Inside Bets vs. Outside Bets in Roulette: Which Are More Profitable?
Jean LP
Becoming familiar with all of the different bet types is an essential aspect of any casino game, let alone roulette. Knowing what your options are and the risks involved allows you to get the most out of your bankroll. Roulette has many different betting options, making them easier to understand when split into categories. Whether you are playing American roulette, European roulette or even 500x roulette these popular table games are already known for their randomness, so it’s best to go into it with as much knowledge as possible.
Understanding roulette odds
The odds of roulette can be a bit daunting to understand. Using European roulette as an example, there are 36 black and red segments with an additional single green segment. American roulette is different by instead having 2 green segments. There is, therefore, a 1 in 38 chance that the ball will land on a specific segment during a round of European roulette. Most bet types will not cover the green segment, giving the house a slight but statistically significant edge.
This means that wagers on even-money bet types that pay out at a rate of 1 to 1 have a less than 50% chance of winning. For American roulette, this chance is 46.37%, while for European roulette, it is slightly higher at 48.65%. The overall house edge is 2.70% for European roulette, while it is almost double at 5.26% for American roulette.
Roulette payouts
Different bet types will naturally dictate different odds of winning and payouts. Due to the differences between European and American Roulette, these odds can change. We will, therefore, be using European Roulette as a reference going forward in this guide. European Roulette has a lower house edge, but the payouts remain the same. The most common bet that people wager on in roulette is even-money bets. These payouts are at a rate of 1 to 1, meaning that winning rounds double your initial wager. They are the least risky bet types available in roulette but also offer the lowest payout, with betting on a single number being the highest at a rate of 35 to 1. As the payouts increase, so too does the likelihood of losing.
Comparing inside bets to outside bets
When comparing inside vs outside bets in roulette, there are 2 distinctions between them. They get their names from where they are located on the roulette board. Outside bets are located on the outside edges of the board, while inside bets are fittingly located on the inside of the outside bets. This dictates where you place your chips on the roulette board to allow the croupier to see what your chosen bet and amount is. This is, however, made easier in online casino versions of roulette.
The other main difference between them is their inherent risks. Inside bets have the least likelihood of landing but also pay out more. Outside bets are the opposite and are, therefore, typically the safer option out of the two.
Inside bets
As mentioned, inside bets have more risk attached to them as their chances of landing are less than those of outside bets. It is essential to keep in mind that only straight-up bets allow you to include the green segment(s) in your selections. The inherent risk of inside bets comes attached with higher payouts. It is also important to remember that American Roulette games will have decreased odds of winning due to the addition of the 00 green segment. Here is a breakdown of the different inside bets, their payouts and their odds in a standard game of European Roulette.
|
Bet Type |
Payout |
Percentage Odds of Winning |
|
Straight-up bets |
35 to 1 |
2.70% |
|
Split bets |
17 to 1 |
5.40% |
|
Street bets |
11 to 1 |
8.10% |
|
Corner bets |
8 to 1 |
10.81% |
|
The Five Number Bet |
6: to 1 |
13.51% |
|
Line bets |
5 to 1 |
16.21% |
Outside bets
Outside bets are the less risky and include some of the most well-known bet types in roulette. With less risk comes smaller rewards, and outside bets have lower payouts than inside bets. They, therefore, work well with more conservative betting strategies that look for little wins that happen often rather than the larger and less common wins associated with inside bets. Here is a breakdown of the different inside bets, their payouts and, their odds in a standard game of European Roulette.
|
Bet Type |
Payout |
Percentage Odds of Winning |
|
Red/black |
1 to 1 |
48.65% |
|
Odd/even |
1 to 1 |
48.65% |
|
High/low |
1 to 1 |
48.65% |
|
Dozen bets |
2 to 1 |
32.43% |
|
Column bets |
2 to 1 |
32.43% |
Strategies for Inside Bet Success
There are a lot of different things to consider when playing roulette, whether it’s at the casino or online. Following these tips will allow you to strategise before placing your first wager.
- Consider your bankroll - Before playing any casino game, you must have a good grasp of the total budget available for play. This establishes the amount that you should be betting each round. You should bet between 1% and 5% of your bankroll during each round. However, many consider even 5% to be rather high.
- Combine bet types - You don’t necessarily have to stick to a single bet type. If you like placing outright bets, try doing so in combination with some corner bets, for example. While this does require that you split your wager, it ensures that you can cover more of the board.
- Try a betting system - Most roulette strategies require the player to place even-money bets, which are outside bets. Think about betting systems like the Martingale and D’Alembert strategies. There are, however, strategies that include inside bets, such as the ones below. When trying out a betting system for the first time, it is highly recommended you try it online and in a game that offers a free-play mode. This allows you to play the game without wagering any real funds.
The Double Street Quad betting system
If you want to give an inside betting system a try, there is the Double Street Quad strategy. It requires the player to place a wager on:
- 2 double street bets
- 1 corner bet
- 1 straight-up bet
The bets should be in whatever place you prefer; however, they should not overlap with one another. This provides a coverage of 17 numbers, which is just under half the board. The payout will naturally depend on which number lands, as each bet type pays out different odds. The double street bets are the most likely bets to cause a winning round, while there are still potentials for bigger wins with the corner and straight-up bet. There is, of course, also over 50% of the round resulting in a loss. It is up to you to weigh whether this is then worth it. A Double Street Quad bet could look something like this:
- 1 chip on a straight-up bet covering number 12
- 1 chip on a corner bet covering 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 2 chips on a line bet covering 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24
- 2 chips on a line bet covering 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36
Spreading your bets like the example above will provide the following payouts. Keep in mind that 2 chips are wagered on the line bets.
|
Round Outcome |
Payout |
|
12 |
35 to 1 |
|
1,2, 4, and 5 |
17 to 1 |
|
19, 20, 21, 22, 23, or 24 |
10 to 2 |
|
31, 32, 33, 34, 35, or 36 |
10 to 2 |
|
Any other outcome |
loss |
The hybrid approach
As inside bets are inherently more risky, some players take a more holistic approach. By combining inside and outside bets, there is potential for reaching a distribution of risk and reward that is more suitable to the player. This hybrid approach allows you to combine inside and outside bets in practically any way you choose. You can, for example, combine a dozen bets with a couple of line bets to cover 18 segments of the board rather than combining 2 dozen bets for a lower potential payout. Hybridising your betting options gives you more control and allows you to create a more balanced betting strategy. Here is an example of what some hybrid betting systems could look like.
|
Bet types |
Payouts |
Coverage |
|
1 dozen bet and 2 line bets |
2 to 1 or 5 to 1 |
48.65% |
|
Betting on red/black and 1 line bet |
1 to 1 or 5 to 1 |
64.87% |
|
2 corner bets and 2 five number bets |
8 to 1 or 6 to 1 |
48.65% |
|
2 corner bets, 1 five number bet, 1 line bet |
8 to 1 or 6 to 1 or 5 to 1 |
51.35% |
As you can see in the table above, hybrid betting lets you mix and match a variety of bet types to gain different payouts and coverage. An increased coverage generally means staking more or earning less of a potential payout. It’s up to you to decide what a good balance of risk and reward is. Typically, lower-risk strategies tend to favour lower bankrolls.
Conclusion
There is no real answer to whether inside bets are better than outside bets. One is less risky, while the other has higher payouts, essentially. It is, therefore, best left to your personal preference of what suits your playstyle and budget more. Outside bets do tend to be more forgiving on smaller budgets, for example. Whatever your preference is, always make sure that you go into any casino game with at least a loose plan.