Outside Bets

As noted earlier, outside bets include groups of numbers that share similar traits. Six out of the eight outside bets cover 18 numbers each with opposing qualities and are usually called even-money bets. This group includes bets on red or black, even or odd numbers, and on low (1 to 18) or high (19 to 36) numbers. The remaining two bets are known as dozens and columns. The table below gives the main details for each outside bet, showing where to place them on the table along with their payouts and odds.

Since outside bets are the same for all classic roulette variants, there are five standard outside bets. They are:

• Columns: You can see three vertical columns on every roulette table, regardless of the variant. These columns have 12 numbers each. A column bet allows you to place your wager on one of these groups of numbers. The payout for a winning column bet is 2:1, with the odds of winning ranging from 31.60% in American roulette (which has two zeros) to 32.40% in European roulette (with just one zero). A column bet covers almost a third of the wheel, which is why the payout corresponds to that.
• Dozen Bet: This type of bet is similar to a column bet in terms of how many numbers it includes but instead covers consecutive groups of numbers on the table. You can choose between the 1st 12, 2nd 12, or 3rd 12, with each group also containing 12 numbers. All the groups are displayed on the roulette table, so you need to move your chips to the dozen you want to bet. The payouts and odds match those of the column bet, offering a 2:1 payout and winning chances of 31.60% to 32.40%, depending on the roulette variant.
• Red or Black: Roulette numbers are divided equally between red and black, with the exception of the zero(s). By betting on either color, you are effectively wagering on (almost) half of the numbers on the wheel, giving you a 47.37% chance of winning in American roulette and a slightly better 48.65% in European roulette. This type of bet pays out at 1:1.
• Low (1 to 18) or High (numbers from 19 to 36): It’s another bet in which you bet on 18 numbers. But this time, you bet whether the ball will land on the first half of the 36 numbers (from 1 to number 18), or the second half, from 19 to 36. Note that betting on the zero will not count as a low number, and you will lose the bet. This bet covers half the numbers on the wheel (not including the zeros) and pays out at 1:1. The odds are the same as other even-money bets.
• Odds or Evens: Will the winning number be an odd number? Or will it be an even number? The zero doesn’t count. Obviously, odds are 1, 3, 5, etc, while evens are 2, 4, 6, etc. Each group contains 18 numbers, and the payout is 1:1, with odds of 47.37% to 48.65%, depending on whether you’re playing American or European roulette.

While there’s no guaranteed way to win at roulette, some betting strategies can help you manage your bankroll more effectively, thus improving your success chances. But, instead of showing you some very common strategies, we will provide you with three simple outside bet strategies that are suited for different bankroll levels and styles. Check them out and try them yourself.

The 64% Strategy For Roulette

This is a system designed to get your winning chances around 64% on each spin. The system has a progression that means you increase your wager after a loss. The starting bet includes two dozens, which covers around 64% of the wheel, but then you need to triple your bet if you lose.

So, this is how you start:

• Set your unit size and wager 1 unit on two Dozen bets of your choice.
• Once the result comes in, you’ll know if you have won or lost. If you lost - triple your wager. If you wagered 2, you will now need to wager 6, then 18, etc.
• If you win, you revert back to the initial bet.

As you can see, the strategy covers 24 out of 37 numbers on the European wheel, but keep in mind that it can be risky because if you lose several times in a row, your losses can add up. Prepare a larger bankroll for the 64% strategy.

The Contra Betting System For Roulette

The Contra system is just ideal for even-money bets like Red/Black or Odds/Evens. It’s a progressive system and is very similar to the popular Martingale, but rather than increasing your bet after each loss, you increase it after a win. For example, if you start with a bet of 5 units and win, you would increase the next bet to 10 units.

This is how it works in practice:

• Set your unit size and bet on any bet you like. Let’s say we wager 3 units on Red.
• The ball lands on Red, so we win. We double our wager to 6 units. We bet again.
• We win again, we double the wager to 12 units. We bet again.
• This time we lose. We go back to the initial bet of 3 units.

The idea behind it is to ‘ride a wave’ of consecutive wins, but since it’s a progressive strategy, it’s important to cash out early since the long-term results may not be as favourable.

Tier et Tout Strategy

Tier et Tout is a popular progressive betting method that works the best with even-money bets. It was created by a famous player, Thomas Garcia and the idea is to divide your bankroll into three equal parts. If you win, you should divide by 3 again, and again, so you increase the size of each bet as the bankroll goes. This is how it would work in practice:

• Let’s say you start with a bankroll of 0. Divide it by 3 (40 units each), and place 40 units on Odd.
• If we win, we will have a total bankroll 160. We set 10 aside and divide 150 by 3 again, placing 50.
• In the case of a loss, we bet the other two-thirds of our bets.

Tier et Tout can be a profitable strategy in the short term, but the problem is that if you lose twice in a row, you lose your entire bankroll, so this strategy requires careful management and a willingness to stop when ahead.

Playing roulette means you must think about risk, especially with outside bets. These bets, such as Red/Black, Low/High, and Odd/Even, give you almost a 50% chance to win on each spin, with odds around 47% to 49% in games that have one or two zeros. Although these bets raise your chance of winning, they pay less, usually at 1:1, so you win the same amount you bet. Different betting systems offer various levels of risk; for example, the 64% system raises bets gradually and can be risky if you lose several spins, while others like Contra bet and Tier et tout have their own risk choices. Overall, outside bets tend to change your bankroll only slightly each time, which means they are less risky. As confirmation of what has been said, the graph below, with rounds on the X-axis and bankroll on the Y-axis, shows how funds varied for players who placed different bet amounts on Red/Black.