a 50/50 chance of winning because if the roulette ball lands in the single green zero segment in European roulette, you lose all your bets. So, you have 18 chances to win, but 19 to lose.

The same logic applies to another outside bet, which is selecting numbers 1-18 or 19-36 – which you see used less frequently.

Another choice is called the dozen bet. Here, you can bet on one of three groups of a dozen numbers: 1-12, 13-24, and 25-36. If the ball lands on one of your numbers, you will get a return of 2/1.

Finally, you have the column bet, whereby you bet on the ball landing on one of the three columns of 12 numbers, also a 2/1 shot.

Inside bets and outside bets strategy

There is no proven strategy for the inside bet or outside bets. Instead, many gamblers have their own system that either involves one type of bet and sticking to it - or liberally sprinkling chips across any number of bets, some inside, some out, of varying chip amounts.

The well-known betting system covering various options is the deliciously-named James Bond roulette system, although it was used by Bond’s creator, the writer Ian Fleming, and not by Bond himself in the books or films.

It involves betting $20 in total on each spin of the wheel ($200 if you’re feeling flush). Each time, spread your bets in this fashion:

• $14 on the 19-36 50/50 bet
• $5 on the line bet that covers 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
• $1 on the green zero

The logic behind the system is that you can win with 25 numbers but lose with 12. However, note that the return does not always make up for the total outlay when you do win.

But at least you get to feel a bit like James Bond while you’re playing, right?

Play roulette today and try for yourself

You can try all of these inside bets and outside bets in roulette by signing up for an account with top online casinos today. You can try roulette for free, but it’s much more fun playing for real cash to try and turn a profit, especially on the live dealer tables.

Remember to opt-in for your welcome bonus when you sign up – it will help your initial investment go a lot further.