The Situation When the Ball Stops on Green
You have chips on the layout, the wheel slows, and the ball settles into the green pocket marked 0. What happens next depends on three things: which wheel you are playing, what kind of bet you placed, and how the table rules treat outside bets when a zero appears. There is no single answer, and that is exactly why the zero pocket matters more than any other number on the wheel.
The 0 is the pocket that gives the house its structural advantage on most bets. It is not a player number and it is not a losing number in every situation. Some bets pay when it lands; others lose outright; a third group is handled by a rule that returns part of your stake. Understanding that split is the whole game of reading a roulette layout correctly.
What the 0 Pocket Is on Each Wheel
Roulette is played on two main wheel layouts, and the number of green pockets changes what a zero means for your money.
| Wheel type | Pockets | Green pockets | Effect of the extra pocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| European | 37 | One (0) | Single zero only |
| American | 38 | Two (0 and 00) | Double zero increases the house edge on the American layout |
The extra pocket on the American wheel is not cosmetic. Because the zero is the number that breaks most even-money and outside wagers, adding a second one changes how often the house collects on those bets. The wheel does not change its odds because of the zero alone; the zero changes the odds because it sits outside the red/black, odd/even and high/low groupings that most players bet on.
How the 0 Settles by Bet Type
Not every bet reacts to the zero the same way. The settlement is mechanical, and the table layout already tells you which bets include the zero and which do not.
| Bet type | Includes 0? | What happens when 0 lands |
|---|---|---|
| Straight-up on 0 | Yes | Wins at the table's fixed straight-up payout |
| Split, street or corner covering 0 | Yes, if 0 is one of the covered numbers | Wins according to that bet's payout |
| Red/black, odd/even, high/low | No | Loses on most layouts, unless a part-return rule applies |
| Dozens or columns | No | Loses unless a part-return rule applies |
The straight-up bet on 0 is the cleanest case. You place chips directly on the green number, and if it lands you are paid the straight-up rate printed on the table. The same applies to any combination bet that includes 0 as one of its covered numbers, such as a split between 0 and 1, or a street covering 0, 1 and 2. Those bets treat 0 like any other number in their range.
Outside bets are the other extreme. Red/black, odd/even and high/low bets do not cover the zero at all. When the ball lands on 0, those bets lose on most tables. The zero is neither red nor black, neither odd nor even, and it sits outside the high and low ranges. That is precisely why it works as the house's edge on even-money wagers: the bet looks like a coin flip, but the green pocket means it is not a 50/50 proposition.
The Part-Return Rules Some Tables Use
Some European tables soften the zero for outside bettors with one of two rules. They are not standard everywhere, and you should read the printed rules on the table before you assume either one applies.
Under one common rule, called la partage, an even-money outside bet that loses to a zero gives half the stake back to the player. Under another, called en prison, the losing even-money bet is held on the layout for the next spin. If the next spin wins, the original stake is returned; if it loses, the stake is collected. Both rules apply only to even-money outside bets and only on tables that advertise them.
These rules change the expected loss on the affected bets, but they do not change what the zero is. The zero still wins for the house on those outside bets; the rule simply returns part of the stake in some circumstances. A table with no such rule collects the full outside bet when the zero lands.
Why the Zero Is the House Edge in One Pocket
House edge and RTP are complements: they sum to 100% for the same game. The zero is the pocket that creates the gap on most roulette bets. On a European wheel with 37 pockets, a straight-up bet on any single number would be a fair game at 37-to-1 if the payout were 37-to-1. The table pays a lower fixed rate, and the difference between that payout and the true odds is the house edge. The zero is not the only source of that edge on inside bets, but it is the source of the edge on outside bets, because outside bets cover only 36 of the 37 or 38 pockets.
That is why the American wheel carries a larger edge on the same outside bets. The extra green pocket means an even-money bet covers a smaller share of the wheel, while the payout stays the same. No betting pattern changes that arithmetic. A progression that doubles after losses redistributes when you win and lose, but it does not remove the green pocket from the wheel.
Sequence of a Round When Zero Is in Play
From buy-in to settlement, a round that ends on zero follows the same sequence as any other spin, with one extra decision point for players who placed outside bets.
You buy in at the table and receive chips. You place bets before the dealer closes the betting window. The ball is spun, and when it settles the dealer marks the winning number. If that number is 0, the dealer first pays any bets that include 0 as a covered number. Then the dealer collects losing bets. If the table uses a part-return rule, the dealer announces it and either returns half the even-money stake or places it in prison for the next spin. The next round then begins with a fresh betting window.
The procedural mistakes new players make around the zero are specific. One is betting on 0 as if it were a red or black number and then arguing the settlement when the outside bet loses. Another is assuming the part-return rule applies on every table, or on inside bets, when it applies only to even-money outside bets on tables that offer it. A third is treating a straight-up bet on 0 as somehow safer than a straight-up bet on any other number. It is the same bet with the same payout and the same edge; the green colour does not change the mathematics.
Reading the Table Before You Bet the Zero
The layout itself carries most of what you need. The green pocket is printed on the wheel and on the felt. The payout for a straight-up bet is printed on the layout. The part-return rule, if any, is printed on a plaque or table sign, or stated in the venue's posted rules. If you cannot see it, ask the dealer before the spin, not after.
The wheel type is visible at a glance: count the green pockets. One green pocket is the European layout; two is the American layout. That single observation tells you more about your expected loss on outside bets than any other feature of the table.
FAQ
Does 0 count as an even number in roulette?
No. The 0 pocket is outside the odd/even grouping entirely. An even-money bet on even numbers loses when the ball lands on 0, unless the table applies a part-return rule to even-money outside bets.
Can you bet on 0 and 00 together?
On an American wheel, yes. The two green pockets are adjacent on the layout, and a split bet covering both is a standard combination bet. It wins only if one of the two green pockets lands, and it pays at the split rate printed on the table.
Does a part-return rule make the zero bet a good bet?
The part-return rules apply to even-money outside bets that lose to zero, not to bets placed on the zero itself. A straight-up bet on 0 carries the same house edge as a straight-up bet on any other single number. The rule reduces the expected loss on the outside bets it covers; it does not turn the zero into a favourable bet.
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