Tiers du cylindre meaning: "third of the wheel" is a French roulette bet on the 12 numbers that sit opposite zero on a single-zero wheel, running from 27 round to 33. Six chips go on six splits, and whichever of the 12 numbers lands, the bet pays the same amount.
Every hit pays the same: with £1 chips you get £18 back on a £6 stake, a net +£12.
The maths matches a £6 dozen bet exactly; only the choice of numbers differs.
House edge: 2.70% on a single-zero wheel.
Translation
Third of the wheel (cylinder)
Numbers
12, from 27 to 33 on the wheel
Chips
6 splits
Chance of a hit
12 in 37 (32.4%)
Net win per £1 chip
+£2 (+£12 on £6)
House edge
2.70%
Tiers du cylindre meaning and its 12 numbers
The word "tiers" is French for a third, and "cylindre" is the old casino word for the wheel. Twelve pockets out of 37 is roughly a third, and they lie directly across the wheel from zero: 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33. Many racetracks simply label the bet "Tiers".
It is one of three classic French sector bets. Voisins du zéro covers the 17 numbers around zero and orphelins covers the 8 left over, so the three together account for the whole wheel. You place it from the racetrack on French roulette and most single-zero online tables.
The six splits in a tiers du cylindre bet
Each pair of numbers that sits side by side on the table layout gets one chip. Because the pairs are neighbours on the felt as well as within the sector, the whole sector can be covered with only six split bets.
Tiers du cylindre chip placement
Split
Chips
Pays
Dozen on the layout
5/8
1
17 to 1
First
10/11
1
17 to 1
First
13/16
1
17 to 1
Second
23/24
1
17 to 1
Second
27/30
1
17 to 1
Third
33/36
1
17 to 1
Third
Some casinos describe the bet as "tiers 5/8/10/11", naming the first two splits. The game's help screen confirms exactly which chips the racetrack places for you.
Tiers du cylindre payout in pounds
With six £1 chips (£6 total), any of the 12 numbers wins one split at 17 to 1, which returns £18 including the chip, and the other five chips are lost. Net result: +£12. Any of the other 25 numbers loses the full £6.
Over 37 equally likely pockets the sum is 12 × £12 minus 25 × £6, which comes to −£6, or about −16p a spin. That is 2.70% of the stake, the standard single-zero edge. Doubling the chip to £2 doubles everything: +£24 on a hit, −£12 on a miss, about −32p a spin on average.
Tiers du cylindre at different chip sizes
Chip size
Total stake
Net if it hits
Net if it misses
Average cost per spin
50p
£3
+£6
−£3
About 8p
£1
£6
+£12
−£6
About 16p
£2
£12
+£24
−£12
About 32p
£5
£30
+£60
−£30
About 81p
Tiers du cylindre versus a dozen bet
Here is a detail most explanations miss. A dozen bet also covers 12 numbers and pays 2 to 1. Put £6 on the second dozen and a hit returns £18, net +£12, while a miss costs £6. That is identical to a £6 tiers bet in every respect: same chance, same payout, same edge. The only difference is which 12 numbers you hold. Tiers picks them by their position on the wheel; a dozen picks them by their position on the table. The Wizard of Odds roulette page (opens in a new tab) shows the same equivalence across all standard combinations.
So if you like the idea of covering a third of the outcomes with one click, the dozen does the same job with one chip instead of six, which can matter at tables with a high minimum chip.
Myths about tiers and dealer signatures
Tiers is sometimes promoted as a way to exploit a "dealer signature", the idea that a live croupier releases the ball the same way each time and aims for the far side of the wheel from zero. There is no reliable evidence that this works on modern wheels, and RNG games have no physical ball at all. Our answer to can you predict roulette explains why, and gambling myths covers other popular beliefs.
Tiers du cylindre and UK roulette rules
Racetrack bets are a normal part of licensed games in Great Britain. Since 17 January 2025, RNG roulette must leave at least 5 seconds per game cycle and can't use autoplay; our game design rules page lists the full set. Before you join any site, check its licence on the Gambling Commission's public register (opens in a new tab). If you want to stop for a while across every UK-licensed site at once, GAMSTOP (opens in a new tab) offers free online self-exclusion.
Where to bet tiers du cylindre at licensed UK casinos
Look for French or European tables with a racetrack in the roulette or live lobby. The Coral Casino page and PlayOJO page set out each operator's licence details; the lobby lists current tables.
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A six-chip bet repeated quickly adds up, so set your limit with the casino's safer gambling tools before you start.
Our partners have no roulette-specific welcome offer; these licensed slot spin deals are the closest, and they can't be played on roulette. 18+, terms apply.
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Frequently asked questions
What does tiers du cylindre mean?
It is French for "third of the wheel". In roulette it names the 12 pockets on the opposite side of the single-zero wheel from zero, and the six-chip bet that covers them: 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16 and 33. It is often shortened to "tiers" on racetracks. Our glossary hub explains the other French terms, and European roulette shows the wheel layout.
How many chips do you need for tiers?
The standard tiers du cylindre bet needs six chips, one on each of the splits 5/8, 10/11, 13/16, 23/24, 27/30 and 33/36. With £1 chips the bet costs £6, with 20p chips it costs £1.20. Online, the racetrack places all six for you in one click. Check the table minimum chip value, since live tables often start higher than RNG ones. Table limits explained shows how minimums affect multi-chip bets.
What does tiers du cylindre pay?
Every winning number pays the same: one split at 17 to 1. With £1 chips that means £18 back on a £6 stake, so you are £12 up, and a miss costs £6. The bet wins 12 times in 37 on average, about 32.4% of spins. You can check the split payout on our roulette odds and payouts page, which lists every standard bet.
Is tiers du cylindre better than voisins du zéro?
Neither is better; both carry the same 2.70% house edge. Tiers wins less often than voisins (12 numbers against 17) but each win is larger relative to the stake: +£12 on £6, compared with +£9 or +£15 on £9 for voisins. Which you prefer is a matter of taste, not value. See voisins du zéro for its layout and roulette bets explained for the full menu.
Is tiers the same as a dozen bet?
Mathematically, yes. Both cover 12 numbers, both win 12 times in 37, and both return three times the stake on a hit, so £6 on tiers and £6 on a dozen produce identical results on average. The only difference is the set of numbers: tiers uses wheel position, while a dozen uses the table layout. A dozen needs one chip, which can suit tables with a high minimum chip value.
Can you bet tiers du cylindre on American roulette?
Generally not. The bet relies on the single-zero wheel's number order, and double-zero wheels arrange numbers differently, so most American tables don't offer the French sector bets. American roulette also has a higher house edge of 5.26% because of the extra double-zero pocket. For racetrack betting, single-zero games are both the usual home and the better-value choice. If a table shows a racetrack at all, the help screen will list which named bets it supports.
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