The Green Pocket Changes Every Bet on the Table
You have watched the wheel spin, the ball rattle, and then it drops into the green pocket marked 0. The first thing to understand is that this single pocket is not just another number. It is the reason the house holds an edge on every bet on the layout, and the reason some bets lose even when they look like they should win. On a European wheel there is one green pocket, the single zero. On an American wheel there are two, the single and double zero. The presence of that extra pocket on the American layout increases the house edge on the American game, because the payout odds for the other numbers do not change to compensate for it.
When the ball lands on 0, the outcome depends on what you bet. The zero is not a red number and it is not a black number. It is not odd and it is not even. It is not in the first, second, or third dozen, and it is not in the 1-18 or 19-36 ranges. So every even-money bet, every dozen bet, and every column bet loses outright on a zero. The only bets that can win on a zero are a straight-up bet placed directly on the 0, a split bet that includes the 0, a street or corner bet that covers it, or a basket bet on an American layout that covers 0, 00, and the first three numbers. Everything else is settled as a loss.
The Sequence of a Round From Stake to Settlement
A round of roulette follows a fixed sequence, and knowing where you are in that sequence is what lets you read the table correctly. It starts before the spin, when the dealer opens the betting window. You place your chips on the layout, either directly on a number or on the lines and boxes that represent groups of numbers. The dealer then closes the betting window, usually with a hand motion and a spoken call. Once the window is closed, no chips may be placed, moved, or removed.
The dealer spins the wheel in one direction and sends the ball travelling in the opposite direction around the outer track. As the ball loses speed it drops into the wheel and settles in a pocket. The dealer places a marker, often called the dolly, on the winning number on the layout, then clears all losing bets from the table. Winning bets are paid according to the posted payout schedule, and the marker is removed. Only then does the next betting window open. Your chips remain yours until the moment a losing bet is cleared, and a winning bet is paid before the next spin begins.
What the Zero Does to Each Bet Type
Roulette is a game of many different bets on the same table, and those bets carry materially different house edges. The zero pocket is the mechanism that creates those differences. On a European wheel, all bets except one share the same house edge, because the zero is the only pocket that is not covered by the even-money, dozen, and column bets. On an American wheel, the double zero adds a second uncovered pocket and makes the house edge higher across the board. The table below compares the main bet types and what happens to each when the ball lands on 0.
| Bet type | What it covers | What happens on 0 | Why the edge differs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight-up | One number, including 0 | Wins if the bet is on 0; loses if on any other number | Pays 35 to 1, but the wheel has 37 or 38 pockets, so the payout is short of the true odds |
| Split | Two adjacent numbers | Wins if 0 is one of the two; loses otherwise | Same edge as a straight-up bet on a European wheel |
| Even-money (red/black, odd/even, high/low) | 18 numbers | Loses | Pays 1 to 1, but covers fewer than half the pockets because the zero is excluded |
| Dozen or column | 12 numbers | Loses | Pays 2 to 1, but covers fewer than a third of the pockets because the zero is excluded |
| Basket (American only) | 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 | Wins | Pays 6 to 1, but covers 5 pockets on a 38-pocket wheel, giving it a higher house edge than other American bets |
The important point is not that any of these bets is a way to win. It is that the zero pocket is the structural reason the payout on every bet is slightly short of the true odds. The house edge and the return to player sum to 100% for the same bet under the same rule set, and the zero is the gap between the two.
En Prison and La Partage: When the Zero Gives Something Back
Some European tables apply a special rule to even-money bets when the ball lands on 0. Under the la partage rule, the player receives half of the even-money stake back immediately. Under the en prison rule, the full stake is held in place, imprisoned, for the next spin. If the next spin wins, the stake is returned without winnings. If it loses, the stake is lost. Both rules reduce the house edge on even-money bets specifically, because they soften the loss on the zero. Neither rule changes the edge on inside bets, and neither rule exists on a standard American layout. Whether a table uses one of these rules is printed on the table itself or stated in the game information panel, and it is worth checking before you sit down, because it changes the expected rate of loss on the bets most new players make first.
Strategy Charts Derive From the Exact Rule Set
Roulette does not have a basic strategy chart in the way blackjack does, because there is no decision that changes the composition of the deck after the bet is placed. The decision is made before the spin, and it is a choice of bet type and stake. What roulette does have is a set of published payout schedules and house-edge calculations, and those calculations derive from the exact rule set in use. A European wheel with la partage has a different expected rate of loss on even-money bets than a European wheel without it. An American wheel has a different edge on every bet than a European wheel. Any chart or table you find that claims to give the house edge for roulette is only accurate if it matches the wheel type and the special rules at the table where you are playing. The game information panel or the table signage is the source for the rule set that applies to you.
Procedural Mistakes That Cost New Players
The most common mistake new players make at a roulette table is placing a bet after the dealer has closed the window. A late bet is not accepted, and if you push chips onto the layout after the call, the dealer will tell you to take them back. The second mistake is moving or removing a chip after the ball has landed. Once the marker is down, the layout is frozen. Touching a chip at that point looks like an attempt to alter a settled bet, and the dealer will correct you sharply. The third mistake is misunderstanding what an even-money bet covers. A player who bets on red and sees the ball land on 0 sometimes expects the bet to push, because 0 is not black. It does not push. It loses, unless a special rule like la partage or en prison is in force. The fourth mistake is buying in with cash placed directly on the layout. Chips are bought from the dealer, and cash must be placed on the table for the dealer to convert, never handed directly or dropped onto the betting area.
FAQ
Does 0 count as an even number in roulette?
No. The zero pocket is excluded from the even-money categories entirely. It is not red, not black, not odd, not even, not high, and not low. Any even-money bet loses when the ball lands on 0 unless the table applies la partage or en prison.
What is the payout for a straight-up bet on 0?
A straight-up bet on any single number, including 0, pays 35 to 1. That is the posted payout on both European and American layouts. The true odds of hitting any single number are 36 to 1 on a European wheel and 37 to 1 on an American wheel, which is why the payout is short of the true odds and the house holds an edge.
Is betting on 0 a better bet than betting on red or black?
On a European wheel, a straight-up bet on 0 carries the same house edge as any other straight-up bet, and the same edge as the even-money bets under standard rules. It is not a better bet in terms of expected loss. On an American wheel, the basket bet that includes 0 and 00 carries a higher house edge than most other bets on the table, so it is a worse bet in terms of expected loss. The zero is a number like any other; it is not a special opportunity.
If gambling is no longer enjoyable, help is available. Contact the National Gambling Helpline at the helpline printed in the footer below for confidential support, or visit a responsible gambling resource in your area.
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.