American Roulette: The Double Zero and What It Costs You
Understanding the 38-pocket wheel
American roulette is the most common variant in land-based US casinos. It looks almost identical to European roulette, plays the same way, and pays the same odds. The only visible difference is one extra pocket — the double zero (00). That single pocket nearly doubles the house edge, and understanding why is the most important lesson in roulette.
What Is American Roulette?
American roulette is played on a wheel with 38 pockets: numbers 1 through 36 (alternating red and black), plus two green pockets — a single zero (0) and a double zero (00). Players bet on where a ball will land after the wheel spins. The rules are otherwise identical to European roulette.
The critical difference: all payouts are calculated as if there are 36 numbers, but the wheel has 38 pockets. Two zero pockets instead of one means the house takes a bigger slice of every bet.
The American Wheel
Number Sequence
The American wheel arranges numbers differently from the European wheel. Opposite numbers on the wheel are consecutive (1 faces 2, 3 faces 4, etc.), and the two zeros sit directly across from each other. Reading clockwise from 0:
0, 28, 9, 26, 30, 11, 7, 20, 32, 17, 5, 22, 34, 15, 3, 24, 36, 13, 1, 00, 27, 10, 25, 29, 12, 8, 19, 31, 18, 6, 21, 33, 16, 4, 23, 35, 14, 2.
Layout Differences from European
The American wheel layout has several distinct properties:
- Paired consecutive numbers: 1 and 2 are opposite each other, as are 3 and 4, 5 and 6, etc. This is different from the European wheel, which distributes numbers to balance high/low and red/black.
- Two zeros opposite each other: 0 and 00 sit on opposite sides of the wheel, dividing it into two halves.
- Red/black alternation: Like European, adjacent pockets alternate between red and black (zeros are green).
The House Edge: 5.26%
The house edge in American roulette is 5.26% on nearly every bet. Here's the math:
A straight-up bet on a single number pays 35:1. If the wheel had 36 pockets, this would be a fair bet — you'd win once every 36 spins and get paid 35:1. But the wheel has 38 pockets. Your chance of winning is 1/38 (2.63%), not 1/36 (2.78%).
The house edge formula: (38 - 36) / 38 = 2/38 = 5.26%
This applies to every bet on the table — inside bets, outside bets, dozens, columns — with one exception (the Basket bet, which is even worse).
Comparing the Cost
| Variant | Pockets | Zeros | House Edge | Expected Loss per $1,000 Wagered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| European | 37 | 1 (0) | 2.70% | $27 |
| American | 38 | 2 (0, 00) | 5.26% | $52.60 |
| French (La Partage) | 37 | 1 (0) | 1.35%* | $13.50* |
* On even-money bets with La Partage rule
Over the same number of spins with the same bet sizes, American roulette costs you nearly twice as much as European. The payouts are identical — you're simply paying more for the same game.
The Basket Bet: The Worst Bet in Roulette
The Basket bet (also called the Five Number bet or Top Line bet) is unique to American roulette. It covers five numbers: 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 and pays 6:1.
This is the only bet in any roulette variant with a different house edge. The math:
- Coverage: 5 out of 38 pockets = 13.16% win probability
- Fair payout for 5 numbers: (38/5) - 1 = 6.6:1
- Actual payout: 6:1
- House edge: 7.89% — nearly 50% worse than every other bet on the table
Bet Types and Payouts
American roulette offers the same bet categories as European: inside bets and outside bets. Payouts are identical. The only difference is that win probabilities are slightly lower on every bet due to the extra pocket.
| Bet Type | Numbers Covered | Payout | Win Probability | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Up | 1 | 35:1 | 2.63% | 5.26% |
| Split | 2 | 17:1 | 5.26% | 5.26% |
| Street | 3 | 11:1 | 7.89% | 5.26% |
| Corner | 4 | 8:1 | 10.53% | 5.26% |
| Basket (Top Line) | 5 | 6:1 | 13.16% | 7.89% |
| Double Street | 6 | 5:1 | 15.79% | 5.26% |
| Dozen | 12 | 2:1 | 31.58% | 5.26% |
| Column | 12 | 2:1 | 31.58% | 5.26% |
| Red / Black | 18 | 1:1 | 47.37% | 5.26% |
| Odd / Even | 18 | 1:1 | 47.37% | 5.26% |
| High / Low | 18 | 1:1 | 47.37% | 5.26% |
Compare with the European roulette payout table — same payouts, lower win probabilities across the board.
Strategies on American Roulette
All standard progressions work mechanically on American roulette — the bet types and payouts are the same. But the higher house edge has real consequences for strategy performance:
Faster Bankroll Erosion
At 5.26% vs. 2.70%, your bankroll drains nearly twice as fast. A Martingale player on an American wheel will hit losing streaks more frequently and recover less from each win cycle. The same $500 bankroll that supports 200 spins on a European wheel might only last 150 on an American one.
Even-Money Bets Are Less Even
On European roulette, Red has a 48.65% win rate. On American, it's 47.37%. That 1.28% difference might seem small, but over hundreds of spins it compounds significantly. Even-money progressions like D'Alembert and Paroli are calibrated for the European probability — on American wheels, losing streaks are longer and winning streaks shorter on average.
Dozen and Column Coverage Drops
A single dozen covers 12 of 37 pockets on European (32.43%) vs. 12 of 38 on American (31.58%). Two-dozen coverage drops from 64.86% to 63.16%. For multi-strategy sessions targeting high table coverage, this matters over long sessions.
When You're Stuck with American Roulette
In many US land-based casinos, American roulette is the only option. If you have to play, these adjustments help:
- Lower your base unit. The faster bankroll erosion means you need more runway. If you'd bet $5 on European, consider $3 on American.
- Shorten your sessions. The house edge compounds over time. Shorter sessions mean less exposure. Set strict round-count triggers in SpinStrategy.
- Tighten your stop-losses. Set triggers at smaller drawdown thresholds. A -$50 stop-loss on European might need to be -$35 on American to account for the faster drain.
- Never place the Basket bet. 7.89% house edge — there's no reason to take the worst odds on the table.
- Avoid aggressive progressions. Martingale on American roulette is particularly dangerous. The extra zero increases the frequency of long losing streaks. Consider Oscar's Grind or D'Alembert for lower variance.
Using SpinStrategy on American Tables
SpinStrategy supports American roulette wheels. When creating a session with an American roulette provider config, the engine accounts for the 38-pocket wheel and the double zero pocket in all probability calculations, bet validations, and frequency tracking.
Key features for American wheel sessions:
- Accurate frequency data: The pocket frequency chart includes the 00 pocket, so you see the true distribution across all 38 outcomes.
- Trigger protection: Set tighter stop-loss and max-drawdown triggers to compensate for the faster bankroll erosion.
- Conservative Recovery: Especially valuable on American wheels, where drawdowns happen more frequently and recovery takes longer.
- Session comparison: Run the same strategy on European and American tables in separate sessions, then compare the analytics side by side to see the house edge difference in practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the house edge in American roulette?
The house edge is 5.26% on all bets except the Basket bet (7.89%). This comes from two zero pockets on a 38-pocket wheel, while payouts are calculated as if there were 36 numbers: (38 - 36) / 38 = 5.26%.
What is the Basket bet in American roulette?
The Basket bet covers 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3, paying 6:1. It's the only bet in roulette with a different house edge — 7.89%, making it the worst wager on the table. It only exists on American wheels because it requires the double zero.
How many pockets does an American roulette wheel have?
38 pockets: numbers 1 through 36 (red and black), plus two green pockets — 0 and 00. The extra zero compared to European roulette (37 pockets) is the sole source of the higher house edge.
Should I play American roulette or European roulette?
European roulette is always the better choice. The house edge is 2.70% vs. 5.26%, with identical payouts. If your casino offers both, there is no strategic reason to choose American. See the full variant comparison.
Can betting strategies work on American roulette?
Yes, all progressions work mechanically. But the 5.26% house edge means your bankroll erodes nearly twice as fast as on European wheels. Shorten sessions, lower base units, and tighten stop-losses to compensate.
Related Posts
- European Roulette Guide - The single-zero wheel with 2.70% house edge
- European vs American vs French Roulette - Complete variant comparison
- How Table Layout Affects Strategy - Bet zones, positions, and neighbor relationships
- Martingale Progression - High risk on American wheels
- D'Alembert Progression - Safer choice for American tables
- Oscar's Grind Progression - Conservative option for higher house edge
- Conservative Recovery - Essential for American wheel sessions
- What Are Progressions? - Complete overview of bet sizing systems