The zero pockets pay like any other single number
When you place a chip directly on the 0, or on the 00 on an American layout, you have made a straight-up bet. The payout for that bet is fixed by the table rules and does not change because the pocket is green. A winning straight-up bet on any single number, including 0 and 00, pays 35 to 1. That means a win returns your original stake plus 35 times that stake. If you bet one unit and the ball lands in your pocket, you receive 36 units back in total: the 35-unit win and the one unit you wagered.
The colour of the pocket, the position of the number on the wheel, and the fact that it is a zero make no difference to the payout ratio. A straight-up bet on 7 pays 35 to 1. A straight-up bet on 0 pays 35 to 1. A straight-up bet on 00 pays 35 to 1. What the zero pockets do change is the chance that any straight-up bet will win, because they add losing pockets to the wheel without adding any new winning numbers for a bet placed elsewhere.
How the payout ratio and the wheel size interact
To see why the zero matters, compare the two common wheel layouts. A European wheel has 37 pockets: the numbers 1 through 36 plus a single 0. An American wheel has 38 pockets: the numbers 1 through 36 plus both a 0 and a 00. The straight-up payout is 35 to 1 on both layouts.
If a wheel paid out at the true mathematical odds for a single number, a 37-pocket wheel would pay 36 to 1 and a 38-pocket wheel would pay 37 to 1. Instead, the table pays 35 to 1. The gap between the payout and the true odds is where the house edge lives. On the European layout, a straight-up bet loses at a slower expected rate than the same bet on the American layout, because the American wheel has one additional pocket that can defeat the bet without any corresponding increase in the payout.
The payout for the zero pockets themselves works identically. A bet on 0 wins only when the ball lands in 0. A bet on 00 wins only when the ball lands in 00. They are separate straight-up bets, not a combined bet, unless the table offers a specific split or basket wager that covers them together.
Where the zero sits in the sequence of a round
Roulette follows the same round structure whether you are playing online or at a physical table. The sequence runs from buying in to settlement, and the zero pockets sit inside that sequence like any other number.
You begin by exchanging cash or account funds for chips. At a live table, the chips may be colour-coded to you so the dealer can track which bets are yours. Online, the interface shows your balance and lets you select a chip value before placing it on the layout. Once the betting window opens, you place chips on the numbers, sections, or outside areas you want to cover. The dealer or software then closes betting, the ball is released, and the wheel spins. When the ball settles, the winning number is announced, losing bets are cleared, and winning bets are paid according to the table's payout schedule.
If you bet on 0 and the ball lands in 0, your bet is paid at 35 to 1. If you bet on 00 and the ball lands in 00, the same payout applies. If you bet on one zero and the ball lands in the other zero on an American wheel, you lose, because they are different numbers.
Bet types that include the zero pockets
A straight-up bet is not the only way to cover a zero. Several other bet types include 0 or 00 as part of a larger group, and each carries its own payout and its own house edge. The table below compares the main bets that can involve the zero pockets on an American layout.
| Bet type | What it covers | Payout | How the zero fits in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight-up | One number, such as 0 or 00 alone | 35 to 1 | Wins only if that exact zero lands |
| Split | Two adjacent numbers on the layout | 17 to 1 | Can pair 0 with 1, 00 with 2, or 0 with 00 depending on layout |
| Street | Three numbers in a row | 11 to 1 | On some layouts, 0-1-2 or 0-00-2 forms a street |
| Basket or five-number | 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 on an American layout | 6 to 1 | The only bet covering both zeros and three other numbers; carries a higher house edge than other American bets |
| Top line | 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 | 6 to 1 | Same group as the basket under another name |
The basket bet deserves attention because it is the one bet on the American layout that is worse for the player than the standard straight-up bet on the same wheel. It pays 6 to 1 while covering five numbers, which produces a larger gap between payout and true odds than any other standard bet on that layout. If your goal is to cover the zeros, a straight-up bet on each zero pays better per unit wagered than a basket bet, though it also costs more to cover both numbers separately.
Why the double zero changes the game without changing the payout
The most common misreading of the American wheel is that the 00 pays something different from the 0. It does not. Both pay 35 to 1 as straight-up bets. What the 00 changes is the frequency with which any other bet wins, because it adds one more pocket that defeats every bet not placed on it.
Consider the same outside bet on both wheels. A bet on red covers 18 pockets. On a European wheel, 18 of 37 pockets win and 19 lose. On an American wheel, 18 of 38 pockets win and 20 lose. The payout for red remains 1 to 1 on both layouts. The extra zero pocket means the bet loses slightly more often on the American wheel, which is why the house edge on outside bets is higher there. The same logic applies to straight-up bets: the payout stays 35 to 1, but the chance of winning falls from 1 in 37 to 1 in 38.
Volatility does not change this relationship. A straight-up bet on 0 is a high-variance bet because it wins rarely and pays a large multiple when it does. A bet on red is lower-variance because it wins close to half the time and pays even money. Neither variance level changes the payout ratio for the zero pockets or the long-run expected loss built into the wheel.
Procedural mistakes new players make with the zeros
Three mistakes recur at roulette tables, and two of them involve the zero pockets directly.
The first is treating 0 and 00 as a combined bet. They are not. On an American layout, a chip placed on the line between 0 and 00 is a split bet covering both numbers, and it pays 17 to 1. A chip placed on one of the numbers covers only that number and pays 35 to 1. If you want both zeros covered, you must place a bet that includes both, and you should check the payout for that bet before the wheel spins.
The second is assuming the green pockets pay a bonus or a special rate. Some side games and racetrack layouts offer additional wagers, but the standard straight-up payout for 0 and 00 is the same 35 to 1 as every other single number. If a table displays a different payout for a zero bet, you are looking at a side bet or a variant rule, and the terms should be printed on the layout or in the game information panel.
The third is placing a basket bet without realising its edge. The basket covers five numbers and pays 6 to 1, which looks convenient because it captures both zeros at once. But the payout is low relative to the number of pockets covered, and the expected loss per unit wagered is higher than on a straight-up bet. The convenience of covering both zeros in one chip comes at a measurable cost.
Reading the payout schedule before you play
The payout ratios in this article describe the standard roulette layout. Variants exist, and the only reliable source for the table in front of you is the table itself. At a live table, the payout schedule is printed on the layout or displayed on a placard at the table. Online, the game's information or help panel lists every bet type and its payout. Check that panel before you place a straight-up bet on 0 or 00, and confirm whether the game is a European, American, or modified layout. The number of pockets on the wheel is the single most important fact for understanding what your bet is worth, and it is always visible on the wheel itself.
FAQ
Does 00 pay more than 0 in roulette?
No. On a standard American layout, a straight-up bet on 00 pays 35 to 1, exactly the same as a straight-up bet on 0 or any other single number. The two zeros differ in how often they can appear, not in what they pay when they win.
What is the payout for a split bet on 0 and 00?
A split bet covering 0 and 00 pays 17 to 1 when the ball lands in either pocket. This is lower than the 35 to 1 straight-up payout because the split covers two numbers instead of one, so it wins twice as often.
Why does the American wheel have a higher house edge if the payouts are the same?
The payouts are the same, but the wheel has one extra pocket. A straight-up bet on an American wheel wins 1 time in 38 instead of 1 time in 37, while still paying 35 to 1. The extra losing pocket widens the gap between the payout and the true odds, which increases the house edge without changing the payout ratio.
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