Even Money Bets in Roulette Explained

Even money bets in roulette are bets that payout at a 1:1 ratio. They are popular with players due to their high chance of winning. They form an essential part of any low risk roulette betting strategy. Here is an example of how these bets pay out

Betting Scenario: Player A places a £10 bet on red. The bet wins, so the player wins £10 plus their original stake. 

There are three options for even money bets (also called outside bets). These are:

Despite the name even money bets, the above betting options do not offer an exact 50% chance of winning. This is due to the zero pocket on single zero wheels and the double zero on double zero wheels.

On a double zero roulette wheel, your probability of winning an even money bet is 47.37%. On a single zero roulette wheel, this increases to 48.5%. Despite the margin for loss, this is still the safest way to play.

Focusing on even money options is one of the safest ways to play a game of roulette. It's also one of the easiest to understand. Put simply, you bet on the same position exclusively. 

You can augment this strategy by using an even money friendly betting system - like the Martingale. The Martingale strategy works with even money bets due to the near 50/50 odds.

Do roulette betting strategies work? Roulette betting strategies do not affect the RTP of a roulette game. They should be used for entertainment purposes and not as a surefire way to win roulette every time.

It's important to consider what game of roulette you should play with an even money strategy. The game with the best returns is French Roulette. This is due to the inclusion of the La Partage rule - which can also include En Prison.

French Roulette is optimal for an even money betting strategy due to the favourable rules. The volatility added by the zero pocket is countered by the inclusion of La Partage.