Roulette Even-Money Bets: Red/Black, Odd/Even, High/Low
Six boxes on the outside of the layout pay even money: red, black, odd, even, 1 to 18, and 19 to 36. They are the same bet wearing six shirts. Each covers 18 numbers, each pays 1:1, and each loses to the green zeros. If you understand one, you understand all six.
The six bets side by side
| Bet | Pays | Pockets that win | Win chance | House edge (American) | House edge (European) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | 1:1 | 18 of 38 | 47.37% | 5.26% | 2.70% |
| Black | 1:1 | 18 of 38 | 47.37% | 5.26% | 2.70% |
| Odd | 1:1 | 18 of 38 | 47.37% | 5.26% | 2.70% |
| Even | 1:1 | 18 of 38 | 47.37% | 5.26% | 2.70% |
| 1 to 18 (low) | 1:1 | 18 of 38 | 47.37% | 5.26% | 2.70% |
| 19 to 36 (high) | 1:1 | 18 of 38 | 47.37% | 5.26% | 2.70% |
The table says it plainly: there is nothing to choose between them on price. Red is not luckier than odd, and 19 to 36 is not "safer" than 1 to 18. The edge is set by the zeros, and every one of these bets loses to the zeros the same way.
Why they feel like 50/50 and are not
Eighteen ways to win, eighteen ways to lose, and then two green pockets that are neither. On an American wheel you win 47.37% of spins, not 50%. Even money is the right price for a true coin flip; here it is a little short, and "a little short, every spin" is how a 5.26% edge is built. To be fair, that is also why these are the calmest bets in the building. You win almost half the time, the swings are small, and a $200 bankroll lasts far longer here than on a single number.
Can you cover both sides?
Betting red and black at once wins nothing and loses both chips whenever a zero lands, so your "hedge" is a guaranteed slow bleed. The same goes for odd plus even or high plus low. Hedging two even-money bets does not cancel the edge; it just doubles the money exposed to the zeros.
La partage and en prison: the only real discount
Some single-zero tables (often marked as French roulette) run a rule for even-money bets only. With la partage, a zero returns half your bet. With en prison, the bet is held for the next spin and returned in full if it wins. Either one cuts the edge on these six bets to about 1.35%, which makes them the cheapest wager in roulette by a wide margin and one of the better bets on a casino floor. The rule never applies to inside bets, dozens, or columns. If the placard mentions la partage, this is where your chips belong. See American vs European roulette for how to spot the wheel.
Sizing them for a session
Because you win nearly half of spins, a bet of about 1/40 of your bankroll gives the night room to breathe. At a $10 minimum that is a $400 session stake; at $5 it is $200. The how-much-money guide walks through the arithmetic, and the roulette trainer lets you run a few hundred spins first with practice chips so the swings are not a surprise.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the even-money bets in roulette?
Red, black, odd, even, 1 to 18, and 19 to 36. Each covers 18 numbers and pays 1:1.
Which even-money bet has the best odds?
None. They are mathematically identical: 5.26% house edge on an American wheel, 2.70% on a European wheel, and about 1.35% on a single-zero wheel with la partage or en prison.
What is la partage in roulette?
A rule on some single-zero tables: when the ball lands on zero, even-money bets lose only half. It cuts the house edge on red/black, odd/even, and high/low to about 1.35%. It never applies to inside bets, dozens, or columns.
Can you bet red and black at the same time?
You can, and you should not. On any number you win one and lose one, so nothing happens; on a zero you lose both. The combination has no upside and keeps the full house edge on twice the money.