Straights and 8's Roulette Side Bet

What Is Straights and 8's?

Straights and 8's is a roulette side bet that plays out across multiple spins instead of just one. Created by Aces Up Gaming, it first appeared at the 2017 Global Gaming Expo and was placed at two Colorado casinos: the Saratoga in Blackhawk and the Brass Ass in Cripple Creek.

The concept is simple. You place a chip on the designated betting spot, and then the next two or three spins determine whether you win. Winning combinations involve consecutive numbers appearing in sequence or numbers containing the digit 8. The dealer tracks results using laminated markers in a special area on the table, recording each spin's result and each player's wager amount.

Straights and 8's is available for both single-zero and double-zero wheels, with separate pay tables for each. It remains a niche offering found at select casinos rather than a standard feature on every roulette layout.

How the Bet Works

Place your wager before any spin. From that point, up to three consecutive spins will determine the outcome.

If the first spin lands on 0 or 00, the bet loses immediately. Zeros do not count as any number in this side bet. The only way a zero can appear in a winning result is as the third spin, after the first two spins have already locked in a two-spin win.

After three spins, or after any spin that eliminates all possible winning paths, the dealer settles every Straights and 8's wager at the table and calls for new bets. A two-spin win is paid after the second spin, but the bet stays active through the third spin in case a higher-paying three-spin combination completes.

The Six Winning Events

Straights and 8's has six possible winning outcomes. Three of them require all three spins to align. The other three only need the first two spins to connect.

Three-spin wins:

8-18-28 is the jackpot event. The last three spins must produce the numbers 8, 18, and 28 in any order. So 18, 28, 8 pays the same as 8, 18, 28. This is extremely rare and pays either 299:1 or 500:1 depending on the casino's pay table.

Three sequential numbers means the last three spins are mathematically consecutive in any order. If the spins produce 22, 24, and 23, that qualifies. The numbers 14, 15, and 16 in any arrangement also qualify. Pays 50:1.

Three numbers ending in 8 requires all three spins to produce a number with 8 as the final digit. Since only three such numbers exist on the wheel (8, 18, and 28), at least one must repeat. An example would be 28, 8, 28. Also pays 50:1.

Two-spin wins:

Two sequential numbers pays when the first two spins are consecutive. The third spin can be anything. If the wheel produces 18, then 17, then any other number, you win. Pays 7:1 on single-zero wheels and 8:1 on double-zero wheels.

First two numbers are 8's pays when both of the first two spins end in the digit 8. Repeats count, so 28, 28 followed by anything qualifies. Pays 4:1.

First two numbers with one gap pays when the first two spins are separated by exactly one number. If the spins produce 18 and 16, the gap is 17, and the bet wins. Pays 4:1.

Pay Tables

The casino chooses from preset pay tables. The only variable between them is the 8-18-28 jackpot payout. Everything else stays the same.

Single-zero wheels:

Double-zero wheels:

The two sequential numbers payout is the only structural difference between single and double-zero versions: 7:1 versus 8:1. The higher payout on double-zero wheels partially compensates for the extra pocket reducing win probability.

House Edge

The Wizard of Odds (Michael Shackleford) has analyzed all four pay tables. The house edge depends heavily on which jackpot payout the casino offers.

The gap between 299:1 and 500:1 on the jackpot moves the house edge by roughly 2 percentage points. That is a significant swing from a single pay table choice. On a double-zero wheel, the difference between Pay Table 3 (8.61%) and Pay Table 4 (6.41%) is the difference between a steep bet and a moderate one.

For context, the standard house edge on every bet in American roulette is 5.26%. European roulette is 2.70%. Even at the best Straights and 8's pay table (5.47% on single-zero), this side bet costs more than standard European roulette. At the worst pay table (8.61% on double-zero), it is significantly more expensive than any standard roulette wager.

How Often Each Event Hits

Understanding the frequency of each winning event puts the payouts in perspective.

The bet loses roughly 89% to 90% of the time. That means 9 out of every 10 wagers will produce no return at all.

Two sequential numbers is the most common win, hitting on approximately 4.6% to 4.8% of bets. First two with one gap lands at a similar rate. These two events account for nearly all positive outcomes, but they pay only 7:1 or 8:1.

Three sequential numbers occurs on roughly 0.37% to 0.40% of bets. First two numbers are 8's hits about 0.57% to 0.60% of the time. Three numbers ending in 8 is rarer still, at about 0.04%.

The 8-18-28 jackpot is the headline payout but it occurs roughly once every 9,000 bets. At 30 spins per hour, you would need to play for approximately 300 hours to expect a single hit on average.

Is Straights and 8's Worth It?

It depends on what you are looking for at the roulette table.

The multi-spin mechanic adds a layer of suspense that standard roulette bets do not offer. Watching two consecutive numbers land and waiting for the third spin to complete a 50:1 payout creates genuine tension. If that kind of extended anticipation appeals to you, Straights and 8's delivers something that no single-spin wager can.

But the math tells a clear story. A 90% loss rate and house edges between 5.47% and 8.61% make this a premium-priced side bet. It is not something to build a session around. It works best as an occasional wager alongside your standard roulette play.

If you do decide to play it, check which pay table the casino is using before placing your first chip. The difference between 299:1 and 500:1 on the 8-18-28 jackpot is the difference between an 8.61% house edge and a 6.41% house edge on a double-zero wheel. That two-minute check could save you real money over the course of a session.