Guide
Roulette Neighbours Bet: Covering a Slice of the Wheel
Quick Summary
- A neighbours bet covers one number plus the numbers on either side of it on the wheel, not on the table layout.
- Most live tables place it through the oval racetrack view, usually two neighbours each side for five chips.
- It does not change the house edge; it simply spreads several straight-up bets across a wheel section.
- Because it uses several chips at once, the total stake per spin grows quickly.
- 18+ only
- Official partner site
- Checked 7 Nov 2026
- Know your limit
Say you have just watched the ball land a few pockets away from your number on a live roulette wheel, close enough that you groan out loud. It is natural to wonder whether you could cover the numbers next to yours as well. That is the idea behind a neighbours bet. It follows the order of numbers around the wheel rather than the neat grid of the table, which is why it can feel confusing at first. Here is the plain explanation, with an honest look at what it costs.
Wheel order versus table order
Picture the betting layout: numbers arranged in three tidy columns, running upward in order. Now picture the wheel itself. The numbers there are deliberately scattered, so that 0 sits between two numbers that look unrelated on the layout, and red and black alternate around the rim.
A neighbours bet uses the wheel order. When you pick a number, the bet also covers the numbers physically next to it on the wheel. On the layout, those numbers can be spread all over the place, which is why this bet is hard to place by hand without a special view.
If the rest of roulette is still new to you, our live roulette guide covers the basic bets and payouts first.
How the racetrack makes it easy
Imagine a long oval drawn beside the main layout, with the numbers printed in wheel order around it. That is the racetrack. Tap a number there, and many live tables will place a neighbours bet automatically, usually covering that number and two on each side.
That standard version uses five chips: one straight-up bet on each of five numbers. Some tables let you change how many neighbours are included, from one up to several on each side. The table's settings and info panel show what is possible.
The racetrack often also offers named section bets, such as the groups traditionally known in French roulette. Those are separate from neighbours bets and work in their own way, so read the info panel before using them.
What the bet costs and pays
Say you choose a number with two neighbours on each side and a chip value of your choice. You have just placed five chips. If the ball lands on any of those five numbers, the winning chip pays at the usual straight-up rate, and the other four chips are lost. If it lands anywhere else, all five chips are lost.
So a win on a neighbours bet is really one straight-up win minus the other chips you placed. The bet covers more of the wheel, which means more frequent hits, but each hit returns less relative to your total stake than a single straight-up bet would.
Over many spins, the house edge stays the same as for other straight-up bets on that wheel. A single-zero wheel and a double-zero wheel have different edges, so check which one you are playing on.
| Neighbours each side | Numbers covered | Chips used per spin |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 2 | 5 | 5 |
| 3 | 7 | 7 |
| 4 | 9 | 9 |
The myth of the hot section
Picture a results board showing the last few spins clustered in one part of the wheel. It is tempting to think that section is warm and to cover it with neighbours bets. Each spin is independent, though. The wheel has no memory, and a cluster in recent results says nothing about the next spin.
Some players also believe a dealer can aim for a section. On a properly run live table, the speed of the wheel and ball varies too much for that to be a reliable pattern. Treat the neighbours bet as a fun way to cover a slice of the wheel you like, not as a way to read the table.
Keeping total stake under control
The most common surprise with neighbours bets is how quickly total stake adds up. Two neighbours bets with two numbers each side means ten chips on the table every spin. Add a couple of outside bets and you are spending much more per spin than it feels like.
Before you start, work out your total stake per spin and how many spins your budget allows. The deposit guide explains how the cashier generally works, and the responsible gaming page has simple tips for staying within the limit you set.
Three easy steps
Placing a neighbours bet in 3 steps
- 1Open the racetrack
Switch to the oval racetrack view on a live roulette table and check how many neighbours are set.
- 2Count your chips
Multiply your chip value by the numbers covered so you know the full stake for each spin.
- 3Tap your number
Select the center number on the racetrack, confirm the chips on the layout and keep the stake steady.