Three Weird-Ass Roulette Bets You Need to Know

By Scott Roeben, on August 29 2013
2 min read 10 comments
Gambling Las Vegas Roulette

Even if you’ve been playing roulette forever, there are still things to learn. There are bets, for example, that aren’t clearly marked on the roulette layout. Here are three you need to know.

The Courtesy Line

It’s pretty straightforward to bet on zero and double zero, with one chip, by placing it on the line between the two numbers. It’s called a “split” bet.

We're not to the weird part yet. Just chill.
We’re not to the weird part yet. Just chill.

But if you’re sitting at the end of the table not easily within reach of the zero and double zero spaces, did you know there’s a “courtesy line” bet that accomplishes the same thing? It’s the line between the “2nd 12” and “3rd 12” bets, as in the photo below.

No matter where you make the zero and double zero bet, it pays 17-to-1.
No matter where you make the zero and double zero bet, it pays 17-to-1.

This courtesy line bet saves players from having to figure out how to bet the zero and double zero from the opposite end of the table, including having to ask the dealer to do it.

The Basket Bet

The “basket” bet lets you bet on five numbers with one chip. When you bet in the position pictured below, you’re betting on zero, double zero, 1, 2 and 3, all at the same time.

The basket bet is what’s known in roulette parlance as a “seriously sucky bet.” That’s because while the house edge in American roulette (European roulette has a zero, but no double zero) is 5.26%, the edge on a basket bet is 7.89%. You’ve been warned.

The basket bet pays 6-to-1. Oh, just run away, already.
The basket bet pays 6-to-1. Oh, just run away, already.

It should be noted you can find European roulette tables around Vegas, where the house edge dips down to 2.7%. Obviously, finding those tables is worth the hunt.

Our friends at LasVegasAdvisor.com maintain a great list of European roulette tables in Vegas.

The Avenue Bet

If betting three numbers, all in one row, is called a “street” bet, it makes sense six numbers (in two rows) is called an “avenue” bet. You can bet on six numbers at once by placing your chip strategically as illustrated below.

Avenue bets pay 5-to-1. Yeah, we hate math, too, but it's important to know a little so you get the correct payout when you win.
Avenue bets pay 5-to-1. Yeah, we hate math, too, but it’s important to know a little so you get the correct payout when you win.

If there’s a combination of numbers you’d like to bet in roulette, chances are there’s a way to easily make the bet. Casinos are super accommodating that way. Ahem.

Now that you’ve mastered these three weird roulette bets, feel free to brag about your expansive roulette knowledge to your friends and colleagues. Sure, they’ll be annoyed, but there’s a 5.26% chance that’s just jealousy talking.