Roulette payouts tell you the profit paid when a bet wins. A straight-up number pays 35 to 1, a split pays 17 to 1, dozens and columns pay 2 to 1, and even-money bets pay 1 to 1. The original stake is returned on a winning bet. The payout gap against true odds creates the house edge.
Roulette payouts look generous because the winning moments are loud. Put $10 on one number, hit it, and the dealer pushes $350 profit back to you plus your $10 stake. That feels big because it is big for one spin.
But the question is not “How much do I win when it hits?” The real question is “How often does it miss compared with what it pays?”
That is where roulette makes its money. The game pays slightly less than true odds. On a European wheel, a straight-up number has 36 losing outcomes and 1 winning outcome. True odds would be 36 to 1. The casino pays 35 to 1. On an American wheel, true odds are 37 to 1, but the casino still pays 35 to 1.
For exact probability, read roulette odds. For the casino advantage, read roulette house edge. For all bet categories, use roulette bets explained.
| Bet | Numbers covered | Payout | $10 profit if won | Total returned with stake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight-up | 1 | 35 to 1 | $350 | $360 |
| Split | 2 | 17 to 1 | $170 | $180 |
| Street | 3 | 11 to 1 | $110 | $120 |
| Corner | 4 | 8 to 1 | $80 | $90 |
| Six-line | 6 | 5 to 1 | $50 | $60 |
| Dozen | 12 | 2 to 1 | $20 | $30 |
| Column | 12 | 2 to 1 | $20 | $30 |
| Red/Black | 18 | 1 to 1 | $10 | $20 |
| Odd/Even | 18 | 1 to 1 | $10 | $20 |
| High/Low | 18 | 1 to 1 | $10 | $20 |
The Wizard of Odds roulette basics lists the standard payouts and house edge. Regulatory examples such as the Nevada roulette rules of play and Massachusetts roulette rules show how roulette wagers are settled in controlled casino environments.
Roulette payouts are normally stated as “to 1.” That means profit, not total return.
| Phrase | Meaning on $10 bet |
|---|---|
| 35 to 1 | $350 profit + $10 stake back |
| 17 to 1 | $170 profit + $10 stake back |
| 2 to 1 | $20 profit + $10 stake back |
| 1 to 1 | $10 profit + $10 stake back |
If you bet $10 and win $350 profit, your total stack receives $360. Do not confuse the profit with the full amount returned.
You are at a $10 American roulette table. You place:
| Bet | Stake | Result needed | Profit if result hits |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10 straight-up on 8 | $10 | 8 | $350 |
| $10 corner on 17-18-20-21 | $10 | Any of those four | $80 |
| $20 black | $20 | Any black number | $20 |
The ball lands on black 20.
The straight-up 8 loses. The corner wins because 20 is included. Black wins because 20 is black. You receive $80 profit plus the $10 corner stake back, and $20 profit plus the $20 black stake back. Your losing $10 straight-up chip is cleared.
A good dealer pays by bet, not by player excitement.
Payout accuracy is one of the dealer’s biggest roulette skills. Inside wins can require stacked payouts, color separation, and mental arithmetic under pressure. A busy layout may have several players on the same number with different chip colors.
The floor supervisor watches high payouts, unusual claims, and dealer mistakes. Surveillance can review the final layout, dolly position, hand movement, and payout sequence if there is a dispute.
Roulette payouts are not casual. They are procedure. A single overpayment repeated often becomes a real game-protection issue.
Roulette payouts are designed to feel fair. They are close enough to look simple and short enough to pay the casino over time.
It means the casino pays $35 profit for every $1 wagered on a winning straight-up number, plus the original stake back.
Most standard payouts are the same. The difference is that American roulette has an extra 00 pocket, which makes the same payouts worse for the player.
Red and black pay 1 to 1. A $10 winning bet earns $10 profit and returns the $10 stake.
Dozens pay 2 to 1. A $10 winning dozen bet earns $20 profit and returns the $10 stake.
No. Bigger payouts come with lower hit frequency. You need odds and expected value to judge the cost.
In standard roulette, most bets that do not cover zero lose. French rules may protect even-money bets with La Partage or En Prison.
No. A payout chart explains settlement. It does not remove the house edge.
The cleanest way to understand roulette payouts is to compare casino payout with true odds.
True odds count losing outcomes against winning outcomes. On European roulette, a straight-up number has 1 way to win and 36 ways to lose. True odds are 36 to 1. The casino pays 35 to 1.
That missing unit is not an accident. It is the price of the game.
On American roulette, the same straight-up bet has 1 way to win and 37 ways to lose because of 0 and 00. True odds are 37 to 1, but the payout is still 35 to 1. That is why American roulette is much more expensive.
Use the house edge calculator if you want to compare the payout gap directly. Use roulette odds when you want the full probability table.
True odds payout:
True Odds Payout = Losing Outcomes / Winning Outcomes to 1European straight-up bet:
True odds = 36 / 1 = 36 to 1
Casino payout = 35 to 1American straight-up bet:
True odds = 37 / 1 = 37 to 1
Casino payout = 35 to 1Expected value for a $10 European straight-up bet:
EV = (1/37 × $350) - (36/37 × $10)
EV = -$0.2702Expected value for a $10 American straight-up bet:
EV = (1/38 × $350) - (37/38 × $10)
EV = -$0.5263A fair game would pay according to the real number of ways you can lose. Roulette pays a little less. The more extra losing pockets there are, the worse that short payout becomes.
Move next to roulette odds to connect payouts with probability. The roulette odds chart gives the quick reference version, while roulette house edge explains the casino advantage. For bet placement, use roulette bets explained and inside vs outside bets. If payout size tempts you into chasing numbers, read roulette hot numbers myth.