Roulette remains an absolute casino classic, and much of its popularity stems from its simple setup and the wide variety of bets available. One of the most popular wagers is the straight-up bet. It’s perhaps the most straightforward of all the bets on the table, but it is easily the riskiest.

However, straight-up bets also offer the biggest potential payouts of all bets you can make in roulette. Therefore, plenty of players try to balance the risk with other bets and manoeuvres.

In this guide, we’ll take you through how to place a straight-up bet in roulette, what risks are involved, and how it compares to other inside bets.

What is a straight-up bet in roulette?

A straight-up bet in roulette is a wager on a single number, usually between 0 and 36. You’re betting on the ball in the roulette wheel landing on that number at the end of the spin. This is also known as the roulette single number bet.

This bet is available on both American and European roulette tables. In the former, however, you have an extra space – the 00, or double zero – so there are 38 different straight-up bets you can place. You can bet on either double or single zero as a straight-up.

The straight-up bet falls under the category of inside bets, which get their name because they’re arranged inside the roulette betting table or grid. These bets offer the greatest potential payouts but carry the highest risk, and the straight-up bet is the most extreme of those two measures.

How to place a straight-up bet

Here’s how to place a roulette straight-up bet at offline and online casinos:

Decide how much you’d like to bet at any one time and choose the relevant chip. Place your chip (if you’re online, click or tap and drag it) onto the number you’d like to bet on. The dealer will close betting, spin the wheel, and declare the winning number.

Straight-up bets are the easiest wagers to place in offline games, as well as in live casino and digital versions of roulette. You can also place multiple straight-up bets at any one time, which means you could convert on several numbers at once.

Straight-up bet payouts & odds

The straight-up bet payout is 35 to one. That means for every £1 you bet, you stand to win £36 if it converts (because you get your original chip back, too).

The odds of you winning a straight-up bet vary depending on the type of roulette game you play. In European roulette, there are 37 numbers, so you have a one in 37 chance to win, which is around 2.70%.

In American roulette, however, the odds are slightly lower. There are 38 numbers or spaces to bet on, which means you have odds of one in 38, or a percentage shot of around 2.63%.

The straight-up bet is a high risk, high reward wager. Therefore, it’s not always recommended as an opening bet for players who are still getting used to roulette’s mechanics.

When to use a straight-up bet strategically

Keep in mind that all roulette games are random, so there are no guaranteed ways to win, and straight-up bets, in particular, are the hardest to convert. Straight-up bets are ideal for those roulette players who want to pursue high-rolling strategies or chase wins. Take it from us: you should not chase wins, and always make sure you play responsibly!

However, there is a way to choose straight-up bets responsibly. For example, you could wager on individual numbers alongside outside bets that have more chances of winning, or you could use this type of bet as part of a progressive betting strategy, such as the Fibonacci.

Otherwise, many people choose straight-up bets because they have favourite or lucky numbers.

Straight-up bets vs other inside bets

Straight-up roulette odds are the lowest of all inside bets roulette has to offer. Others include the split bet, where you wager on two numbers (and therefore have double the chance to win); the street bet, where you wager on three; and the corner bet, where you wager on four. Beyond that, there are also the five-number and six-line bets.

Tips for straight-up bets online

If you’re just getting started with straight-up bets, it’s usually best to place a low wager or look for low-stakes casino tables. That way, you can experiment with the wager and find a rhythm that suits you best.

It’s also worth considering betting on other groups and markets so you have a broader chance of winning. For example, you could bet on a single number and a street to reduce volatility.

It might also be worthwhile to look up numbers in your chosen game’s history to see what’s come up the most. However, just because a number is ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ won’t guarantee when it’s due to appear again!