What Is the Safest Bet in Roulette?

5 min read
safest roulette bets

Roulette is undoubtedly a staple when discussing exciting casino games. Apart from the thrill and sophistication that comes with the game, it can win you lots of money – if the odds are in your favour. That’s why it’s importanmt to place the safest bets in roulette.

That often leaves bettors wondering what exactly is the safest bet in Roulette? Players generally want to know which betting options allow them to bag a win playing online roulette. Because let’s face it: winning does seem like an elusive concept when playing casino games. After all, it’s no secret how casinos are a sneaky bunch, often structuring the odds of casino games in their favour.

So even if you don’t walk away with a win, surely there are bets you can place that minimize your risk of losing money, right? 

Roulette comes with no less than 20 bets, with the main betting options classified under Inside and Outside bets. With Inside bets, you’re betting on the inside section of the wheel and on the outer section with Outside bets. Each bet comes with its payout structure. We’ll explore the different bets and outline which ones are deemed safer than others.

Safest Roulette Betting Strategy

Red/ Black, Odd/Even, High Low (The Safest Bet)

roulette even bets

A standard Roulette wheel has 37 or 38 pockets, depending on whether you’re playing American or European Roulette. Players have the opportunity to bet on the colours Red/ Black, Odd/Even numbers, or High/Low numbers.  By betting on any of these options, you’re setting yourself up to hit almost half of the options on the Roulette wheel and thus is the safest bet in roulette. That’s because apart from the single or double zero pockets found on the Roulette wheel, the pockets are evenly divided into 18 black and 18 red spots.

In addition, the even and odd numbers are also divided equally on the Roulette wheel. The same applies to the high and low numbers; you’re either betting on the numbers 1-18 or 19-36.  Ultimately, these bets give you a pretty decent chance of winning something. If it weren’t for the green 0 and 00 pockets, players would have a 50% chance of winning. Be that as it may, the payout rate is still 1:1. 

Column Bets

roulette column bets

If an evens payout seems like a small-time win, you can try Column bets which give you a 2:1 payout. This works out as the 2nd safest bet in roulette. With column bets, you’re betting on the outcome being a number from one of the three columns on the Roulette wheel. Each column comprises 12 numbers which cover the longest side of the Roulette table. Explicitly, the first column covers numbers; 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, and 34. The second column covers numbers; 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, and 35. The last column covers numbers; 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33 and 36. 

As you can see, this brings your winning chances down from near-50:50 to a little under a third. But the good news is these bets double your winning amount. For instance, if you place a $20 column bet and win, you’ll walk away with $60. Note that the single and double zero numbers aren’t included in this bet.

Split Bets

roulette split bets

The above-mentioned bets qualify under small-time bets and therefore attract minimal wins. If you believe in the notion bet big to win big, then you can try Split bets. With this type, you’re placing bets on the line that separates two numbers, for instance, 1|2, 2|5, 13|14, 13|16, 26|27, or 27|30. Generally, as long as there are two numbers on the Roulette table sitting next to each other, you’re allowed to split a bet between them. Note that the line can either be horizontal or vertical. And if either of the numbers is the winning outcome, you win yourself 17 times your bet! Split bets fall under Outside bets. Not the most safest bet in roulette, the chances of hitting Split bets are 18:1, which is pretty slim if we’re to be frank. But if Lady Luck is on your side, then you can walk away with 17 times your initial stake! 

Straight-up Bets (The least Safest Bet in Roulette)

straight up bets

Straight-up bets have the highest paying odds in traditional Roulette and would not be considered a safe bet in roulette. Here you pick your favourite number, bet on it, and hope for the best. That can be any number on the Roulette wheel be it 0, 1, 13, or 25. If the ball lands on the number you predict, you win yourself 35 times your initial stake. So, say you place a $10 Straight Up bet and win, you’ll be smiling all the way to the bank with $350 plus your stake in your account. As you can imagine, your chances of landing such a win aren’t very high. The probability is 1 in 37. Straight-up bets fall under Outside bets, which make them very risky bets. But with any huge risk, you have the potential to win big.

Conclusion

Now that you know the bets, the payouts, and the risks involved, what are the safest bets? Outside bets are generally deemed safer than Inside bets. Why? As science would have it, the chances of the ball landing on numbers found on the outer section of the Roulette table are high when compared to Inside bets. That’s why you have a near-50/50 chance of winning and why the payout is very low, which probably makes them the safer bets in roulette. That’s especially true if you are new to the game. Then you have Inside bets, which are riskier and give you a higher payout, although the chances of winning them are pretty slim. You can also read our how to win at roulette guide for more betting strategies.

Advanced Roulette players or gamers with a hefty bankroll can get away with trying their luck on Inside bets. But after all is said and done, it’s important to realize that there really isn’t one bet that you can call safest bet in Roulette. It all boils down to the gaming strategy you use. Even so, regardless of the strategy you employ, winning is never really a given. The best you can do is set betting limits, bet what you can afford, and call it a day if luck doesn’t seem to be on your side.

Why not try some of the bets by visiting our selection of the best roulette sites. They all accept UK players and have a large selection of roulette games.