Roulette Payout Rules
There are 36 numbers in the
base set for a very distinct reason. Since 36 is divisible by 1, 2, 3, 4,
6, 9, 12, and 18, it makes it very easy to place bets covering the ranges
of these numbers and have payouts in whole units.
Calculating the payout for a
roulette bet is quite easy. It is simply one less then the true odds at 36
numbers or …
(36
/ numbers in bet) – 1
The minus one is for the your
original bet which you keep if you win.
The following is a list of each
bet type and the payouts.
| #’s in Bet |
Bet Name |
Payout |
|
1 |
Straight |
35 to 1 |
|
2 |
Split |
17 to 1 |
|
3 |
Street (Row) |
11 to 1 |
|
4 |
Square |
8 to 1 |
|
5 |
5 number |
6 to 1 (actual 6.2 to
1) |
|
6 |
Double Street |
5 to 1 |
|
12 |
Dozen or Column |
2 to 1 |
|
18 |
Even Money |
1 to 1 (even
money) |
Now, of course, you are saying,
“Hey, wait a minute! The payouts are based on the odds for 36 numbers but
the game actually has 37 or 38.” This is how the casino gains its
advantage. Since there are more than 36 numbers on the wheel, even if you
win, you win less than what the true odds should pay. This advantage is
calculated as follows.
| Table |
Ratio |
Percentage |
| American |
2/38 |
5.26% |
| European |
1/37 |
2.70% |
For all but the 5-Number bet,
the advantage for the casino is the same. The 5-Number bet on
American tables should be avoided since the house advantage is over 7
percent. This is due to the fact that the 5-number bet is the only one
that does not evenly divide 36. So, the casino rounds to their advantage.
If you really want to play these numbers together, split your bet amount 5
ways and place straight bets on each of the numbers.
For even money bets, the house
advantage is quite high compared to even money bets in other casino games
like craps and baccarat. For the other higher payout bets in roulette, the
house advantage is actually low in comparison to other casino games. For
instance, the house advantage on the higher payout craps bets is over
16%!!
As stated earlier, always look
for tables with one zero. If you find one in the US, it will probably have
a higher minimum bet. Of course, you never get something for
nothing.
Bet Distribution
The payout for any number of
numbers covered is the same no matter how the numbers are covered as long
as the bets are distributed equally. For instance, let’s say I play $1
Straight Bets on each of the numbers 1, 2, and 3. If any of those numbers
come up the payout is the following:
| $35 |
35 to 1 on the
$1 |
| + $1 |
Plus the original
winning bet |
 |
| $36 |
Net result |
Now, instead, let’s take the
whole $3 and play it on the 1-3 Street bet.
| $33 |
11 to 1 on the
$3 |
| + $3 |
Plus the original
winning bet |
|
| $36 |
Net Result |
Understanding this point is
important for establishing an effective strategy.
Roulette Even Money Exceptions
As we said earlier, the high
house advantage or “vigorish” in Roulette makes it one of the worst even
money bets in the casino, especially on the American table. To compensate
for this, some casinos have instituted exception rules to bring down their
advantage for even money bets. There are two types of exceptions generally
employed – En Prison and Surrender.
Surrender
The Surrender rule (or
Half-back rule) is generally found in Atlantic City. Here on even
money bets, when zero comes up, half of your bet is taken immediately and
half is returned to you.
En Prison
The En Prison rule typically
accompanies European tables, making their low house advantage even lower.
When zero comes up, your even money bet is not immediately lost but locked
until the next spin. If the next spin is a hit, the bet is released with
no payout. If it is not a hit, the bet is lost. European table with En
Prison brings the house advantage down to 1.35%. This is one of the lowest
for a casino game that does not require skill.
With both of these, the house
advantage is cut in half for even money bets. The other bets do not have
this exception – so the house advantage remains the same.
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