The Extra Pocket That Changes the Math
When you sit down at a roulette table and see a green 00 next to the green 0, you are looking at the single detail that separates American roulette from its European counterpart. A European wheel has 37 pockets: the numbers 1 through 36 plus a single zero. An American wheel has 38, because it adds the double zero. That one extra pocket is not a cosmetic difference. It changes the odds on every bet you can place, including the bet directly on the 00 itself.
You can absolutely bet on the 00. The question is what that bet means, what it pays, and how it compares to the other wagers available on the same layout. The 00 is a number like any other on the wheel, but because it is green and sits apart from the red and black numbers, it also plays a special role in several outside bets and in the house edge that applies to the whole table.
What the 00 Pocket Is
The 00 pocket is one of two green pockets on an American roulette wheel. The other is the single 0. Every other pocket is numbered 1 through 36 and coloured either red or black. The green pockets are not red, not black, not odd, and not even in the way the outside bets define those categories. When the ball lands in 00, most outside bets lose, which is precisely why the pocket exists from the operator's perspective.
The wheel is built so that the ball has an equal chance of landing in any pocket on any spin, assuming the wheel is properly maintained and the ball is given a fair throw. The presence of 38 pockets instead of 37 means that a bet on any single number, including 00, wins on average once every 38 spins rather than once every 37.
How a Round Plays Out
A roulette round moves quickly, and the sequence is the same whether you are betting the 00, a colour, or a section of the wheel. Understanding the order of events helps you avoid procedural mistakes that cost time or chips.
First, you buy in. You place cash or a casino cheque on the table felt, and the dealer exchanges it for roulette chips. These chips are typically a different colour for each player at the table, which is how the dealer knows whose winning bet belongs to whom. You cannot take these chips to another table; you must cash them in at the roulette table before you leave.
Second, the dealer opens betting. You place your chips on the layout. A bet on 00 goes directly on the green 00 square, either on the number itself or on the line that connects it to other numbers if you are making a split or corner bet. You can place multiple bets on the same spin.
Third, the dealer closes betting, usually by announcing "no more bets" and passing a hand over the layout. Once betting is closed, you cannot touch your chips. The ball is already in motion or about to be.
Fourth, the ball lands. The dealer marks the winning number on the layout with a marker or dolly. Losing bets are swept away first, then winning bets are paid. If you bet the 00 straight up and it hits, the dealer pays you at the odds printed for a straight-up bet and leaves your original wager in place. You may then collect it or leave it for the next spin.
Finally, the dealer clears the marker and opens betting for the next round. The whole cycle often takes less than a minute.
Bet Types That Include the 00
The 00 can be part of several different wagers, and each one pays differently and carries a different probability of winning. The table below compares the main bet types that involve the 00 on an American wheel.
| Bet type | What it covers | How the 00 fits in | Payout on a win |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | One single number | You bet the 00 alone | 35 to 1 |
| Split | Two adjacent numbers | 00 paired with 0, 1, or 2 depending on layout position | 17 to 1 |
| Street | Three numbers in a row | 00 is not part of a standard street on most layouts | 11 to 1 |
| Corner | Four numbers meeting at a corner | 00 can form a corner with 0, 1, and 2 on some layouts | 8 to 1 |
| Basket | 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 | Includes both green pockets | 6 to 1 |
| Outside bets | Red, black, odd, even, high, low | 00 is excluded; these bets lose when 00 hits | 1 to 1 or 2 to 1 |
The basket bet deserves special attention. It is the only wager on the layout that covers both zeroes plus three numbers, and it is available only on American wheels because it requires the 00. It is also one of the worst bets on the table in terms of house edge, because it pays 6 to 1 while covering five numbers on a 38-pocket wheel. A straight-up bet on 00 and a split between 0 and 00 both carry the same house edge as any other straight-up or split bet, because the edge on those inside bets comes from the wheel having 38 pockets while paying as if it had 36.
What the 00 Does to the House Edge
House edge is the mathematical advantage the operator holds on a given game, expressed as a percentage of each wager. House edge and RTP are complements: they sum to 100% for the same game. The double zero increases the house edge on nearly every bet compared with a single-zero wheel, because the same payouts are being offered against one additional losing pocket.
On a European wheel, a straight-up bet on any number wins once in 37 spins on average and pays 35 to 1. On an American wheel, the same bet wins once in 38 spins and pays the same 35 to 1. The payout has not changed, but the probability of winning has gone down. That gap is the house edge, and it is larger on the American layout for every bet except one: the basket bet, which does not exist on a European wheel and carries a still larger edge than the other American bets.
This does not mean you cannot win betting the 00. A single spin can land in the 00 pocket and pay 35 to 1. What it means is that over a very large number of spins, the expected rate of loss on an American wheel is higher than on a European wheel for the same wager. Volatility does not change this. A high-volatility session may produce a large win or a fast loss, but the long-run average is set by the wheel's structure.
Procedural Mistakes New Players Make
The most common mistakes at a roulette table are procedural rather than strategic, and they usually involve touching chips at the wrong time or misunderstanding how the 00 interacts with outside bets.
The first mistake is reaching for a bet after the dealer has announced no more bets. Once the ball is in motion and the dealer has closed betting, any chip you touch is a losing argument. If you want to adjust a wager, do it while betting is open.
The second mistake is assuming a bet on black or red covers the 00. It does not. The 00 is green, and when it lands, red, black, odd, even, high, and low bets all lose unless the table rules state otherwise, which is rare. If you want coverage on the green pockets, you must bet them directly or through a bet that includes them, such as the basket.
The third mistake is leaving the table with roulette chips. Roulette chips are colour-coded to you and have no value at the cashier. Ask the dealer to exchange them for regular casino cheques before you step away.
The fourth mistake is placing a bet without knowing the table minimum and how it applies to inside bets. A table with a minimum applies that minimum to the total of your inside bets, not to each individual chip. Check the placard on the table or ask the dealer before you start placing chips.
Reading the Layout Before You Bet
Every roulette table has the same basic anatomy, but the exact position of the 00 relative to other numbers can vary slightly by manufacturer. Before you place a split or corner bet involving the 00, look at the printed layout in front of you. The lines between numbers show which combinations are valid. A split between 00 and 0 is usually available, as is a split between 00 and the number directly adjacent to it on the layout. A corner involving 00 is available only if the layout prints the four numbers touching at a single intersection.
The payout odds are printed on the table or available in the game's information panel. The table rules also state whether any special rules apply to the green pockets, such as a rule that returns half of an even-money bet when the zero lands. Such rules are more common on European wheels and are rare on American layouts, but the only way to know is to read the specific table's posted rules.
Strategy charts for roulette do not exist in the way they do for blackjack, because roulette offers no decisions after the bet is placed. What varies under your control is which bets you choose and how much you stake. The 00 is a legal, available bet on any American wheel. Whether it is a sensible one depends on what you are comparing it to: a straight-up bet on 00 carries the same house edge as a straight-up bet on 17, while a basket bet that includes the 00 carries a higher edge than almost anything else on the layout.
FAQ
Does betting on 00 pay more than betting on a regular number?
No. A straight-up bet on 00 pays the same 35 to 1 as a straight-up bet on any other single number. The payout is printed on the table layout and does not change because the number is green.
Can I bet on both 0 and 00 at the same time?
Yes. You can place a split bet that covers both green pockets, or you can place separate straight-up bets on each. A split between 0 and 00 pays 17 to 1 and covers two of the wheel's 38 pockets.
Why do some players avoid American roulette entirely?
Because the extra 00 pocket increases the house edge on most bets compared with a single-zero wheel. The payouts are the same, but the probability of winning is lower. Some players prefer tables without the 00 for that reason; others accept the difference because an American table is what is available where they are playing.
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This article is general information about how these mechanics work. It is not legal advice and not a recommendation to gamble or to use any particular operator. Availability and legality differ by jurisdiction — check the rules that apply where you are.