Tiers du Cylindre is a European single-zero roulette sector bet made from six split bets. It covers 12 numbers on the side of the wheel opposite zero. The standard call costs six units: one unit on each split.
The name means “third of the cylinder,” but the bet does not cover exactly one-third of all outcomes. A European wheel has 37 pockets, and Tiers covers 12 of them.
The 12 numbers follow wheel order
Starting at 27 and moving through the Tiers sector to 33, the covered wheel sequence is:
27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33
Those numbers look scattered on the rectangular betting layout. They form one continuous section on the physical wheel. This is why Tiers is normally selected from a racetrack layout or announced to a dealer at a table that accepts call bets.
Six chips create the complete bet
The standard construction is:
| Chip | Split bet | Numbers covered |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5/8 | 5 and 8 |
| 2 | 10/11 | 10 and 11 |
| 3 | 13/16 | 13 and 16 |
| 4 | 23/24 | 23 and 24 |
| 5 | 27/30 | 27 and 30 |
| 6 | 33/36 | 33 and 36 |
Each number appears once. There is no overlap between the six splits, so one winning number activates one split and the other five lose.
What “one unit Tiers” actually costs
A player saying “Tiers for one” is normally asking for one unit on each of the six component bets.
\text{Total cost}=6\times\text{unit size}At a $5 unit, the total spin costs $30. At a $25 unit, it costs $150. The phrase sounds like one bet, but the bankroll sees six wagers.
This is the first practical check to make on an electronic terminal: confirm whether the amount button represents the unit on each split or the total package cost. Interfaces do not all present bundled bets in the same way.
A winning spin returns 18 units from one split
A roulette split pays 17 to 1. With one unit on each of six splits:
- the winning split returns 17 units of profit plus its original 1-unit stake;
- the other five split stakes lose;
- total returned is 18 units;
- net profit is 12 units after subtracting the six-unit package cost.
For a $5 unit, a Tiers win produces a $90 return and a $60 net profit. A non-Tiers number loses the full $30 package.
| Result | Package return | Net result at one unit per split |
|---|---|---|
| One of the 12 Tiers numbers wins | 18 units | +12 units |
| Any of the other 25 numbers wins | 0 | −6 units |
Probability and expected loss
On a single-zero wheel:
P(\text{Tiers win})=\frac{12}{37}\approx32.43\%The probability of losing is:
P(\text{Tiers loss})=\frac{25}{37}\approx67.57\%Expected value for the six-unit package is:
EV=\left(\frac{12}{37}\times12\right)+\left(\frac{25}{37}\times-6\right)=-\frac{6}{37}That is a loss of about 0.1622 units per package, equal to 2.70% of the six units wagered. The French name and wheel-sector presentation do not change the normal single-zero roulette edge because the package is built from correctly paid split bets.
This calculation assumes the standard six-split construction, a fair single-zero wheel, and 17-to-1 split payouts. A special promotion, altered payout, or different game variant requires a new calculation.
How the bet is placed at a live table
At a table that accepts announced bets, the player states the bet and supplies enough chips before betting closes. The dealer repeats or confirms the instruction under local procedure and places the six splits. A vague call made late, an insufficient amount, or a table that does not accept announced bets can lead to rejection.
The safest wording is specific: “Tiers, one unit” followed by the correct six-unit amount. Watch the placement before the dealer announces no more bets. If something is wrong, raise it immediately rather than after the winning number is known. Loto-Québec’s current French Roulette game rules publish the same six-split, 12-number construction.
On electronic roulette, selecting Tiers should highlight all 12 numbers and display the total stake. The terminal is easier to audit because the screen shows the component bets, but it also makes repeated six-unit wagers quick.
Tiers, Voisins, and Orphelins divide the wheel differently
The named sector bets are not alternatives with different mathematical prices. They are different packages covering different wheel areas.
| Named bet | Standard coverage | Standard units |
|---|---|---|
| Voisins du Zéro | 17 numbers around zero | 9 |
| Tiers du Cylindre | 12 numbers opposite zero | 6 |
| Orphelins | 8 numbers in the two remaining sectors | 5 |
The unit counts differ because the underlying placements differ. Voisins includes streets, splits, and a corner with some double staking. Orphelins includes four splits and one straight-up number. Tiers is the cleanest pattern: six equal split bets.
Mistakes that change the bet
Treating Tiers as numbers 13–24. That is the second dozen on the table layout, not the Tiers wheel sector.
Covering 12 numbers straight up. That creates a different 12-chip wager with the same numbers but a different result distribution. The house edge percentage remains the standard single-zero edge when payouts are correct, but wins are less frequent and larger.
Adding the central four numbers without noticing. Some interfaces offer a Tiers variant that also places straight-up bets on selected central numbers. That is a larger package, not standard six-chip Tiers.
Using the pattern on a double-zero wheel. Tiers is built around the European single-zero wheel sequence. An American wheel has a different pocket order and an extra 00, so the standard sector does not transfer cleanly.
Counting the call as one unit. One Tiers instruction normally creates six units of action. Session records should use the total stake, not the number of spoken calls.
What the term tells you—and what it does not
Tiers du Cylindre tells you where on the wheel the player wants coverage and how the standard package is constructed. It does not predict where the ball will land, exploit wheel memory, or reduce the European roulette house edge.
Its real value is convenience. Six correctly placed splits cover a recognized sector with one instruction. The cost remains visible only when the six component wagers are counted.