Outside Bets

Outside bets are centered on grouping numbers that share common characteristics. In most cases, six of the eight available bets—termed even-money bets—cover exactly 18 numbers. These include wagers such as red and black, even and odd, and low (1–18) and high (19–36). The remaining two outside bets diverge from the even-money style and are known as dozens and columns. Below, we detail each outside bet type, explaining their mechanics, payout structures, and how their odds differ between single-zero and double-zero roulette variants.

• Column Bet: The column bet is placed on one of the three vertical columns on the table layout. This bet usually covers 12 numbers and has a payout value of 2:1. The odds for single-zero roulette are 32.4% and slightly worse off for double-zero roulette, 31.6%.
• Dozen Bet: The dozen bet is another bet you place on 12 numbers, called the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd dozen. The payout is once again 2:1 and the odds of winning are 32.4% and 31.6% for single and double-zero roulette respectively.
• Red/Black Bet: You simply place a chip on the Red or Black numbers in the layout. The payout is 1:1 and the winning chance is 48.6% and 47.7% for single and double-zero roulette respectively.
• Low/High Bet: This is pretty much a reiteration of the Red and Black bet whereby you will either bet on the 1-18 or 19-36 numbers. The payout value is 1:1 and the odds are the same as the Red/Black bets!
• Odd/Even Bet: Once again, these bets are based on the near-50% chance of winning. The payout value is 1:1 and you bet on either odd (1, 3, 5) or even (2, 4, 6) numbers.

Most roulette strategies that will make sense for you to try are actually based on the Outside Bets. Today, we will take a look at three such strategies that can help you optimize your winning potential and enjoy better wins along the way. Players are invited to try any of the three strategies below and use them as they see fit!

Each strategy will invite a slightly different style of gameplay – some will be more conservative and others will invite you to take on a little more risk for a chance of a much better reward!

64% Roulette System

The 64% Roulette System is a very popular way of playing the game of roulette, giving you a roughly 64% chance of winning during each betting round. You need to place multiple bets as described below, and should be prepared to spend a little more, as this is a progressive betting system. We will now describe the steps to follow to try this system:

• Place one chip on two of the Dozen Bets, for example the 1st and 2nd
• If you lose, you multiply your bets by three, meaning that after your first loss you will bet three units on the same Dozen Bets, then nine, and then 27, and so on
• After a win, you will always default to your base unit – one betting unit

By placing two Dozen Bets, you will have covered 24 numbers with every spin, out of the 37 available for single-zero roulette. This gives you a 64.8% chance of winning using this strategy, and about a 35.2% chance of losing.

Contra Bet

Next up, we have the Contra Bet strategy. This strategy is derived from Martingale, and it pays 1:1, meaning that for every betting unit you place and win, you can expect to get one extra. Here is how the strategy works.

• You place a bet of five units and win – on your next bet you will want to increase your bet size by that many units, so 5+5 for a total of 10
• When you lose, you are going to extract the initial wager value from your current bet, or in other words 10-5, which will tell you to bet 5 units on your next turn

This strategy will go through your bankroll easier, and you will have to decide when you should withdraw from the current game round. It’s important to exercise caution when you play with the

Tier et Tout

Derived from the French word for “the thirds and all,” Tier et Tout is a betting strategy coined by Thomas Garcia, a gambler, who postulated that the strategy works if it is an amount that can be divided by three at all times. To get started, you will first have to divide your bankroll. If you are starting with 90 units, you need to split it into three separate amounts of 30 units. Now, comes the way this works.

• Place your first 30 units on a red bet
• If you win, you will now have 120 units – and divide your bankroll again to three 40-unit bets
• If you lose, you keep betting 30 units on a red until you win – or run out of money

This strategy is definitely not something that will help you last in the game in the long run, but it can be a lot of fun to try on your own and even win a quick extra!

Roulette demands strategic risk management, particularly with outside bets like Red/Black, Low/High, and Odd/Even. These bets usually offer nearly a 50% win chance per spin—with actual odds falling between 47.40% and 48.60% in games featuring one or two zeros—and they pay out at a 1:1 ratio, meaning you receive exactly what you wager if you win.

Accordingly, such high odds and small payouts make outside bets low-volatility, meaning that players' bankrolls will be subject to constant but small changes. The accompanying chart illustrates this dynamic, plotting the number of spins (horizontal axis) against the fluctuating bankroll (vertical axis) as multiple players place bets of varying sizes on red/black bets.