Roulette is one of the most recognizable casino games in the world. A spinning wheel, a small ball, and a betting table covered with numbers create a game that’s easy to understand at first glance—but offers far more betting options than many beginners realize.
In this MyCasinoScout roulette guide, Scouty breaks down the American roulette wheel, explains inside and outside bets, shows what common roulette payouts mean, and highlights the house edge you should understand before placing your first wager.
The basic idea is simple:
Choose your bet → Dealer spins the wheel → Ball lands in a pocket → Winning bets are paid.
But where you place your chip determines exactly what you’re betting on.

What Is American Roulette?

This guide focuses on American-style roulette, which uses a wheel containing 38 pockets:

• 18 red numbers
• 18 black numbers
• 0
• 00

The 0 and 00 pockets are green.
Numbers 1–36 are divided between red and black, while the two green pockets are important because they create the casino’s mathematical advantage on standard bets.

Scouty Tip

Before sitting at a roulette table, check which version you’re playing.
This guide covers American roulette with 0 and 00. Other roulette variants can use a different wheel structure and therefore different probabilities.

Inside vs. Outside Roulette Bets

Roulette bets can broadly be divided into two categories:

Inside Bets

Placed directly on or around individual numbers on the betting grid.
They cover fewer numbers and generally offer larger payouts.

Outside Bets

Placed in the areas surrounding the numbered grid.
They cover larger groups of numbers, so they can hit more frequently but generally offer smaller payouts.
Think of the basic relationship as:
Less coverage → Higher payout
More coverage → Lower payout

Scouty will start with the inside bets.

Roulette Inside Bets Explained

Straight-Up Bet – 35:1

A straight-up roulette bet covers one individual number.
Place your chip directly on the number you want.
For example:
Bet: 17
Numbers covered: 1
Payout: 35:1
It offers the highest standard payout covered in this guide, but you’re relying on the ball landing on one specific pocket.

Scouty Says

A 35:1 payout sounds huge, but don’t confuse high payout with high probability.
You’re covering only one number out of 38 on this American roulette wheel.

Split Bet – 17:1

A split bet covers two adjacent numbers.
The chip is positioned on the line separating the two numbers.
For example:
10 | 11
If the ball lands on either covered number, the bet wins.
Numbers covered: 2
Payout: 17:1

Street Bet – 11:1

A street bet covers three numbers across one horizontal row of the roulette layout.
For example:
22 – 23 – 24
The chip is placed at the edge of that row.
Numbers covered: 3
Payout: 11:1

Corner Bet – 8:1

A corner bet covers four numbers meeting at one intersection.
For example:
10, 11, 13 and 14
Your chip sits at the corner where those four numbers meet.
Numbers covered: 4
Payout: 8:1

Six-Line Bet – 5:1

A six-line bet combines two neighboring rows for a total of six numbers.
Your chip is positioned at the outside intersection between the two rows.
Numbers covered: 6
Payout: 5:1
As coverage increases, the payout becomes smaller.

Basket Bet – 6:1

On the double-zero wheel described in the source guide, the basket bet covers:
0, 00, 1, 2 and 3

The source lists its payout as:
6:1
This is specific to the American double-zero layout covered by this tutorial.

Roulette Outside Bets Explained

Outside bets cover much larger groups of numbers.
They’re simpler to understand and therefore a natural place for beginners to learn the roulette table.

Red or Black – 1:1

You’re predicting the color of the winning numbered pocket:
🔴 RED
or
⚫ BLACK
A successful bet pays 1:1.
But there’s an important catch.
0 and 00 are green.
If the ball lands on either green pocket, a standard Red or Black bet loses.

Odd or Even – 1:1

Instead of predicting the color, you’re betting on whether the winning number will be:
ODD
or
EVEN
The payout is 1:1.
Again, 0 and 00 aren’t part of either group in standard American roulette.

Low or High – 1:1

This outside bet divides the regular numbers into two groups:
Low: 1–18
High: 19–36
Choose the correct half and the payout is 1:1.
The green 0 and 00 pockets remain outside both groups.

Dozen Bets – 2:1

A dozen bet covers one group of 12 numbers.
You can choose:
1st Dozen: 1–12
2nd Dozen: 13–24
3rd Dozen: 25–36
A winning dozen bet pays 2:1.

Column Bets – 2:1

The numbered roulette grid also forms three vertical columns.
A column bet allows you to wager on all 12 numbers contained within one of them.
Numbers covered: 12
Payout: 2:1

Why Do 0 and 00 Matter?

Those two little green pockets are extremely important.
American roulette has:
36 red/black numbered pockets + 0 + 00 = 38 total pockets.
Yet a Red bet covers only 18 numbers.
The same applies to Black, Odd, Even, Low and High.
So although these bets pay 1:1, they don’t represent a true 50/50 proposition on an American wheel.
That’s where the casino’s mathematical advantage comes from.

Scouty’s Rule

Never look at the payout without looking at the probability.

Understanding the house edge is much more useful than searching for a “winning roulette system.”

Does the Roulette History Board Predict the Next Number?

Many roulette tables display a reader board showing recent winning numbers.
You might see the previous 15 or 20 results.
Players sometimes use this information when deciding what to bet next.
But Scouty wants to make an important distinction:
Past numbers don’t guarantee what happens on the next spin.
A long sequence of black results doesn’t mean red is suddenly “due.
Likewise, a number appearing recently doesn’t automatically make it hot or cold.
The history board tells you what happened.
It doesn’t tell you what must happen next.

Scouty’s Roulette Checklist for Beginners

Before placing a roulette bet, Scouty recommends understanding five things:
1. Check the wheel – Are you playing American roulette or another version?
2. Understand your bet – Know exactly which numbers your chip covers.
3. Check the payout – Straight-up, split, street, corner and outside bets all pay differently.
4. Remember the green pockets – On the American wheel in this guide, 0 and 00 affect the probabilities.
5. Set your budget first – Decide what you’re prepared to spend before the wheel starts moving.

Roulette becomes much easier to understand once you stop seeing a confusing table of numbers and start seeing different groups of coverage.

Inside or Outside Roulette Bets: Which Is Better?

Neither is automatically “better.”
They simply offer different combinations of coverage and payout.
Inside bets cover fewer numbers and offer larger payouts.
Outside bets cover more numbers and offer smaller payouts.
What doesn’t change is the fact that roulette remains a casino game with a built-in house advantage.
No betting pattern can guarantee that the next spin will land where you want it to.

Learn Casino Games with MyCasinoScout

At MyCasinoScout, Scouty isn’t interested in selling you a “secret roulette strategy.”
He’s interested in making sure you know what your chip actually means before the dealer spins the wheel.
Our casino guides explain everything from roulette and blackjack to online slots, paylines, RTP, volatility, Bonus Buys, casino bonuses and sports betting in straightforward language.
And when you’re ready to compare places to play, MyCasinoScout helps you research online casino reviews, licences, bonuses, payment methods, withdrawal conditions and responsible gambling information.
Because understanding the table should come before putting money on it.

Learn it. Scout it. Then decide whether to play it.