Roulette Inside Bets: Split, Street, Corner, Six Line
"Inside bets" are the chips placed on or between the numbers in the middle of the layout. A straight-up chip covers one number; the rest cover two, three, four, or six by sitting on a line, a corner, or the edge of a row. Bigger coverage means a smaller payout. What never changes is the house edge: 5.26% on every one of them on an American wheel.
Every inside bet at a glance
| Bet | Numbers covered | Where the chip goes | Pays | Win chance (American) | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 1 | Inside one numbered box | 35:1 | 2.63% | 5.26% |
| Split | 2 | On the line between two adjacent numbers | 17:1 | 5.26% | 5.26% |
| Street | 3 | On the outer edge of a row of three | 11:1 | 7.89% | 5.26% |
| Corner (square) | 4 | On the intersection where four numbers meet | 8:1 | 10.53% | 5.26% |
| Six line (double street) | 6 | On the outer edge, straddling two rows | 5:1 | 15.79% | 5.26% |
Look at the pattern in the payouts. Each one is 36 divided by the numbers covered, minus one: 36/2 - 1 = 17, 36/3 - 1 = 11, 36/4 - 1 = 8, 36/6 - 1 = 5. The casino prices every inside bet as if the wheel had 36 pockets. The wheel has 38. That is the edge, and it is why all five rows show the same number in the last column.
Placing them without annoying the dealer
The chip's position is the bet, so put it exactly where you mean. A split sits on the shared line between two numbers. A corner sits on the cross where four boxes meet. Street and six line chips go on the outside edge of the row, on the line between the numbers and the dozens boxes. If you cannot reach, hand the chip toward the dealer and say the bet ("corner 5-6-8-9"); do not toss it. Once the dealer waves and says "no more bets," hands off the layout until the winning number is paid.
Which inside bet is best?
They are the same price, so pick by feel. A six line hits about one spin in six and pays 5:1: a steady middle. A split hits one spin in 19 and pays 17:1: bigger swings. Neither is smarter than red or black or a dozen; all of them cost 5.26% on an American wheel and 2.70% on a European one. The only inside bet to actively avoid is the five-number bet, the one wager on the table with a worse edge than the rest.
Spreading chips around the inside
Many players scatter five or six chips across splits and corners to "cover the board." It is fun, and the coach in our trainer will let you do it with practice chips. Just be clear-eyed: every chip carries the same 5.26%, so six chips cost six times as much per spin as one, and covering 20 numbers still leaves 18 ways to lose them all.
No signup, no download. Click the layout, spin, and the coach explains every payout.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an inside bet in roulette?
A bet placed on the numbered part of the layout: straight up (one number), split (two), street (three), corner (four), or six line (six). Outside bets are the big boxes around the edge: red/black, odd/even, high/low, dozens, and columns.
What does a split bet pay?
17 to 1, and it wins 5.26% of spins on an American wheel. A corner pays 8:1, a street 11:1, and a six line 5:1.
Do inside bets have worse odds than outside bets?
No. Every standard inside and outside bet carries the same 5.26% house edge on an American wheel (2.70% on a European one). Inside bets pay more and hit less often; the long-run cost is identical.
What is the minimum for inside bets?
Tables usually post an inside minimum that can be spread across several inside bets (for example, five $1 chips on a $5 inside minimum) and an outside minimum that applies per bet. Rules vary by casino, so check the placard or ask the dealer.