The outcome of every spin of the roulette wheel is independent of any other and is not influenced by prior spins.

Even if you have ten black numbers after ten spins, the chance of getting red in the next spin is the same as to get black.

As roulette is a game of pure chance, you need to know the odds of the bets and place the ones with the best chance of success

American & European Roulette

The odds in Roulette are very easy to calculate.

The wheel is divided into either 37 or 38 slots, depending on whether you are playing the European version (single zero), or the American version which has an extra space in the double zero slot.

The zero space(s) represent the house edge. The house advantage in single zero Roulette is 2.7% and is 5.26% for the double zero game

How to Calculate Roulette Odds

European Single Zero Game American Double Zero Game

(35 - 36)/37 x 100 = -2.70% (35 - 37)/38 x 100 = -5.26%

Bets to Avoid

The bets to avoid in this game are probably all single number bets and the five number bet (only found on double zero wheels) because these types of bets have the largest disparity between true odds and actual payouts.

Bets to Place

If you plan to play Roulette, stick with the bets whose odds almost mirror their payouts. These "even money" bets include betting on Even, Odd, Low (numbers 1 through 18), High (numbers 19 through 36), Red, or Black. All of these wagers pay out at 1 to 1.

Roulette Odds: Best Bet on the Table

Look for a European single-zero wheel that offers the rule 'en prison.'

If you make an even money bet and the ball lands on zero, the croupier doesn't rake in your wager. Instead, your bet is 'imprisoned' or held hostage, and you are forced to keep it on the table until the next spin. If your bet wins, you can remove it from the table.

This bet cuts the house edge on even money bets in half, down to just 1.35%.