Where the six line sits on the layout
You are looking at an American roulette table, and the felt shows the numbers 1 through 36 arranged in twelve rows of three, with a zero and a double zero above them. The six line bet is one of the inside bets, placed on the line where two of those rows meet, at the outer edge of the layout. A chip resting there covers all six numbers in those two rows at once.
The bet also goes by the name double street, because each three-number row is called a street. Covering two streets with one chip is the whole idea. The placement is what defines the bet: the chip must sit on the outside corner line that separates the two rows from the rest of the layout, not on the line between two individual numbers and not on any of the outside sections for red, black, odd, even, high or low.
On an American wheel the zero and double zero sit apart from the numbered grid. A six line never includes them. The six numbers you cover are always three consecutive numbers in one row and the same three positions in the row directly beneath. Which numbers those are depends entirely on where you place the chip.
What happens when the ball lands
A six line bet wins when the ball settles in any of the six covered pockets. The payout is fixed at 5 to 1, meaning a winning chip returns five units of profit plus the original stake. If the ball lands anywhere else on the wheel, including zero or double zero, the bet loses.
Because six numbers are covered, the bet wins on a smaller share of spins than an outside bet such as red or black, but it pays more when it does. The payout is lower than a straight-up bet on a single number, which pays 35 to 1, because the six line covers six times as many pockets.
The house edge on this bet is the same as on most other American roulette wagers. An American wheel has 38 pockets, and the six line covers six of them. The payout of 5 to 1 is short of what a fair payout would be for a 6-in-38 chance, and that shortfall is where the house edge comes from. The double zero on the American layout makes that shortfall larger than it would be on a single-zero European wheel.
How the six line compares with other inside bets
Inside bets are grouped by how many numbers they cover and where the chip sits. The six line is one of the broader inside bets, covering more numbers than a street or a corner but fewer than an outside bet. That position in the middle of the payout scale is what makes it useful to understand before you sit down.
| Bet | Numbers covered | Payout | How it sits on the layout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 1 | 35 to 1 | Chip placed inside a single number |
| Split | 2 | 17 to 1 | Chip on the line between two numbers |
| Street | 3 | 11 to 1 | Chip on the outer edge of one row |
| Corner | 4 | 8 to 1 | Chip where four numbers meet |
| Six line | 6 | 5 to 1 | Chip on the line between two rows |
The table shows why the six line is sometimes called a middle-ground bet. It does not pay the dramatic amounts of a straight-up number, and it does not win as often as an outside bet, but it spreads one stake across six pockets. A player who wants more action than a single number but less exposure than a dozen bet might use it as a building block.
What the table cannot show is that all of these bets carry the same house edge on an American wheel, with one exception: the five-number bet covering zero, double zero, one, two and three carries a higher edge than the rest of the layout. The six line is not that bet. Its edge matches the standard American roulette edge, which is higher than the edge on a European single-zero wheel because of the extra pocket.
The sequence of a round from buy-in to settlement
You buy in at the table with cash, and the dealer exchanges it for roulette chips. Each player at a table receives chips in a colour unique to them, so the dealer can tell whose bet is whose on the felt. These table chips only have value at that table; you cash them back at the same table when you finish.
The dealer opens betting for the round. You place your six line chip on the line between the two rows you want. The dealer may announce that no more bets are allowed, at which point the wheel is already spinning or about to be. The ball is released in the opposite direction to the wheel's spin.
When the ball drops into a pocket, the dealer marks the winning number on the layout. Losing bets are cleared first, then winning bets are paid. If your six line won, the dealer places five chips next to your original stake and leaves the original in place for you to collect or leave for the next round.
One procedural point matters more than it looks: do not reach onto the layout after the dealer has called no more bets. If you want to move or remove a chip, ask the dealer. Roulette tables run on a strict sequence, and a hand in the layout during the spin is the fastest way to have a bet ruled late or void.
Mistakes that cost new players at the roulette table
The first mistake is placing the chip in the wrong spot and assuming it still counts as a six line. A chip that sits fully inside one row is a street bet, not a six line, even if the player meant to cover two rows. A chip that sits on the corner where four numbers meet is a corner bet. The dealer pays the bet that matches the chip's position, not the bet the player intended. If you are unsure, place the chip and tell the dealer what you want before the spin.
The second mistake is treating the six line as a safer bet than it is. Covering six numbers means the bet wins more often than a straight-up wager, but the payout is scaled down to match, and the house edge is unchanged. No inside bet on an American wheel removes the built-in advantage the extra zero pocket creates.
The third mistake is pressing the bet after losses on the assumption that a win is due. Each spin is independent, and the wheel has no memory of the previous result. A six line that has missed ten times is no more likely to hit on the eleventh spin than it was on the first.
What changes between tables and rule variants
The six line bet itself is the same on every American roulette table, but two things vary. Some tables post a minimum and maximum for inside bets separately from outside bets, and a six line may need to meet the inside minimum on its own rather than as part of a combined total across the layout. The table's posted placard states these limits.
The other variable is the wheel itself. American roulette uses 38 pockets with a zero and a double zero. A European wheel uses 37 pockets with a single zero. The six line covers the same six numbers on either layout, but the house edge on the bet is lower on the European wheel because there is one fewer pocket that can beat it. If you have a choice of wheel, that difference is the one that matters for this bet.
Strategy charts for roulette do not exist in the way they do for blackjack, because roulette offers no decision after the bet is placed. What a player controls is which bet to make and how much to stake. The six line is one option among many, and its edge is fixed by the wheel, not by any choice made during the round.
FAQ
Is a six line bet the same as a double street?
Yes. Double street is another name for the same wager. Both terms describe a chip placed on the line between two rows of three numbers, covering all six numbers in those rows at a payout of 5 to 1.
Can a six line bet include zero or double zero?
No. The zero and double zero sit outside the numbered grid on an American layout, and a six line only covers two adjacent rows of three numbers from the main grid. A bet that includes the zeros is a different wager with its own placement and payout.
How much should I bet on a six line?
That is a bankroll decision, not a rule of the game. The table's posted minimum and maximum for inside bets set the outer limits. Within those limits, the amount you stake changes the size of a potential win or loss but does not change the house edge on the bet.
Play responsibly
Gambling should be treated as paid entertainment, never as a way to earn income or recover losses. 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738)
18+ or 21+ depending on where you are; follow the minimum age that applies to you.
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.