100 to 1 Roulette: the bookmaker game with a hundred numbers
100 to 1 Roulette is the game from the back of the betting shop, moved online. It keeps the shape of roulette, chips on a layout, a spin, payouts by coverage, and changes everything else: a hundred numbers instead of thirty-six, five green shapes instead of one zero, and a straight-up that pays 100:1. The appeal is obvious. The cost is in the five shapes, and it is higher than any standard roulette wheel.
The track
There is no wheel. Results come from a track of 105 positions: the numbers 1 to 100, fifty red and fifty black, plus five green "zero" positions shown as shapes: a circle, a square, a triangle, a star and a diamond. Each position is equally likely each spin, so the chance of any one number is 1 in 105.
The bets
Straight-up on a number pays 100:1. Splits, three-number and corner bets, five-number and ten-number groups, a fifteen-number "shape line", twenty-number blocks and red/black or odd/even are all on the layout. There are no high/low bets and the dozens are replaced by tenths. Each shape can also be backed as a straight-up at 100:1.
Why it costs more
A fair payout for one number in 105 would be 104:1. The game pays 100:1, a shortfall of four positions in 105, which is a 3.81% edge on the straight-up. On the even-money bets, fifty winning positions out of 105 against a 1:1 payout gives a return of 95.24%, an edge of 4.76%. The fifteen-number line is the worst at 92.86%, over 7%. By comparison a single-zero wheel is 2.70% on every bet.
Return by bet
| Bet | Return | Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Straight-up (100:1) | 96.19% | 3.81% |
| Even-money, split, corner, 5- and 10-number | 95.24% | 4.76% |
| 3-number | 94.29% | 5.71% |
| 15-number shape line | 92.86% | 7.14% |
The straight-up is, unusually, the cheapest bet on the table. Most of the rest sit between a European wheel and an American one, and the shape line is dearer than either.
Stakes and limits
10p chips with a £1 minimum total per spin is the usual configuration, so a single number on its own is not enough; ten chips must be on the layout. Maximums are reported at £250 on a straight-up and £10,000 on outside bets, with a stated maximum win of £100,000. All of these are set by the operator and the limits panel in the game is the source to trust.
Who it is for
Players who know it from the shop. Players who want a 100:1 shot and accept that it comes once in 105 spins on average, with droughts far longer than that. Anyone who wants value should be on a single-zero wheel instead; this game charges between roughly 1.4 and 2.6 times as much per spin, depending on the bet.
Spin pace
The online version has a turbo or skip option, which makes a spin take a couple of seconds. At £1 a spin and 600 spins an hour on even-money bets, the expected cost is about £29 an hour. Set a spin count before starting; the pace is the real risk here.
Frequently asked
- Is 100 to 1 Roulette real roulette?
It uses roulette-style bets and a spinning result, but there is no wheel. The result is drawn from a track of 105 positions: numbers 1 to 100 plus five green shapes. The maths is quite different from a 37-pocket wheel.
- Who makes 100 to 1 Roulette?
It began as a betting-shop terminal game from Inspired. The online version is distributed through the former NYX and NextGen catalogue, now part of Light & Wonder. Sources disagree on the detail, so treat the attribution as approximate.
- What is the house edge?
It varies by bet, from 3.81% on a straight-up up to 7.14% on the fifteen-number shape line. Every bet is more expensive than the 2.70% of a standard European wheel.