One of the most popular bets for roulette beginners and casual players is the red or black roulette. This is almost a 50/50-style wager, where punters simply guess the color the ball will land on.
The roulette wheel has numbered pockets from 1 to 36 – half of these are red and half are black. In European roulette, there’s one green pocket with the number zero, while American roulette has two green pockets – 0 and 00. These green pockets tip the odds slightly in the house’s favor.
So, while the odds are not true 50/50, red or black roulette bets are one of the best in roulette.
Below, we tell you more about the probability of red or black bets in roulette, their odds, and payout.
Red or black bets are called even-money bets because they pay 1:1, which means your profit is the same amount you wagered. For example, you wagered £10 on any red pocket. If the ball lands on red, you win £10 profit and your £10 wager back. Red and black bets are easy to understand. There are no complex rules, and you just have to pick a colour. These are a good starting point if you’re just learning how roulette works.
So, which numbers are in the black and red pockets? On the roulette wheel, out of the numbers 1 through 36:
The roulette table is designed to match the numbers on the wheel, so it is easier for multiple players to place their bets. This section is used for “inside bets”:
Next on the table are outside bets. You’ll see several labeled areas outside of the number grid that are marked with different kinds of outside bets:
Inside bets are generally more risky as players bet on a specific number or a combination. Because of the risk, inside bets have higher payouts. On the other hand, outside bets have a lower risk and pay less.
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Let’s say you bet £10 on red in European roulette. If the ball lands on any of the 18 red numbers, you win £10. If it lands on any of the 18 black numbers or the single green zero, you lose. So, you have an 18/37 chance of winning. This converts to 0.486 or 48.6%. So, your odds of winning red or black bets in European roulette are 48.6%. In American roulette, your odds of landing red or black are 18/38 because of the extra green pockets. This converts to 0.473 of 47.3% odds are in your favour.
Now, let’s talk about the house edge. In European roulette, the house has a 19/37 chance of winning because of the extra zero pocket. Subtracting the two gives the house an edge of 1/37 or 0.027, which is 2.7%.
In American roulette, you have 18/38 chances of winning while the house has 20/38, because of two green pockets. Subtracting this gives the house a 2/38 advantage or 0.052, which is 5.2%
To summarize:
| Roulette | Odds of winning a red or black bet | House edge |
| European | 48.6% | 2.7% |
| American | 47.3% | 5.6% |
So, let’s say you are betting £10 per spin for 100 spins. On a European wheel, you’d expect to lose about £2.70 over those 100 spins. So, your expected return will be around £97.3. On an American wheel, you’d lose about £5.26 on average. Your expected return here will be £94.4.
While that may not sound like much, if you’re playing longer sessions and placing higher bets, the difference can add up fast. Over time, the European version is actually friendlier to your bankroll. So, if you are a beginner, always choose European roulette for better long-term odds.
Red or black are even money bets, and the payout is 1:1. The even money bets are considered safest on the table, because they have low volatility. This means you won’t see big swings in your bankroll if you take these bets over the long term. In comparison, placing a bet on a single number is the riskiest. Your odds of winning red or black are 18/37, while the odds of landing a specific number are 1/37.
For example, you play 20 spins and always bet £5 on red. Statistically, you are likely to win close to half of those bets, which keeps your bankroll safe. Since the chance of winning is higher, the payout on these bets is low (1:1). In comparison, a single number bet pays 35:1. However, you should note that it rarely hits, so it can erode your bankroll quickly.
Here’s a quick reference chart of how much each bet pays and which bets are the safest:
So, if you are looking to switch up your game, you can consider betting on more even money bets like odd/ even numbers or low/ high numbers.
The ball spinning is random and there is no way to predict where it will land. However, there are some smart strategies to protect and grow your capital over long term:
The Martingale system is one of the best-known betting strategies in casino games. The idea behind this system is to double your bet after every loss, so when you eventually win, you recover all previous losses and gain a sizeable profit to boot. For example: Bet £1 on red. If you lose, bet £2 next, then £4. If you win the £4 bet, your money returned will be £8 (£4 profit + £4 bet) – £1 more than you invested.
While this system is straightforward to follow, it only works if you have a large bankroll. You can quickly go bust with this strategy on a small budget.
The Reverse Martingale flips the previous strategy. This is also called the Paroli Roulette Strategy. Here, you increase your bet after a win, and go back to your original bet after a loss. For example: Bet £1 on red. If you win, bet £2, then £4. If you lose, go back to betting £2.
A big drawback of this strategy is that one loss can wipe out your previous gains.
In the D’Alembert system, players increase their bets by one unit after a loss, and decrease it the same after a win. For example, start with £5. If you lose, the next bet should be £6. If you win, go back to betting £5.
This system is easier on your bankroll. However, like all systems, it doesn’t beat the house edge. Also, there’s no guarantee of a win, so you may end up on long losing streaks.
You can read more about different roulette strategies, including Fibonacci and The Reverse Labouchere in our blog.
Red or black are beginner-friendly, and give you good winning odds. However, the house always has the bigger edge, both in American and European roulettes. So, even though these bets are low-risk, there’s no guarantee of a win and you may go through several losses in a row.
The game is no doubt exciting, but don’t get caught up in the spin of the wheel. It’s important to manage expectations, time, and budget before you even sit down or log in to start your game. Set a clear budget for what you’re willing to spend and the amount you are comfortable losing. Think of the lost amount as the cost of entertainment.
Make sure to take regular breaks, and never chase losses. Losing streaks can happen, even on safe bets like red or black. Roulette is a game of chance. So, play for fun, not for profit.
There are equal 18 black and 18 red pockets in the roulette wheel. So, both have an equal chance of winning. However, when compared to the house edge, their odds vary slightly depending on the roulette version. In the European version, red and black bets have an 18/37 or 48.6% chance of winning. In the American version, the same bets have 18/38 or a 47.3% chance of winning.
Even money bets are the safest in roulette. These include red/ black bets, odd/ even bets, and low (1–18) / high (19–36) bets. These bets cover 18 numbers on the table and have the highest chance of hitting. The payout of even money bets is 1:1.
Yes, roulette is a game of chance. Each ball spin is random, and previous results have no effect on future spins. There are no “hot” or “cold” streaks on the roulette wheel, so there’s no skill or strategy that can influence the outcome. However, players can use smart betting systems like Martingale to manage bankroll.
Both the red and black colours have equal coverage (18 numbers) and have equal odds of hitting. Green colour is the most difficult to bet on because it covers only one pocket in the European version and two in the American version.
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