More importantly, if you are aware of how many numbers are on a roulette wheel, the odds of having success at roulette will be easier to understand. As casinos attempt to get an upper hand on gamblers, they continue to introduce different roulette variations with worse odds.
Roulette is one of the oldest forms of gambling. The first gambling game based loosely on casino roulette was in the 17th century. Roulette is based on Roly Poly, a game invented in the early 1700s in France. There were either numbered or colored pockets to bet on.
By the late 1700s, roulette was taking off as a popular casino game. The first version of roulette found its home at Paris Casino in 1796. The number of pockets on a roulette wheel has changed over the year and is recently going through new changes at United States casinos.
The one variation is still in its infancy and quickly gaining traction in Las Vegas. This is one of the worst bets that are found in a casino. We’ll get into this variation of roulette in detail below.
Let’s get into the details about the numbers on a roulette wheel and how many pockets there are for each variation of roulette. Now you can impress your friends on your next trip to the casino.
How Many Numbers Are On A Roulette Wheel
The number of pockets and bets is going to depend on which roulette wheel you are playing. There aren’t drastic differences between the three variations of roulette, at least to an untrained roulette player.
The odds vary between European, American, and Triple Zero roulette. It’s important to play the best game at your disposal. The bet types are fairly similar, though, so you can follow our guide below for different roulette bets.
Inside Bets
Straight Bet
Bet on one single number on the roulette wheel. The chip(s) must not overlap with other numbers.
Split Bet
Bet on two numbers on the roulette wheel. The chips(s) must touch two numbers on the table.
Street Bet
Bet on three numbers on the roulette wheel. This can be confusing to new players. The chips(s) are placed at the end of the line on the table, overlapping with 1st 12, 2nd 12, or 3rd 12.
Corner Bet
Following the same trend, this bet is on four numbers. The chip(s) are positioned on the table at the intersection of four numbers betting.
Six Line Bet
Betting on six consecutive numbers on the roulette wheel. Similar to a street bet, the chip(s) are placed at the bottom of the line of numbers. However, they must go at the intersection of two numbers instead of on one number with 1st 12, 2nd, 12, or 3rd 12.
Trio Bet
The trio bet involves the green 0 pocket on the roulette wheel. This is a three-number bet that has to overlap with one of the 0’s. The chip(s) intersect with two numbers and a green slot.
First Four Bet (European Roulette)
The roulette player is adding another number to this bet from the trio bet. With the first four bet, there are four numbers that have a chance to hit for a win. Like the trio bet, the chip(s) have to touch the 0.
Basket Bet (American Roulette)
The basket bet can only be made on a double-zero roulette wheel. This bet includes five pockets, including 0 and 00, and three numbers (1-2-3).
Outside Bets
Red or Black
Place your chips on which color you believe the ball will land. This is the most simple roulette bet and easiest to learn for beginners.
Even or Odd Number
The roulette player must guess if the ball is going to be even or odd after the spin is completed.
1 to 18 or 19 to 36
Is the ball going to land from numbers 1 to 18 or 19 to 36? If the ball lands on a green slot, then both bets lose. Depending on which variation of roulette, there could be one or up to three pockets of green 0s.
Dozen Bet (1st 12, 2nd 12, 3rd 12)
Similar to the 1 to 18 and 19 to 36 bet, but the payout will be higher for winning this bet. There are three spaces on the roulette table for wagering, with numbers 1 to 12, 13 to 24, and 25 to 36.
Column Bet (2:1, 2:1, 2:1)
The entire line of numbers corresponds to the 2:1 space on the table. The column bet is placed on one of the 2:1 spaces at the end of the line. The numbers down this line to the opposite end are your numbers on the wheel.
Numbers On American Roulette Wheel
There are 36 counting numbers on an American roulette wheel. This variation of roulette is the most common in North America and can be found in every casino that offers table games.
The counting numbers include 1 to 36, then there are 0 and 00 to complete the 38 pockets on an American roulette wheel. Double-zero roulette has a house edge of 5.26%, making this a better bet as opposed to European roulette.
Numbers On European Roulette Wheel
European roulette has a smaller house edge than American roulette and is the game to play if you have two options. Fortunately, online casinos have more European roulette than you are going to find at a live land-based casino.
European roulette is primarily found in the high-limit room in Las Vegas casinos. At online casinos, it’s more popular at lower limits.
This variation of roulette has one green slot, hence why European roulette is also known as single-zero roulette. Like American roulette, there are 36 counting numbers. However, there is only one green slot for a total of 37 pockets.
Numbers On Triple-Zero Roulette Wheel
Triple-zero roulette was introduced four or five years ago in Las Vegas casinos. It started at one casino and is beginning to catch on with other casino operators as well.
If you see a roulette wheel with three zeroes (0, 00, 000), then this is the worst roulette variation. With a house edge of 7.69%, the odds are approaching slot machine territory.
There are 39 pockets on a triple-zero wheel, with 36 counting numbers and three pockets for 0, 00, and 000. Don’t give the casino the satisfaction of knowing that you are betting on this game with horrible odds.
Conclusion
How many numbers are there on a roulette wheel? No matter the variation of roulette, there are always 36 counting numbers from 1 to 36. There is a multitude of different inside bets that can be made on the numbers.
However, this isn’t taking into consideration the 0’s on the roulette wheel. European roulette has the fewest pockets on a roulette wheel, with 37, followed by American roulette at 38, and lastly, triple-zero at 39 pockets.
Hopefully, people will stop playing triple-zero roulette games, and casinos will not continue to draw up roulette variations to improve the house edge.
