Roulette looks simple at first: bet red or black, odd or even, and wait for the ball to land. That simplicity can hide a fundamental detail most beginners miss: the green pocket or pockets labeled 0 and, on some wheels, 00. This article explains what the green pockets mean in plain language, how they change payout math, and why those green pockets are the structural reason casinos earn a long-run advantage. Examples and regulator-backed references will help you check table rules and compare single-zero and double-zero tables.

The green pocket is the mechanical source of roulette's house edge because it is excluded from even-money partitions.

Single-zero European wheels carry about a 2.70 percent house edge; double-zero American wheels about 5.26 percent for standard bets.

La Partage or En Prison rules can cut the effective edge on even-money bets roughly in half where they apply.

What the green pocket means on a roulette table

Definition of the green pocket, roulette green payout

The green pocket on a roulette wheel is the slot or slots labeled 0 on European-style wheels and 0 and 00 on many American-style wheels. These green pocket labels are not part of the red/black or odd/even categories, so when a green pocket wins it does not count as a win for even-money or color bets. This mechanical difference is why casinos retain a mathematical advantage on otherwise symmetric bets, and it is the basic explanation behind the phrase roulette green payout when players ask how the green pocket affects returns Encyclopaedia Britannica roulette overview

Put plainly, the green pocket is an extra outcome that reduces the probability of winning common bets compared with what players might assume if they only count red versus black or odd versus even. Because payouts are fixed by table rules and do not fully reflect these added outcomes, the presence of one or two green pockets creates the house edge. That mechanical origin of the edge is documented in standard rule guides and regulator materials Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved rules for roulette

See Funded Plays challenge rules and learning resources

Check the table placard or house rules to confirm whether zero, double zero, or special even-money rules apply before placing bets.

View Funded Plays Challenges

Why zero is neither red/black nor odd/even

Zero is colored green and treated as a separate label, so it is excluded from both color and parity categories used by even-money bets. That exclusion is not a cosmetic detail; it changes the odds for all bets that rely on a partition of the wheel into two equal sets, such as red versus black and odd versus even Encyclopaedia Britannica roulette overview

Close up of roulette 0 and 00 boxes with chips nearby on a dark minimalist Funded Plays table showing roulette green payout

Because zero does not belong to red or black or to odd or even, a bet that would otherwise have roughly a 50 percent chance to win becomes slightly less likely to succeed. The effect is immediate and mechanical: zero occupies a physical pocket on the wheel and a corresponding cell on the table layout, and when the ball lands there it is a loss for even-money bets unless a specific rule modifies the outcome Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved rules for roulette

How green affects standard bets and outcomes

Which bets lose when zero appears

When the wheel lands on a green pocket, several common bets lose outright because zero is excluded from their winning sets. Even-money bets, column and dozen bets, and many outside wagers lose on zero. Inside bets that name a specific number still win when zero is the outcome, but their payout rates reflect the overall odds that include the green pocket Wizard of Odds roulette rules and house edge guide

Mechanical effect on bet categories

Standard bet types and their payouts are set by table rules. For quick reference, straight-up pays 35:1, split 17:1, street 11:1, corner 8:1, six-line 5:1, column/dozen 2:1, and even-money 1:1. Because zero is excluded from many categories, the probability that a straight-up number wins is 1 out of the total pockets, while the probability that an even-money bet wins is the count of winning pockets divided by the total number of pockets Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved rules for roulette

European (single-zero) versus American (double-zero) layouts and house edge

Number differences and wheel layouts

A single-zero, or European, wheel has 37 pockets: numbers 1 through 36 plus a single 0. An American-style wheel usually includes both 0 and 00 for a total of 38 pockets. That additional green pocket changes the denominator used to compute probabilities and therefore alters expected returns on identical bets between the two wheel types Wizard of Odds roulette rules and house edge guide

What is the role of the green pocket on a roulette wheel?

The green pocket or pockets labeled 0 (and 00 on some wheels) are excluded from red/black and odd/even bets, creating a mismatch between payouts and true odds that produces the house edge; this effect explains why single-zero and double-zero wheels have different expected losses.

House edge comparison with numbers

Because payouts are identical while the number of possible outcomes differs, the house edge is commonly quoted as 2.70 percent on single-zero wheels and 5.26 percent on double-zero wheels for standard wagers. In practice this means the extra green pocket on American wheels nearly doubles the percentage house advantage for typical bets, which is why many players prefer single-zero tables when available Wizard of Odds roulette rules and house edge guide (see a casino perspective Hard Rock Sacramento odds writeup).

These percentages are derived from the mismatch between true odds and table payouts. The single-zero layout spreads winning probability across 37 outcomes, while the double-zero layout uses 38 outcomes, and the fixed payout schedule does not change to match the lower winning probability created by extra green pockets Wizard of Odds on American roulette and five-number bet details

Standard payout schedule and why payouts are slightly below true odds

Common payout table

Roulette tables use a standard payout schedule that players see at most casinos. The common list is: straight-up 35:1; split 17:1; street 11:1; corner 8:1; six-line 5:1; column or dozen 2:1; even-money 1:1. These payouts are applied regardless of whether the wheel has one or two green pockets, which is part of why payouts are slightly below true mathematical odds OLG PlaySmart roulette payout guide

Why 35:1 is below true odds for a straight-up

For a straight-up bet on a single-zero wheel, the true odds against a particular number are 36 to 1 because there are 37 total outcomes, but the table pays only 35 to 1. That small difference between 35 and 36 in payout produces the house edge on inside bets and is consistent across jurisdictions and regulator materials that document table rules Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved rules for roulette

Special rules that change what happens when green hits: La Partage and En Prison

How La Partage works

On some single-zero tables operators offer La Partage: when the ball lands on zero, half of an even-money bet is returned to the player and half is lost. This rule reduces the effective house edge on those bets by returning part of the stake on zero outcomes and is a common local variation in some regulated markets Wizard of Odds roulette rules and house edge guide

Funded Plays Challenges

View Funded Plays Challenges

How En Prison works and when it applies

En Prison is another single-zero option for even-money bets: when zero appears a qualifying bet is held in place for the next spin. If the subsequent spin wins the held bet is returned; if it loses the stake is lost. Where either La Partage or En Prison is applied, the house edge on affected even-money bets drops to about 1.35 percent, roughly half the usual single-zero edge for those wagers Wizard of Odds on American and special rules summary

Expected-loss math: concrete examples for players

Per-bet expected loss examples

Expected value for a single roulette bet

Enter probability as decimal

Expected loss is a simple multiplication of stake and house edge. For an even-money bet on a single-zero wheel with a house edge of 2.70 percent, the long-run expected loss on a 10 dollar wager is 10 dollars times 0.027, which is about 0.27 dollars. This figure represents the average loss over many plays, not a guaranteed result on any single spin Wizard of Odds roulette rules and house edge guide

Minimal 2D vector of roulette table with red and black chips on betting squares and the green zero pocket visible illustrating roulette green payout in Funded Plays color palette

Interpreting expected loss over many spins

On a double-zero wheel with a 5.26 percent house edge, the same 10 dollar even-money stake has an expected loss of about 0.53 dollars per bet. These numbers are straightforward: multiply the bet size by the house edge percentage to estimate long-run average loss. That calculation makes the practical cost of the extra green pocket easy to see when comparing wheels Wizard of Odds roulette rules and house edge guide

Common bets and how the green pocket changes their value

Even-money and outside bets

Outside bets such as red/black, odd/even, and high/low are impacted most directly by zero because these bets rely on near-even partitions that zero breaks. Unless La Partage or En Prison applies, zero causes these bets to lose and therefore reduces their expected return by the house edge percentage for the wheel in use OLG PlaySmart roulette payout guide

Inside bets and straight-ups

Inside bets that pick single numbers remain eligible to win on zero if the player selects that specific pocket, but the payout for a straight-up does not fully reflect the true odds. A straight-up still pays 35:1 even though the true odds on a single-zero wheel are 36 to 1 against a specific number, so the green pocket contributes to the same payout mismatch that produces the house edge for inside bets Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved rules for roulette

The five-number bet: a special US case and its higher edge

What the five-number bet covers

The five-number bet available on many American double-zero tables covers the pockets 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. It is a single wager that covers those five positions and pays at a rate determined by the table, but its payout schedule and underlying probabilities create a larger house advantage than most other bets Wizard of Odds on American roulette and five-number bet details

Why its house edge is especially high

Because the five-number bet combines two green pockets with three low numbers it reduces the chance of winning relative to its payout, producing a house edge of about 7.89 percent where the wager is offered. That edge is substantially higher than standard American roulette bets and is cited in rule and strategy references as a reason to treat the five-number wager as an outlier in value terms Wizard of Odds on American roulette and five-number bet details

Official rules and regulator sources that confirm payouts and layouts

Where to find regulator rulebooks

State gaming regulators and lottery authorities publish rulebooks and table-game guides that list accepted layouts and payout schedules. These documents are authoritative references when confirming whether a casino uses single-zero or double-zero wheels and which table-side rules apply Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved rules for roulette

What those PDFs typically specify

Typical regulator PDFs state the table layout, the number and names of pockets, and the official payout schedule used for each bet. Checking these documents or a venue's posted house rules is the most reliable way to verify whether La Partage, En Prison, or five-number options are in force for a given table OLG PlaySmart roulette payout guide

Practical tips for players: choosing a wheel and bets with the green pocket in mind

Table selection: single-zero vs double-zero

If you want to minimize average loss per bet, choose single-zero tables where available because they carry a lower house edge on standard wagers. The single-zero layout reduces expected loss for identical wagers compared with double-zero layouts, which is a simple and reliable way to lower long-run costs for the same betting patterns Wizard of Odds roulette rules and house edge guide. See the Funded Plays blog for related coverage.

Bet choice and bankroll perspective

Look for tables that advertise La Partage or En Prison if you commonly place even-money bets, as those rules materially lower the edge on those wager types. Regardless of table choice, remember that expected-value math governs long-run results; use bankroll sizing and clear limits rather than betting systems that cannot change the house advantage OLG PlaySmart roulette payout guide. See how Funded Plays evaluations work.

Typical errors and myths about the green pocket and payout odds

Common misunderstandings

A frequent myth is that zero is somehow "due" after a run of non-zero outcomes. In truth each spin is independent and the probability of zero on a given spin is fixed by the wheel layout and does not change based on prior results. This misunderstanding is part of the gambler's fallacy and can mislead players into inconsistent staking decisions Wikipedia roulette entry

Why betting systems do not change the math

No betting system can alter the expected value set by the layout and payout schedule because these are baked into the probabilities and the table pays. Strategies that change stake size do not affect the negative expectation produced by the green pockets; they only change the distribution of short-term wins and losses Wikipedia roulette entry

Practical examples and worked scenarios

Example 1: $10 even-money bet on single-zero

To compute expected value for a 10 dollar even-money bet on a single-zero wheel, use the house edge of 2.70 percent. Expected loss equals stake times house edge, so 10 dollars times 0.027 equals 0.27 dollars. That means over a large number of identical bets the average loss per bet would be about 27 cents, illustrating how the green pocket affects even-money wagers Wizard of Odds roulette rules and house edge guide

Example 2: $10 straight-up on double-zero

For a 10 dollar straight-up on a double-zero wheel the probability of winning is 1 out of 38 and the payout is 35 to 1. Using the net expected value formula EV = Bet*(Payout*Probability - (1-Probability)) yields a negative expectation because 35*1/38 is less than 1/38 plus the losing probability. When you plug in the numbers the expected net is a small negative value per 10 dollar bet, reflecting the difference between payout and true odds Wizard of Odds on American roulette and payout math

How to read table layouts and local rule notes

Where zero and 00 are shown

On physical table layouts zero and 00 appear in dedicated boxes at one end of the number grid or near the dealer's area. On many online interfaces the wheel graphic and a rules placard show whether a table uses single-zero or double-zero and whether special rules apply. Checking that placard before betting is recommended because local variants change the effective odds for common wagers Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved rules for roulette

Reading the placard or table rules

If you see La Partage or En Prison noted, confirm with the dealer or help text how the rule applies to even-money bets. If the placard mentions a five-number bet or a special payout, treat that as an indication to compute expected value differently. Regulator PDFs and official PlaySmart guides are good reference documents when placards are unclear OLG PlaySmart roulette payout guide

Conclusion: what the green pocket means for your play

Zero and double-zero pockets are the structural source of the house edge because they are excluded from color and parity bets while payouts remain fixed. Single-zero tables reduce average loss compared with double-zero wheels, and La Partage or En Prison can further lower the edge for even-money wagers in markets where those rules apply Wizard of Odds roulette rules and house edge guide

Use table placards, regulator rulebooks, and clear expected-value calculations to make informed choices about table selection and bet sizing. Remember that these mechanics affect long-run averages and do not change short-term outcomes on individual spins Encyclopaedia Britannica roulette overview. Also visit Funded Plays.

Does zero count as red or black?

No. Zero is colored green and is excluded from red/black and odd/even categories, so it causes even-money bets to lose unless a special rule applies.

Is European roulette better than American because of the green pocket?

European single-zero wheels have a lower house edge than American double-zero wheels, so they reduce long-run expected loss on identical bets.

What is La Partage and does it remove the house edge?

La Partage returns half of a losing even-money stake when zero appears, lowering the edge on those bets but not eliminating the house advantage entirely.

Understanding the green pocket is a small but important part of becoming an informed player. Check table placards and local rules and use simple expected-value math to see how table choices affect long-run costs. These mechanics do not change the outcome of any individual spin, but they do determine the average return over many bets, so rely on clear rules and measured bankroll choices.