Reduce The Edge

European roulette calculator

Place your chips the way you normally would. Every number shows what you'd win or lose if it lands, and we'll show you a better way to spread the same stake.

Updated September 2026. Exact maths, no simulations, play money only.

2.70%house edge on every bet
37pockets, single zero
48.65%chance of red on any spin

How European roulette works

A European wheel has 37 pockets: the numbers 1 to 36, alternating red and black, plus a single green zero. It's the standard game in UK casinos and online. Numbers run around the wheel in this order: 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25, 17, 34, 6, 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33, 1, 20, 14, 31, 9, 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26.

European roulette odds and payouts

BetNumbers coveredPaysChance to winHouse edge
Straight up135 to 12.70%2.70%
Split217 to 15.41%2.70%
Street311 to 18.11%2.70%
Corner48 to 110.81%2.70%
First four (0, 1, 2, 3)48 to 110.81%2.70%
Six line65 to 116.22%2.70%
Dozen or column122 to 132.43%2.70%
Red/black, odd/even, 1–18/19–36181 to 148.65%2.70%

Every bet has the same 2.70% house edge. Bets covering fewer numbers pay more but win less often; the price is identical.

Where the 2.70% comes from

Put £1 on a single number for 37 spins, and in an average run the ball lands on it once. You collect £36 (£35 winnings plus your £1 back) after staking £37. The missing £1 in every £37 is the house edge: 2.70%. The same sum works for every bet on the table.

The overlaps most players miss

The layout isn't as symmetrical as it looks. There are 10 red odd numbers but only 8 red even ones, and the reverse for black. The third column holds 8 red numbers, the first holds 6 and the second only 4. Low and high numbers, and each dozen, split red and black evenly.

So red and odd together win both bets more often than red and even, but also lose both more often. The average cost is identical. See the full breakdown, or try it in the calculator above.

Racetrack bets: neighbours and call bets

Below the table is a racetrack showing the numbers in wheel order. Tap any number to bet on it plus its neighbours on the wheel (two each side is standard, so five chips). You can also place the classic call bets: Voisins du Zéro (9 chips), Tiers du Cylindre (6), Orphelins (5) and Jeu Zéro (4). The calculator breaks each one into the splits, corners and straight-ups the croupier would actually place. They're built from ordinary bets, so they carry the same 2.70% edge. When you place one, the calculator lists exactly which splits, corners and numbers it covers.

How to reduce the edge on a European wheel

  • Remove bets that cancel out. The calculator flags these for you.
  • Ignore systems and patterns. Every spin is independent, and no staking plan changes the 2.70%.
  • Set a limit before you play. Your expected loss is 2.70% of everything you stake, so a budget is the most effective control you have.

Frequently asked questions

What is the house edge on European roulette?

2.70% on every standard bet. The single zero means there are 37 pockets but payouts are calculated as if there were 36.

Is the house edge the same for every bet in European roulette?

Yes. Straight-ups, splits, corners, dozens, columns and even-money bets all carry the same 2.70% edge. Combining bets changes how often you win and by how much, but not the average cost.

Does zero count as even in roulette?

No. Zero is neither odd nor even, red nor black, high nor low. Every outside bet loses when the ball lands on zero.

What is the first four bet?

A bet on 0, 1, 2 and 3 together, paying 8 to 1. On a European wheel it has the same 2.70% edge as every other bet.

What's the best bet in European roulette?

On the house edge alone, there isn't one: every bet on a European wheel costs 2.70%. Your choice of bets changes how often you win and by how much, not the average cost. The bets to avoid are ones that cancel each other out, like red and black together.