If you have watched a game of roulette, you will have noticed the green pockets on the wheel marked as zero and, in some versions, double zero. These are a key part of how the game works.
Many players know the basics like red, black, odd or even, but the green spaces can feel less clear. What happens when the ball lands there, and how do payouts compare with the rest of the wheel?
Understanding what zero and double zero mean for your bets helps make sense of the whole table. This guide explains how green payouts work, how different wheels treat them, and what to expect when a green pocket hits.
What Do Zero And Double Zero Pay?
In roulette, betting directly on a single number, including zero or double zero, is a straight up bet. If you place your chip on zero (or double zero where available) and the ball lands there, the payout is 35 to 1. So a £1 stake on zero returns £35 in winnings plus your £1 stake for a total of £36.
On a European wheel, there is one green slot, zero. The American version has two green slots, zero and double zero. The straight up payout is the same on both, so backing double zero also pays 35 to 1.
You can also include zero in combination bets. A split between zero and an adjacent number pays 17 to 1. Bets that cover more numbers, such as trios that include zero or the first four (0, 1, 2, 3), pay less because you are covering a wider set of outcomes.
If you are wondering how those wider payouts fit into the full picture, the next section breaks them down so you can see where zero sits among the standard bet types.
How Does A Single Zero Wheel Work?
A single zero wheel is known as the European roulette wheel. It features numbers from 1 to 36 plus a green zero. All other numbers are split evenly between red and black.
Zero is the only number that is not red or black and not odd or even. When the ball lands on zero, outside bets such as red or black and odd or even do not win. Bets on zero itself, or combinations that include it, pay according to the type of bet you placed.
With only one green zero, European roulette has a lower house edge than versions with an extra green pocket, at about 2.70 percent. This is one reason single zero wheels are common in the UK. The table layout mirrors the wheel, so it is straightforward to place a chip on zero directly or include it in a nearby split or trio if you want to cover that area.
Moving from one green slot to two changes the maths a little, which is where the double zero wheel comes in.
How Does A Double Zero Wheel Work?
A double zero wheel, often called the American wheel, adds a second green pocket to the layout. In total there are 38 slots: numbers 1 to 36, zero and double zero.
Both green pockets sit outside the red or black and odd or even categories. When the ball lands in either green pocket, only bets placed directly on them, or combinations that include them, are paid. The additional double zero adds another outcome where outside bets do not win, which is why the house edge on this layout is higher, at about 5.26 percent.
The betting grid reflects the two green areas, with separate spaces for zero and double zero at the top of the number grid. In the UK you will mostly see single zero games, although some online and in-person tables also offer the American layout.
With the wheel types in mind, it helps to see how all the common payouts line up.
Roulette Payout Calculations Explained
Roulette payouts are tied to how many numbers a bet covers. The more numbers you include, the more often it can win, so the payout is lower. The core pay table is consistent, although the odds of hitting a given bet differ slightly between single and double zero wheels.
Here are the standard payouts you will come across, including the common ways zero can be covered:
- Straight up, one number, pays 35 to 1. This includes zero and, on American tables, double zero.
- Split, two numbers that share a border, pays 17 to 1. For example, 0 and 1.
- Street, three numbers in a row, pays 11 to 1. The trios 0-1-2 and 0-2-3 also pay 11 to 1.
- Corner (first four), four numbers, pays 8 to 1. This includes 0-1-2-3 on single zero tables.
- Line, six numbers across two rows, pays 5 to 1.
- Dozens or columns, 12 numbers, pay 2 to 1.
- Even-money bets, red or black, odd or even, high or low, pay 1 to 1.
- American specific, the five-number bet 0-00-1-2-3 pays 6 to 1.
Payouts are fixed in this way regardless of the version you are playing, but your chances shift slightly with the wheel layout. It is worth glancing at the table layout and rules summary before placing a stake, especially if you want to include zero.
How Do Zero And Double Zero Affect Even-Money Bets?
Even-money bets are those on red or black, odd or even, and high or low. They cover close to half of the non-green numbers and pay 1 to 1 when they win.
Zero and double zero do not count as red, black, odd, even, high or low. If the ball lands in a green pocket, even-money bets are not paid. On European tables there is one green pocket that can cause this. On American tables, there are two, which slightly reduces how often even-money bets succeed compared with the single zero game.
Some tables include rules that change what happens to even-money bets when zero appears, which leads us to La Partage and En Prison.
What Are La Partage And En Prison Rules And How Do They Change Zero Payouts?
In some UK and European games, you may find La Partage or En Prison applied to even-money bets when the ball lands on zero.
With La Partage, if your even-money bet loses because of zero, you get back half your stake. For example, a £10 bet on black would return £5 if zero appears. It reduces the impact of zero without changing the payout when your bet wins.
En Prison takes a different approach. If zero appears, your even-money stake stays on the table for the next spin. If that next outcome wins, your original stake is returned without profit. If it loses, the stake is taken.
Not every table offers these rules, and they are more common on European or French-style games than on American versions. It is sensible to check the rules page or table plaque so you know what applies.
Which Roulette Variant Gives Better Odds For Players?
In the UK, you will mainly see European roulette with a single zero, and sometimes American roulette with both zero and double zero. Because European roulette has only one green pocket, the house edge is lower, about 2.70 percent. American roulette, with two green pockets, has a higher house edge of about 5.26 percent.
French roulette uses the same single zero layout as European. Where offered with La Partage on even-money bets, the effective house edge on those specific wagers is reduced further, typically to about 1.35 percent.
For most players in the UK, a single zero table offers more favourable conditions than a double zero table. Knowing how zero works, and which rules are in play, helps set expectations and keeps your choices clear before you place a chip.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.