The Roulette Wheel Explained
Table of Contents
All About The Roulette Wheel
When you start your roulette journey, your first port of call will be the roulette wheel. This numbered, spinning wheel is where it all starts and ends. The American roulette wheel differs slightly from the European roulette wheel. There will be either 37 or 38 numbered pockets. The little white ball that carries your chances of winning with it spins in one direction, while the wheel spins in the other. Before the wheel starts spinning, players place their bets, and, depending on where the ball lands, you either win or lose.
It sounds simple, but roulette is a deceptively complicated game. Let’s take a closer look at the casino roulette wheel layout and how you can get the most out of your game.
The European Roulette Wheel
The main difference between roulette variations is the casino roulette wheel layout. The European roulette wheel has 37 numbered pockets. The wheel numbers start at zero [0] and go up to 36. The colour scheme of the numbers on a wheel is red and black in an alternating pattern – we start with a green zero, odd numbers are red, and even numbers are black.
The American Roulette Wheel
The main difference between the European and American roulette wheels is the double zero. It’s one more chance to win! The cloth-covered betting area on a roulette table is known as the layout, which contains the double-zero. The American roulette wheel is more commonly found in casinos, land-based and online, the world over because it has a slightly higher house edge than European roulette.
There is also a third type of wheel – the French-style wheel. This has a wheel in the centre and a layout. French roulette is rarely found outside of Monte Carlo, however.
Roulette Wheel Numbering
Although every roulette wheel, whether it’s American, European, or French, has the same amount of numbers, the layout differs from wheel to wheel. The numbers are never sequential; the order is muddled up to add a little spice to your game.
The American wheel has an extra green slot called the double zero. This variation is known for having the second-highest casino house edge of all table games. The double zero means that the American wheel has a total of 38 numbered pockets. Going clockwise, the layout of numbers on American wheels are 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.
European roulette, on the other hand, is the more popular of the two because, with only 37 numbered pockets. The house edge is significantly lower and gives you a leg up on conquering the mighty wheel. The sequence of numbers on a European wheel is 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25, 17, 34, 6, 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33, 1, 20, 14, 31, 9, 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26.
There are 18 odd/red numbers on a standard wheel, and 18 black/even. The sequence of numbers on a roulette wheel is confusing, but that’s the point. The average person is unable to look at the wheel and discern any sort of pattern, and the alternating red and black colour scheme adds to the effect. All you can really do is place your bets, spin the wheel, and let destiny take you where it may.
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