Even Money Bets in Roulette Explained

By Aaron Braund

26 May 2020

Aaron Braund 26 May 2020

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What is an even money bet? And why is it considered one of the top bets in roulette? Let's find out.

Even money bets in roulette are bets that payout at a 1:1 ratio. They are popular with players due to their high chance of winning. They form an essential part of any low risk roulette betting strategy. Here is an example of how these bets pay out

Betting Scenario: Player A places a £10 bet on red. The bet wins, so the player wins £10 plus their original stake.

There are three options for even money bets (also called outside bets). These are:

Red/Black
Even/Odd
Hi/Low

Despite the name even money bets, the above betting options do not offer an exact 50% chance of winning. This is due to the zero pocket on single zero wheels and the double zero on double zero wheels.

On a double zero roulette wheel, your probability of winning an even money bet is 47.37%. On a single zero roulette wheel, this increases to 48.5%. Despite the margin for loss, this is still the safest way to play.

Even Money Roulette Betting Strategy

Focusing on even money options is one of the safest ways to play a game of roulette. It's also one of the easiest to understand. Put simply, you bet on the same position exclusively.

You can augment this strategy by using an even money friendly betting system - like the Martingale. The Martingale strategy works with even money bets due to the near 50/50 odds.

Do roulette betting strategies work? Roulette betting strategies do not affect the RTP of a roulette game. They should be used for entertainment purposes and not as a surefire way to win roulette every time.

Even Money Roulette Tips

It's important to consider what game of roulette you should play with an even money strategy. The game with the best returns is French Roulette. This is due to the inclusion of the La Partage rule - which can also include En Prison.

What is La Partage?

If a ball lands in the zero pocket on an even money bet, then half of your stake will be returned. The house edge on a La Partage roulette games is 1.35%.

What is En Prison?

If a ball lands in the zero pocket on an even money bet you can either A) get half your stake back or B) imprison the bet. If you next bet wins, you will receive the total bet back.

French Roulette is optimal for an even money betting strategy due to the favourable rules. The volatility added by the zero pocket is countered by the inclusion of La Partage.