The red snake is a 12-number roulette bet on 1, 5, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 23, 27, 30, 32 and 34, all red, which wind across the table like a snake. You place one chip on each number; if any of them wins you finish 24 chips up, the same 2 to 1 return as a dozen bet.
What Is the Red Snake Bet?
The snake bet is a pattern of 12 straight-up bets rather than a single bet on the layout. It’s called the red snake because every one of its numbers is red, and because the chips zig-zag from 1 in the bottom-left corner to 34 in the bottom-right.
The 12 numbers are spread evenly across the table:
- four in each dozen (1, 5, 9, 12 · 14, 16, 19, 23 · 27, 30, 32, 34)
- four in each column
- six odd and six even
- six low (1–18) and six high (19–36)
How Much Does the Snake Bet Pay?
Each number pays 35 to 1 if it wins, and the other 11 chips lose. With one chip on each number:
| Outcome | Numbers | Chance, European wheel | Chance, American wheel | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One of your 12 numbers wins | 12 | 32.43% | 31.58% | +24 chips (35 won, 11 lost) |
| Any other number, including 0 (and 00) | 25 (26) | 67.57% | 68.42% | −12 chips |
That’s exactly what a dozen bet offers: 12 numbers, 2 to 1, the same chance of winning. The house edge is also the same, 2.70% on a European wheel and 5.26% on an American one.
How to Place the Snake Bet
Place one chip straight up on each of the 12 numbers. Some online tables have a one-click snake button, usually drawn as a snake with its head near 1 and its tail near 34; elsewhere you place the chips yourself, which works at any table.
Because it is 12 separate inside bets, the snake costs 12 times the table’s inside minimum. At a table with a $1 inside minimum, that’s $12 a spin, where a dozen bet could cost $1.
Is the Red Snake a Good Bet?
It’s a fair bet but not a better one. You get the same odds and payout as a dozen for 12 times the chips, so the snake’s appeal is the look of it on the felt and the fun of a pattern that covers the whole table. No arrangement of numbers changes the house edge.
If you like the idea of covering the layout evenly, see the Shotwell system, which spreads chips around the wheel instead, or our full guide to roulette odds and payouts.
Red Snake Bet FAQ
What numbers are in the red snake bet?
1, 5, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 23, 27, 30, 32 and 34.
How much does the snake bet pay?
A win returns 36 chips on the winning number while the other 11 lose, so you finish 24 chips up from 12 staked: 2 to 1.
What are the odds of winning the snake bet?
32.43% on a European wheel and 31.58% on an American wheel.
Is the snake bet the same as a dozen bet?
It has the same odds and payout, but costs 12 chips instead of one.
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