Roulette Odds: Red or Black? Is It Really 50/50?

Roulette is one of the most iconic games in casinos across the world – with its elegant wheel… and the excitement it brings as you place your bet and hope for a winning outcome.

One of the easiest and most popular bets in roulette is the red or black bet, which, at first glance seems straightforward with odds of 50/50 chance of winning – with a payout to match. After all, it’s either one or the other, right? Well, in the world of casino gaming, things aren’t always what they seem. So let’s dip our toe in the world of roulette odds and see whether gambling on red or black is really a 50/50 bet.

The Basics of Roulette

Before we dive into the odds of gambling on this type of roulette bet, let’s take a quick look at the game. Whether you play standard online roulette or live roulette, this is a game of chance that simply revolves around a wheel and a ball. The wheel is divided into numbered pockets ranging from 0 to 36 (with 00 if playing American Roulette). These pockets alternate between red and black – except for the 0 (and 00) pocket(s) which are green.

You can bet on all different aspects of the roulette table – individual numbers, groups of numbers, or colours – all with a different payout rate. The ball will be spun on the wheel and land in one of the numbered pockets – and the winning outcome is decided.

Gambling on Red or Black

So, let’s take a look at red or black roulette odds, generally considered to be one of the most straightforward winning bets in roulette. You simply choose what colour pocket you think the ball will land in and if you guess correctly, your payout is double your money.

At first glance, it seems as though gambling on this bet might have roulette odds of 50/50 – after all, there are the same number of reds and blacks on the wheel, right? Well, sadly, it’s not that simple. As is the case with all casino games, the house always has an edge.

The Green 0
The main factor that affects your odds of winning is the inclusion of green 0 (and 00) pocket(s) on the roulette wheel. The zero pockets are neither of those colours – so if the ball lands in a zero pocket, then you lose whichever one you’re gambling on… and this is the house edge.

In most standard versions of roulette, there is just one single green 0 pocket. However, in some variations – such as American Roulette, there is a 00 green pocket as well – increasing the house edge even more and lowering those roulette odds even more.

The House Edge
To properly understand the true roulette odds of gambling on red or black, you need to factor in the one or two green pockets on the wheel. So, for example, in European Roulette, which has just one green 0 pocket – with 37 pockets, the odds of winning on this type of bet are:

18/37 = 48.65%.

However, in American Roulette, which has both a 0 and a 00 pocket, making 38 pockets in total, the odds drop to:

18/38 = 47.37%.

In real terms, this house edge means that instead of the red or black bet having roulette odds of 50/50 (reflecting the 1:1 payout), you actually have a 48.65% chance of winning for games such as European Roulette and a 47.37% chance of winning in American Roulette.

The Importance of Variance and Strategy

So, the actual odds of winning when gambling on this type of bet are actually less than 50% because of those green pockets. However, whether you win or lose is still completely random – you’re not guaranteed a win just because the other colour came up on the last spin. So even though the casino will always have the edge in the long run, you can still enjoy winning or losing streaks.

Ultimately, when gambling on roulette, just as is the case with slots, luck plays a huge role. You could find yourself consistently winning – or you may experience a long row of losses. However, the longer you play, the more likely the casino’s edge will make an impact. The only real control you have is the use of a roulette strategy which is designed to ensure you win more money than you lose overall. However, unlike the blackjack basic strategy used when playing blackjack online, these strategies won’t lower the house edge or increase your odds of winning.

Variations in Roulette Rules

It’s also worth mentioning that there are different variations of roulette – with different rules, different roulette odds, different payouts and different house edges. As stated above, European Roulette has a single green 0 pocket while American Roulette has both 0 and 00 pockets – which affects the roulette odds. Then we have roulette games such as French Roulette, which offers special rules like ‘La Partage’ or ‘En Prison’ which can change those roulette odds on even-money bets even more.

  • La Partage: If gambling on an even money bet and the ball lands in a green pocket, you’ll only lose half your bet instead of your entire stake which reduces the house edge of the bet.

  • En Prison: Similar to La Partage, this lets you ‘imprison’ your even-money bets if the ball lands in the 0 pocket. Your bet will stay on the table for the next spin and if your bet wins on the following spin, you’ll get your original stake back. But if you don’t win, you’ll lose the entire stake. This rule also lowers the house edge.

Conclusion

Ultimately, gambling on red or black is not simply a 50/50 bet – because of those green pockets. However, it is still one of the bets with the best roulette odds… so don’t let that put you off. After all, the house always has the edge in whatever game you play and roulette is no different. What’s more, you can try it out for free first – and see if you can enjoy a lucky streak before spending your own money.

Fancy trying your luck on a wheel other than the roulette wheel? Then why not head over to our live casino and test out your Crazy Time strategy on Evolution’s best-loved game show game? Or maybe you could try your luck on some of our top slots and see if you have what it takes to beat the odds and walk away with a win!