Roulette outside bets are one of the two major categories of roulette wagers, alongside inside bets. Most of them are quite simple and offer a different approach to the game by betting on a group of numbers instead of targeting a single one.
If you want to learn more, the following article covers all major questions: what is an outside bet in roulette, what the best outside bets are, and how to try common strategies for outside bets!
Roulette Outside Bets Summary
Here’s a complete overview of all outside bets in roulette, the win conditions for each, the odds to win, and the payouts for both European and American roulette:
| ROULETTE OUTSIDE BET | WIN CONDITION | ODDS TO WIN (EU/US) | PAYOUT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low/High | 1-18 (Low) 19-36 (High) | 48.6%/47.4% | 1:1 (Bet $1, Win $1) |
| Red/Black | Land on red or black spots | 48.6%/47.4% | 1:1 (Bet $1, Win $1) |
| Odd/Even | Land on odd or even numbers | 48.6%/47.4% | 1:1 (Bet $1, Win $1) |
| Dozens | 1st 12 (1-12) 2nd 12 (13-24) 3rd 12 (25-36) | 32.4%/31.6% | 2:1 (Bet $1, Win $2) |
| Column | 1st Column / 2nd Column/ 3rd Column | 32.4%/31.6% | 2:1 (Bet $1, Win $2) |
We’ll cover all of these roulette outside bets in more detail, along with a few strategies, below!
It should be noted that you can use all this information when playing online roulette, mobile roulette on your phone, as well as at land-based casinos.
What Is an Outside Bet in Roulette?
Outside bets in roulette are the wagers located on the outside of the table. You’ll see that the two rows closest to the player are outside bets, and these five bets are:
- Low/High
- Red/Black
- Odd/Even
- Dozens
- Column
Outside bets in roulette feature groups of numbers, as opposed to inside bets in roulette that are mostly wagers on single numbers. Outside bets give you a smaller payout, but you’ll have a better chance to win more consistently!
Breaking Down All Outside Bets in Roulette
Let’s take a look at the different roulette outside bets you can make in more detail!
Low/High
A low/high bet is shown on a roulette table in the boxes labeled “1 to 18” and “19 to 36”. If you’re making a low bet, you’re wagering on all numbers from 1 to 18. For a high bet, you’re wagering on all numbers from 19 to 36. That’s a total of 18 numbers you need to win!
The payout for this bet is 1:1, meaning if you bet $1, you’ll win $1. Your odds of winning are higher if you play European roulette, which gives you a 48.6% chance of winning, thanks to having a single zero at the top of the table. American roulette gives you a 47.4% chance of winning, as that table comes with a double-zero.
If you land on either the single or double zero, your bet loses. This goes for all outside bets in roulette. The exception is French roulette with La Partage rules, which I will explain in the Roulette Outside Bet Strategy section.
Red/Black
You’ll find the red and black bets underneath the “2nd 12” box on roulette tables. The premise is simple: bet on either color, and if that color wins, you win! Similar to low/high, you’re getting 18 numbers to wager on, with the same odds of winning (48.6% for European roulette, 47.4% for American roulette).
Red or black bets also have a 1:1 payout.
Odd/Even
The odd/even outside bet in online roulette, as well as land-based roulette, means you’re wagering on either an odd or even number. You’ll find these on the table in the boxes labeled “EVEN” and “ODD”. You’re getting another group of 18 numbers to wager on, which gives you the same payouts and chances of winning as the low/high and red/black bets.
Dozens
The Dozens bet is shown on the roulette table in three boxes. One is marked “1st 12”, which features the numbers 1-12. The box labeled “2nd 12” includes the numbers 13-24. Finally, the third box is “3rd 12”, and those numbers include 25-36.
As an example, if you wanted to make a “1st 12” bet, you would need the ball to land on numbers 1-12. Here, the chances of winning and payouts are slightly different from the first three bets I described. In European roulette, you have a 32.4% chance of winning, and in American roulette, that drops to 31.6%. However, the payout increases to 2:1. This means you bet $1, and you would win $2.
Column
Finally, there is the Column bet. This means you’re wagering on a column’s numbers, and there are three columns on the roulette table. Here are the numbers listed with each column:
- 1st Column: 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34
- 2nd Column: 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 25
- 3rd Column: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36
The chances of winning, and the payouts, are the same as the Dozens bet. It’s 32.4% if you’re playing European roulette, and 31.6% for American roulette. The payouts are 2:1 for each wager you make.
Roulette Outside Bet Strategy
The best roulette strategy for outside bets is to play at tables where you’ll find French roulette that feature the La Partage and En Prison rules for even money bets (odds/even; red/black; high/low). You can find these at some European roulette tables as well, but not all.
The La Partage rule means if you land on zero, you’ll only lose half of your bet, instead of the entire wager. The other half goes back to you.
There is also the En Prison rule in French roulette. This means if you land on zero, your bet is kept for your next spin, or “imprisoned”. If you win on the next spin, you’ll get your bet back. If you lose, your bet is gone.
European roulette as a general rule is better for you when thinking about roulette outside bet strategy. Thanks to the single zero on the wheel, the house edge is 2.7%. For American roulette, the house edge is 5.26% because of the double zero.
You can find European roulette, French roulette, and a game that offers La Partage rules (La Partage Roulette De Lux) at Las Atlantis Casino! Playing this one brings the house edge down to 1.35% on even odds outside bets.
Finding a way to minimize the house edge is the best way to form your roulette outside bets strategy. However, there are a few other strategies that players can try out. None of them change the house edge, but they play around probabilities and bankroll management as follows:
- Roulette 2nd and 3rd Dozens Strategy
- This bet requires players to wager on two of three Dozens squares, the 2nd 12, and the 3rd With a payout of 2:1, you’ll make a profit as long as the ball doesn’t land on 1-12, or on the single or double zero spots. This gives you a 63.2% chance of winning!
- Roulette 1st and 3rd Column Strategy
- This bet is similar to the 2nd and 3rd Dozens strategy, in that you’re wagering on the 1st and 3rd This gives you 24 numbers you need to win.
- Martingale Strategy for Even Odds Bets
- Some players will also use the Martingale strategy as one of their roulette systems. This means that you pick a specific amount to wager, based on your bankroll. If you lose, you double that wager, and keep doubling it until you win. Once you win, you go back to your original bet amount, and start fresh.
Are Roulette Outside Bets a Good Choice?
Roulette outside bets are a great choice if you’re a regular player who wants to win small consistently. While the house edge is roughly the same for inside and outside bets, you have a much higher win rate for outside bets.
The payouts are smaller than you would win for roulette inside bets, which yield larger payouts, but you don’t win as consistently. It comes down to personal preference, although, playing French roulette reduces the house edge on all outside bets with even money payout, so that’s something to consider.
Whether you want to make inside or outside bets, Las Atlantis Casino is the place to be for online roulette. You’ll find 19 different roulette games, including American, European, and French roulette, and Zoom roulette as well! There is also a live dealer roulette option that features American roulette.
You can try all of these (except for the live tables) as free online roulette games first, so you can learn how they work, and put your roulette outside bet strategies to use!
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