What this calculator does
Roulette odds and roulette payouts are two different numbers that people often confuse. The odds are how likely a bet is to win, fixed entirely by how many numbers it covers out of the pockets on the wheel. The payout is what the casino pays if it does win, fixed by the bet type regardless of the actual odds. This calculator works out both together for a chosen bet and wheel.
The two numbers do not cancel out. Every standard bet is paid at odds slightly worse than its true probability of winning, which is exactly what gives the casino its house edge. A roulette payout chart lists the fixed ratio for each bet type; this calculator pairs that ratio with the matching probability, on either wheel, in one place.
The formula
Probability is the count of numbers a bet covers divided by the total pockets on the wheel: 37 on a European wheel (0 to 36), 38 on an American wheel (0, 00 to 36). The payout ratio is fixed by the bet type, from 35:1 on a single number down to 1:1 on an even-money bet, and is unaffected by which wheel is used. Profit if the bet wins is the stake multiplied by that ratio.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pockets | The total numbered slots on the wheel: 37 European, 38 American. |
| Numbers covered | How many of those pockets the chosen bet wins on. |
| Payout ratio | How much profit is paid per unit staked if the bet wins, e.g. 35:1. |
| House edge | The casino’s built-in statistical advantage: 1/37 (about 2.70%) European, 2/38 (about 5.26%) American, the same on every standard bet on that wheel. |
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Wheel type | European wheels have a single zero; American wheels add a second, 00, which raises the house edge on every bet. |
| Bet type | The bet type, which fixes both how many numbers it covers and its payout ratio. |
| Stake ($) | The amount staked on this single bet. |
When to use it
Understanding roulette winning odds before betting
Seeing the actual probability next to the payout makes clear why every roulette bet favours the house by the same fixed margin, no matter how the odds and payout are dressed up for a particular bet type.
Comparing straight-up bets to outside bets
A straight-up number pays 35:1 but wins only about 2.7% of the time on a European wheel; an even-money bet wins nearly half the time but only returns the stake back. This calculator lines the two up directly.
Checking a roulette payout chart claim
Any published roulette payout chart can be checked bet by bet against this calculator, including the effect of switching from a European to an American wheel.
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
Roulette odds and payout by bet type, European wheel
Every standard bet type on a European wheel, at a fixed $100 stake.
| Bet type | Probability of winning this bet | Payout if it wins |
|---|---|---|
| Straight | 2.70% | 35:1 ($3,500.00 profit on $100.00 staked) |
| Split | 5.41% | 17:1 ($1,700.00 profit on $100.00 staked) |
| Street | 8.11% | 11:1 ($1,100.00 profit on $100.00 staked) |
| Corner | 10.8% | 8:1 ($800.00 profit on $100.00 staked) |
| Sixline | 16.2% | 5:1 ($500.00 profit on $100.00 staked) |
| Dozen | 32.4% | 2:1 ($200.00 profit on $100.00 staked) |
| Even | 48.6% | 1:1 ($100.00 profit on $100.00 staked) |
How the house edge changes between European and American wheels
The same single-number bet, on each wheel type.
| Wheel type | Probability of winning this bet | House edge on this wheel |
|---|---|---|
| European | 2.70% | 2.70% |
| American | 2.63% | 5.26% |
Questions
Why is the roulette payout the same regardless of the wheel used?
Payout ratios are set by the bet type, not by the actual odds of winning. A straight-up number always pays 35:1 whether the wheel has 37 or 38 pockets; the extra pocket on an American wheel changes the odds of winning, not what the casino pays out when you do.
What is the roulette green payout?
The green pockets are zero (European and American) and double-zero (American only). Betting straight up on zero or double-zero pays the same 35:1 as any other single-number straight-up bet; it is simply one more number on the wheel, not a special payout of its own.
Which bet has the best roulette winning odds?
The even-money bets, red or black, odd or even, and high or low, cover 18 of the 37 or 38 numbers each, giving the highest probability of winning of any standard bet, just under half. That higher probability comes paired with the lowest payout, 1:1.
Does any bet beat the house edge?
No. Every standard bet on a given wheel carries the same house edge, about 2.70% on European wheels and about 5.26% on American wheels, because the payout ratios were set to be slightly worse than the true odds across every bet type on that wheel.
For the probability behind other games of chance, see the binomial probability calculator. To work through the maths of expected value more generally, the descriptive statistics calculator summarises any set of outcomes you record.