The Number Depends on Which Wheel You're Sitting At
Walk up to a roulette table and the first thing you should check is not your chips but the wheel itself. Count the pockets and you will get one of two answers: 37 or 38. A European wheel carries the numbers 0 through 36, which is 37 pockets. An American wheel adds a second green pocket marked 00, bringing the total to 38. The difference looks small, but it changes the arithmetic of every bet you place.
The word "squares" in the question is a slight misnomer. Roulette pockets are not square; they are the curved compartments set into the wheel's rim, each holding one number. Players often call them squares because the betting layout on the table is a grid of numbered rectangles. The wheel and the layout mirror each other, but the count you care about is the wheel's pockets, because that is what the ball can land in.
What the Two Wheel Types Look Like
Both wheels alternate red and black pockets for the numbers 1 through 36. The zero pockets are green. On a European wheel, the single zero sits between two numbers and breaks the red-black alternation. On an American wheel, the 0 and 00 sit opposite each other, and the number sequence around the rim is arranged differently from the European layout. The sequence matters to players who track wheel positions, but for a newcomer the only fact that changes the odds is the pocket count.
| Feature | European wheel | American wheel |
|---|---|---|
| Numbered pockets | 37 | 38 |
| Zero pockets | One (0) | Two (0 and 00) |
| Number range | 0-36 | 0-36 plus 00 |
| House edge on a straight-up bet | Lower | Higher |
| Common regions | Europe, many online tables | North America, some online tables |
The table above gives the structural difference. The house edge row deliberately avoids a percentage, because the exact figure depends on the rule set in force at the table you are playing. What is fixed is the direction: the extra pocket on the American wheel increases the house edge on every bet that pays based on the number of pockets.
Why the Extra Pocket Changes Every Bet
A straight-up bet on a single number pays 35 to 1 on both wheel types. That payout is fixed by convention. But the chance of winning differs. On a European wheel, one winning pocket out of 37 means the true odds are 36 to 1 against you, while the payout is only 35 to 1. The gap between the true odds and the payout is the house edge. On an American wheel, the same bet has one winning pocket out of 38, so the true odds are 37 to 1 against you, and the payout is still 35 to 1. The gap is wider, which is why the American layout is the more expensive game to play.
The same logic applies to every bet on the layout. An even-money bet such as red or black pays 1 to 1, but the zero pockets are neither red nor black. On a European wheel, 18 red pockets and 18 black pockets leave one green pocket that loses all even-money bets. On an American wheel, two green pockets lose. The player's chance of winning an even-money bet is therefore 18 in 37 on one wheel and 18 in 38 on the other.
RTP and house edge are complements: they sum to 100% for the same bet under the same rule set. When the house edge rises because of an extra pocket, the theoretical return to player falls by the same amount. This is a long-run statistical average, not a prediction for any single session.
The Sequence of a Round, From Buy-In to Settlement
Knowing the wheel count is only useful if you know how a round runs. The sequence is the same on both wheel types.
You buy in at the table by placing cash on the layout. The dealer exchanges it for roulette chips, which are often colour-coded so the dealer can tell players apart. These chips have no value away from the table and must be cashed in before you leave.
Once chips are in front of you, the dealer opens betting. You place chips on the layout to choose your wager. You may bet on a single number, a group of numbers, a colour, odd or even, high or low, or a combination of these. When the dealer calls no more bets, the wheel is spun and the ball is released in the opposite direction. The ball loses momentum and drops into a pocket. The dealer marks the winning number on the layout, clears losing bets, and pays winners according to the posted payout for each bet type.
You then decide whether to bet again, change your wager, or colour up and leave. There is no hand to play and no decision to make after the spin begins, which makes roulette a game of bet selection rather than skill.
Main Bet Types and How Their Edges Differ
Roulette offers a wide range of bets, and they do not all carry the same house edge. The table below compares the main categories. The payout figures are standard across most tables, but always check the posted layout, because some rule variants alter payouts or add rules such as la partage or en prison on even-money bets.
| Bet type | What it covers | Standard payout | How the edge compares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight-up | One number | 35 to 1 | Highest edge among standard bets |
| Split | Two adjacent numbers | 17 to 1 | Same edge as straight-up on the same wheel |
| Street | Three numbers in a row | 11 to 1 | Same edge as straight-up on the same wheel |
| Corner | Four numbers in a block | 8 to 1 | Same edge as straight-up on the same wheel |
| Six line | Six numbers in two rows | 5 to 1 | Same edge as straight-up on the same wheel |
| Column or dozen | 12 numbers | 2 to 1 | Same edge as straight-up on the same wheel |
| Red/black, odd/even, high/low | 18 numbers | 1 to 1 | Lower edge than inside bets on the same wheel |
| Five-number bet (American only) | 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 | 6 to 1 | Highest edge on the American layout |
Most bets on a given wheel share the same house edge, because the payout is set at a fixed multiple of the true odds. The exception is the five-number bet on the American wheel, which pays 6 to 1 when the true odds are 31 to 5 against, making it a worse proposition than the other bets on the same layout. Even-money bets sit at the lower end of the edge range because the zero pockets are the only losing outcomes for the player, whereas an inside bet loses on every other number.
What Strategy Controls in Roulette
Roulette has no decision points after the ball is released, so the only things a player controls are which bets to place, how much to stake, and how long to stay at the table. No betting pattern changes the built-in edge of the wheel. A progression system that doubles a stake after a loss does not remove the house edge; it redistributes outcomes, producing many small wins and occasional large losses. The wheel does not remember previous spins, and no number is due.
What does vary is the cost of play. Choosing a European wheel over an American wheel, where both are available, reduces the expected rate of loss on every bet. Choosing even-money bets over the five-number bet on an American layout does the same. These are choices about how quickly the edge acts on your bankroll, not ways to win.
Procedural Mistakes New Players Make
The first mistake is not checking which wheel is in front of them. A player who assumes all roulette tables are the same may sit at an American wheel and pay a higher edge without realising it. The wheel type is printed on the layout or visible on the wheel itself, and the table's minimum and maximum stakes are posted on a sign at the table.
The second mistake is betting after the dealer has called no more bets. Late bets are returned or, in some venues, treated as void, and a player who reaches across the layout while the ball is in motion can disturb other bets or be warned by the dealer. Place your chips fully inside the marked area for the bet you intend, and keep your hands off the layout once the spin begins.
The third mistake is confusing table chips with cash chips. Roulette chips are colour-coded and have no denomination printed on them. Their value is set when you buy in and is recorded by the dealer. If you walk away from the table with them, they are worthless at the cashier. Colour up before you leave, and the dealer will exchange them for standard casino chips.
FAQ
Why does the American wheel have an extra pocket?
The double zero was added to the American layout as a second house pocket, which increases the house edge on every bet compared with a single-zero wheel. The exact origin is a matter of historical record rather than game mechanics, but the effect on the odds is straightforward: one more losing pocket for the player.
Do all online roulette games use the same wheel count?
No. Online tables are offered in both European and American formats, and some software also includes French roulette, which uses a single-zero wheel with additional rules on even-money bets. The game information panel or rules screen states the wheel type and any special rules before you play.
Is it better to bet on a single number or an even-money bet?
Neither bet changes the house edge on the same wheel. A single number pays more but wins less often, while an even-money bet pays less but wins more often. The difference is volatility, not expected value. The only bet that carries a materially different edge on a standard layout is the five-number bet on an American wheel.
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