Column bet — payout, odds and the ride
The Column bet covers 12 numbers (a 12-number column) and pays 2:1. It wins 1 in 3.1 spins (32.43%) on a European wheel, where it costs the standard 2.70% of everything you wager — 5.26% on American. Placement: the 2-to-1 box at the column’s end.⚙ computed
The numbers, all three wheels
| Wheel | Win probability | Hits | House edge | Std deviation / $1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| European | 32.43% | 1 in 3.1 | 2.70% | 1.40 |
| American | 31.58% | 1 in 3.2 | 5.26% | 1.39 |
| French | 32.43% | 1 in 3.1 | 2.70% | 1.40 |
Same edge, different ride
On a European wheel every bet costs the same 2.70% — what changes is volatility. The Column bet’s standard deviation is 1.40 per $1: a mid-bumpy ride — streaks both ways. At $10 a spin over 100 spins you should expect to pay about $27 in edge, with session swings of roughly ±$140 one standard deviation around it.
Columns aren’t rows of neighbours
Column 1 is 1, 4, 7, … 34 — every third number, a felt-geometry artifact with zero wheel meaning (rim map). Trivia with teeth: the columns split the reds unevenly — the middle column holds just 4 reds while the third holds 8 — so “column + color” combos change overlap, never price: every construction still bills 2.70% per ticket.
Try it live: put Column on the felt in the free simulator →
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Frequently asked
What does the column bet pay in roulette?
2:1 — a winning $10 bet returns $20 profit plus your stake, on every wheel type. What differs between wheels is how often it wins, not the payout.
What are the odds of winning a column bet?
32.43% on a European wheel (1 in 3.1 spins) and 31.58% on American, because of the extra 00 pocket.
Is column a good bet?
It costs exactly the same edge as every other bet on the same wheel — 2.70% European. Choose it for the volatility profile (SD 1.40), not the price. The only real “good bet” decision is the wheel: French even-money at 2.70% is the cheapest game in the house.