Two wheels, two different answers
The question sounds like it should have one answer, but roulette is one of the few casino games where the equipment itself comes in two standard versions. A European wheel carries 37 pockets: the numbers 1 through 36 plus a single zero. An American wheel carries 38: the same 36 numbers plus a zero and a double zero. Both are standard, both are common, and the extra pocket on the American layout is not a minor cosmetic difference. It changes the arithmetic on every single bet at the table.
Before you sit down, look at the wheel. If it has one green zero pocket, you are on a European-style layout. If it has two green pockets side by side, you are on an American-style layout. Some venues outside the United States use the American wheel anyway, and some American venues now offer the single-zero wheel as a separate table, so reading the wheel itself matters more than assuming based on where you are.
What the numbered pockets are
The numbered pockets run from 0 to 36. The zero is green on both wheel types. The numbers 1 through 36 alternate between red and black in a fixed sequence that is not a simple alternating pattern. The arrangement on the wheel is designed to spread high and low numbers, odd and even numbers, and red and black pockets as evenly around the circumference as possible, so that no section of the wheel clusters too many outcomes of the same type.
The table layout next to the wheel arranges those same numbers in a grid of three columns and twelve rows, with the zero or zeros sitting at the top. The wheel order and the table order are different by design. The wheel distributes outcomes physically; the table organises them for betting. A player who only reads the table sees a neat grid. A player who reads the wheel sees that adjacent pockets on the wheel bear no simple relationship to adjacent squares on the felt.
When someone asks how many numbers a standard wheel has, the honest answer is that the number depends on which standard they mean. The table below lays out the two layouts side by side so the difference is clear before any chips go down.
| Feature | European wheel | American wheel |
|---|---|---|
| Total pockets | 37 | 38 |
| Zero pockets | One (single zero) | Two (zero and double zero) |
| Numbered pockets | 1 through 36 | 1 through 36 |
| Colour of zero pockets | Green | Green |
| Effect on house edge | Lower than American layout | Higher than European layout |
Why the extra pocket changes every bet
Roulette payouts are built as if the wheel had 36 pockets. A straight-up bet on a single number pays 35 to 1, which would be a fair game on a 36-pocket wheel. The zero pockets are the house's margin. On a European wheel, one extra pocket sits outside that 36-number structure. On an American wheel, two extra pockets sit outside it. The result is that the house edge on most bets is larger on the American layout than on the European one, because the same payout schedule applies to a wheel with one more losing pocket for most bet types.
This does not mean the European wheel is a winning game. It means the rate of expected loss is lower there than on the American wheel for the same bets. A player choosing between two tables should treat the wheel type as a real decision point, not as background decor. The game information panel or the table signage will state which layout is in use, and some tables print the wheel type directly on the felt.
How a round plays from buy-in to settlement
You buy in at the table by placing cash on the felt. The dealer exchanges it for roulette chips, which are typically a distinct colour per player so that bets on the same numbers do not get mixed together. These chips have no value printed on them; their value is set at buy-in and applies only at that table. When you leave, you convert them back to regular casino chips or cash at the same table.
A round begins with the dealer announcing that betting is open. You place chips on the layout, and you may keep placing them until the dealer calls no more bets or waves a hand over the table. The wheel is then spun in one direction and the ball in the other. Once the ball settles into a pocket, the dealer marks the winning number on the layout and settles every bet. Losing chips are swept away first, then winning bets are paid according to the posted payout schedule.
The sequence matters because every decision you make happens before the spin. There is no decision point after the ball is released, and no bet may be changed or removed once betting closes. A new player who reaches for a chip after the call will be told to stop, and a chip that lands on the layout after the close may be returned or treated as a late bet depending on the table's practice.
The main bet types and where their edges differ
Roulette bets fall into two broad groups. Inside bets sit on the numbered grid and cover specific numbers or small groups of them. Outside bets sit around the grid and cover larger categories: red or black, odd or even, high or low, dozens, and columns. The payout for each bet is set so that the house edge remains roughly constant across most bets on the same wheel, with the important exception of one American bet.
The table below compares the common bet types, what they cover, and how the two wheel layouts affect them. The payout figures are the standard schedule printed on most tables, but a given venue may vary them, so always read the posted payouts before betting.
| Bet type | What it covers | Standard payout | Edge on European wheel | Edge on American wheel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | One number | 35 to 1 | Higher | Higher than European |
| Split | Two adjacent numbers | 17 to 1 | Higher | Higher than European |
| Street | Three numbers in a row | 11 to 1 | Higher | Higher than European |
| Red or black | 18 numbers of one colour | 1 to 1 | Higher | Higher than European |
| Odd or even | 18 numbers | 1 to 1 | Higher | Higher than European |
| Five-number bet | 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 (American only) | 6 to 1 | Not available | Highest on the table |
The five-number bet is the exception worth knowing. It exists only on the American layout, covers the zero, double zero, and the first row of three numbers, and carries a larger house edge than any other standard roulette bet. No comparable bet exists on the European wheel. A new player who wants to keep the expected loss rate as low as the table allows should avoid it, and should generally prefer the single-zero wheel when both are available.
What the zero does to outside bets
Outside bets look like even-money propositions, and many new players treat them that way. Red or black covers 18 numbers, and a win pays 1 to 1. But the zero pockets are neither red nor black, neither odd nor even, and neither high nor low. When the ball lands in a zero pocket, most outside bets lose outright. Some European tables apply a rule that returns half of certain even-money outside bets when the zero appears, which reduces the house edge on those specific bets. That rule is printed on the table when it applies, and it never applies to the American double-zero wheel.
This is why the wheel type matters even for a player who never touches an inside bet. The zero pockets are the mechanism by which the house edge operates, and the American wheel simply has one more of them. The payout schedule looks identical, but the underlying wheel has an additional pocket that pays no outside bet.
Procedural mistakes new players make
The first mistake is buying in mid-round and trying to place chips after the dealer has already opened betting for the current spin. Roulette tables run on a continuous cycle, and a player who sits down must wait for the current round to settle before buying in. The dealer will handle the buy-in only between spins, and the new player's chips are not in play until the next round opens.
The second mistake is confusing the value of coloured roulette chips with regular casino chips. A stack of roulette chips may look like a large amount while representing a small table stake, because the chip value is set at buy-in and is not printed on the chip. A player who carries roulette chips away from the table has not carried away cash; those chips must be converted at the table before leaving, and they are worthless at any other game.
The third mistake is placing a bet that spans two bets without meaning to. A chip placed on a line between two numbers is a split, not a straight-up bet. A chip placed on the corner where four numbers meet is a corner bet. The dealer reads the chip's position exactly, and a sloppy placement can turn an intended single-number bet into a different wager with a different payout. New players should place chips fully inside the square or clearly on the line they intend, and should state the bet aloud if unsure.
How to find the exact rules at your table
Every roulette table posts its minimum and maximum bet, its wheel type, and any special rules such as the half-back rule on even-money bets. This information sits on a small sign at the table or is printed on the felt itself. Read it before buying in. The payout schedule is also posted, and it is the only reliable source for what a specific table pays on a specific bet. Published strategy discussions and payout tables describe the standard game; a given venue may deviate, and the posted sign overrides any general description.
For online roulette, the game information panel or rules page inside the game client carries the same details: wheel type, payout schedule, and any rule variants. Open it before the first spin rather than after a disputed settlement. The RTP figure shown there is a long-run statistical average over a very large number of spins, not a prediction of any session, and it is specific to the rule set of that particular game.
FAQ
Why do some roulette wheels have 37 numbers and others 38?
The difference is the number of zero pockets. A European-style wheel has one zero alongside the numbers 1 through 36, giving 37 pockets. An American-style wheel adds a double zero, giving 38. The extra pocket increases the house edge on the American layout because the payout schedule does not change to compensate for it.
Does the zero count as a number on the roulette wheel?
Yes. The zero is a numbered pocket and is counted in the total, even though it is green rather than red or black and sits outside the 1-to-36 sequence. When someone says a wheel has 37 or 38 numbers, the zero or zeros are included in that count.
Which roulette wheel is better for a player?
The single-zero wheel carries a lower house edge than the double-zero wheel for the same bets, so a player choosing between two otherwise similar tables will lose at a slower expected rate on the European layout. It is still a negative-expectation game; the choice changes the rate of expected loss, not the direction of it.
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