Place one chip on the outside corner shared by the rows 1-2-3 and 4-5-6. That chip covers all six numbers. This is a six-line bet, also called a double street, and a winning wager normally pays 5 to 1.
The same placement can be made beside any two neighboring three-number rows, such as 13-14-15 with 16-17-18. The rows must be adjacent on the layout; choosing six unrelated numbers is not one six-line wager.
Reading the chip position
Roulette bets are defined by where the chip sits. A small movement changes the wager.
| Chip position | Bet created | Numbers covered |
|---|---|---|
| Inside one numbered box | Straight-up bet | 1 |
| On the line between two boxes | Split bet | 2 |
| At the end of one row | Street bet | 3 |
| At the intersection of four boxes | Corner bet | 4 |
| At the outside corner between two rows | Six-line bet | 6 |
For the six-line covering 19 through 24, the chip belongs on the outer edge where the 19-20-21 row meets the 22-23-24 row. A chip pushed too far toward one row may be read as a street; pushed inward, it can appear to be a corner or split. At a crowded live table, check the dealer's placement before betting closes.
Probability and payout
A standard six-line covers six pockets. Its chance of winning depends on the wheel:
| Wheel | Winning pockets | Probability of a hit | Standard payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-zero | 6 of 37 | 16.2162% | 5 to 1 | 2.7027% |
| Double-zero | 6 of 38 | 15.7895% | 5 to 1 | 5.2632% |
The payout phrase 5 to 1 means a $10 winning bet earns $50 profit and the original $10 stake is returned. The player receives $60 in total at settlement.
For a $10 six-line bet on a single-zero wheel:
EV = (6/37 × $50) − (31/37 × $10)
EV = −$0.2703 per spin
The expected loss is about 27 cents for each $10 wagered, equal to a 2.70% house edge.
On a double-zero wheel:
EV = (6/38 × $50) − (32/38 × $10)
EV = −$0.5263 per spin
Adding the 00 pocket lowers the hit probability while the payout remains 5 to 1, doubling the standard edge to 5.26%.
Why six numbers do not produce fair odds
On a 36-number wheel with no zero, six numbers would represent exactly one-sixth of the outcomes. A 5-to-1 payout would then be fair: one winning result would offset five losing results.
Real roulette wheels add zero, and double-zero wheels add 00, without increasing the normal six-line payout. Those green pockets create the casino advantage. Covering more numbers changes how often the wager wins, but it does not remove the underpayment relative to the complete wheel.
How it compares with nearby bets
| Bet | Numbers | Payout | Session behavior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Street | 3 | 11 to 1 | Half the hit rate of a six-line, larger win |
| Corner | 4 | 8 to 1 | Middle ground between street and six-line |
| Six-line | 6 | 5 to 1 | Widest common inside-grid wager |
| Dozen | 12 | 2 to 1 | Outside bet with twice the coverage |
On the same standard wheel, these bets normally have the same house edge despite very different hit rates. The six-line is not mathematically cheaper than a straight-up, street, or dozen bet. It simply concentrates the wager into a six-number outcome pattern.
That distinction helps explain why more frequent winning results can coexist with the same expected loss. A player choosing six-lines may experience fewer long dry spells than a straight-up bettor, but each win is smaller.
A practical chip example
Suppose a player wants to cover 7 through 18 with two $5 six-line bets:
- $5 covers 7-8-9-10-11-12.
- $5 covers 13-14-15-16-17-18.
The total stake is $10, not $5. If 11 lands, only the first wager wins. It earns $25 profit; the second $5 chip loses. The net result for the spin is therefore $20 profit, not $25 and not $30.
This is a common accounting error when several inside bets overlap or sit next to one another. Evaluate the entire layout, including losing chips, before describing the spin result.
Live-table procedure matters
Official roulette rules define a six-number wager by both its covered rows and its placement. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission's roulette rules, for example, describe six consecutive numbers in two contiguous rows and list the payout at 5 to 1.
At a live table, the final position of the chip controls settlement. Verbal instructions may help, but a player should still confirm that the wager was placed correctly before the dealer announces no more bets. Once the ball lands, a vague intention is harder to resolve than a clearly positioned chip.
For dealers and surveillance, six-line disputes usually concern placement, late action, chip ownership, or payout calculation rather than the underlying probability. Dense stacks at the row edge deserve a clean visual check before losing bets are cleared.
What the term does and does not mean
A six-line bet is:
- an inside bet because it is placed against the numbered grid;
- one wager covering six specific numbers;
- the same standard wager as a double street;
- normally paid 5 to 1.
It is not any six-number selection, six separate straight-ups, a dozen bet, or a promise of a hit every six spins. The 6-of-37 or 6-of-38 probability resets on every independent spin.
Continue with roulette payouts for settlement language, roulette odds for the full probability table, and inside versus outside bets for the difference between coverage and volatility.