The zero pocket is where the push question starts
You put a chip on red, the wheel slows, and the ball drops into the green zero. Nothing on the layout says “red” or “black” for that pocket, so your bet has not won. Whether it loses outright or becomes a push depends entirely on the table rules in force, and that is the first thing to understand: a push is not a standard roulette outcome on every wheel. It exists only where a specific rule creates it.
A push means the wager is neither collected nor paid. The chip stays with you, or it is returned for the next spin. Most roulette bets have no push state at all — they win or they lose. The exceptions are a small set of even-money wagers under particular European rule variants, and a handful of special bets some tables offer. If you are playing an American wheel with a double zero, the question is almost always settled the moment the ball lands: the bet loses.
How a round normally settles
To see where a push fits, it helps to see the full sequence of a spin. You buy in at the table, receive coloured chips that are unique to you, and place them on the layout before the dealer calls for no more bets. The ball is sent around the track in the opposite direction to the wheel. When it drops, the dealer marks the winning number, clears losing bets, and pays winners. A push is the third possible settlement: the dealer leaves the bet in place or returns it, and the round ends with your bankroll unchanged on that wager.
The house edge on a roulette bet comes from the zero pockets. On a European wheel there are 37 pockets, and the zero belongs to the house for most bets. On an American wheel there are 38, with a single and a double zero. The extra pocket is why the American layout holds a larger edge on the same wager. A push rule softens that edge on one narrow class of bets, but it never removes it.
Which bets can push
The push rules that matter are attached to even-money outside bets: red or black, odd or even, and high or low. These bets pay 1:1, and on a standard wheel they lose when zero appears. Two European rule variants change that.
| Rule | What happens to the bet | Effect on the player |
|---|---|---|
| No special rule | Bet loses on zero | Full house edge applies |
| La partage | Half the stake is returned immediately | Reduces expected loss on even-money bets |
| En prison | Bet is held for the next spin; if it wins, the full stake returns without winnings | Reduces expected loss on even-money bets |
La partage is the closest thing to a true push in roulette. The dealer takes half your stake and gives you the other half back. En prison is a delayed push: the bet is imprisoned on the table for one more spin. If the next spin wins, you get the original stake back but no payout. If it loses, the house collects. Both rules apply only to the even-money outside bets, and both are rare outside European single-zero tables. An American table almost never offers them, and the double zero remains a losing pocket for those wagers.
Some tables also advertise special bets with names like “zero insurance” or a side wager that returns a portion of the stake when zero hits. These are not standard roulette pushes. They are separate bets with their own odds and their own house edge, and they should be read as an additional wager rather than a modification of your original one.
Why a push changes the maths
Roulette payouts are built so that the house keeps an edge on every bet. A straight-up number pays 35:1, but a European wheel has 37 pockets, so the true odds are 36:1 against. The gap between the payout and the true odds is the house edge. Even-money bets pay 1:1, but the zero means they do not win on 18 of 37 pockets — they win on 18 and lose on 19. The push rules alter that loss side slightly.
Under la partage, when zero lands you lose only half the stake instead of the whole stake. That reduces the expected loss on the even-money bet, but it does not make the bet positive. The house still holds an edge on every spin. Under en prison, the effect is similar in expectation, but the variance is different: instead of a certain half-loss, you face another spin with the original stake at risk. Neither rule changes the payout odds, the wheel, or the long-run direction of the game.
Volatility is a separate matter. A push rule does not make a roulette session less volatile. It changes the settlement of one specific losing event on one class of bets. The sequence of wins and losses over a session is still driven by the wheel, and the house edge on every other bet on the table is untouched.
Where to find the rule at your table
You do not need to memorise which casinos use la partage. The rule is printed at the table, usually on a small plaque near the wheel or on the layout itself. Before you place an even-money bet, look for the words “la partage” or “en prison”. If they are absent, assume the zero takes the full stake. The dealer will also confirm it if you ask, and the table rules screen on an online game states it before you spin.
The same applies to any side bet that promises a return on zero. Read the printed payout table for that side bet separately. It will state the stake, the exact condition, and the payout. Do not treat a side bet as part of your main wager; it is a separate bet with its own edge.
Procedural mistakes around a push
The first mistake is assuming a push exists when it does not. On most tables, especially American wheels, an even-money bet on zero is a straight loss. A player who believes the rule applies will sit waiting for a half-return that never comes. The second mistake is confusing en prison with a free spin. The imprisoned bet is not a new bet, and it cannot be moved or withdrawn. If the next spin wins, you receive the stake only — no winnings. The third mistake is treating a zero side bet as a hedge that protects the main bet. It is a separate wager with its own negative expectation, and it adds to the total amount you have at risk rather than cancelling the edge on the original bet.
Strategy charts for roulette are not like basic strategy in blackjack. There is no decision that changes the house edge on a given roulette bet; the only choice is which bet to make. Even-money bets under a push rule carry a lower expected loss than the same bets without the rule, but the decision is still between negative-expectation options. The wheel does not remember, and no sequence of bets changes the built-in edge.
FAQ
Does a push in roulette happen on inside bets?
No. The push rules that return part or all of a stake apply to even-money outside bets such as red or black, odd or even, and high or low. Inside bets on specific numbers or groups of numbers win or lose outright, and zero collects them unless the table offers a separate side bet with its own terms.
Is en prison better than la partage?
They reduce expected loss on the affected even-money bets by a similar amount, but they feel different at the table. La partage settles immediately with half the stake returned. En prison sends the stake to another spin, where it either comes back whole or is lost. Which one you prefer is a matter of how much variance you want on that single event, not a difference in the long-run edge.
Can a push happen on an American roulette wheel?
Almost never. The push rules are European single-zero table features. An American wheel has a single and a double zero, and even-money bets lose to both pockets unless the table explicitly posts a rule stating otherwise. If no plaque or table rule is visible, treat zero and double zero as losing outcomes for those bets.
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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.