Outside bets are the roulette wagers placed on the boxes that surround the numbered grid of the table layout. Instead of backing one number or a small cluster, the player covers a broad group: red or black, odd or even, low (1–18) or high (19–36), one of the three dozens or one of the three columns. Even-money options pay 1:1, while dozens and columns pay 2:1. Because each bet covers 12 or 18 numbers, it wins far more often than inside bets but pays less, and the zero still gives the house its edge.
For operators, outside bets carry much of the roulette turnover: they suit cautious players and newcomers, and they are the positions bonus terms usually target when restricting low-risk play, such as covering red and black at once. When configuring RNG or live roulette tables, set separate minimums and maximums for outside positions and check how each game treats zero, for example under the en prison rule.