Roulette wheel and table layout
A simple look at every pocket, every color and every box on the roulette board, with a diagram for each wheel.
How many numbers are on a roulette wheel?
Every roulette wheel has the numbers one through thirty-six. The wheels differ only in how many green zero pockets they add.
- European wheel: one zero, so 37 pockets in total.
- American wheel: two zeros (zero and double zero), so 38 pockets in total.
- Triple zero wheel: three zeros (zero, double zero and triple zero), so 39 pockets in total.
The numbered pockets are split evenly: eighteen red and eighteen black. The zeros are always green.
Before you play any table, count the green pockets. One zero is the cheapest wheel for you; every extra zero raises the house edge.
The European roulette wheel layout
The European wheel has one green zero and the numbers one through thirty-six. The same wheel is used in French roulette.
The numbers do not go in counting order around the wheel. The diagram shows the real order.
- Red and black pockets alternate all the way around.
- Low and high numbers are mixed.
- Odd and even numbers are mixed too.
- The green zero sits between a red pocket on one side and a black pocket on the other.
Try this wheel in the European roulette simulator.
The American and triple zero wheel layouts
The American wheel adds a second green pocket, the double zero. The zero and the double zero sit directly across from each other.
The American wheel uses a different order of numbers than the European wheel. Red and black still alternate between the green pockets.
The triple zero wheel adds a third green pocket, the triple zero. It still has the same numbered pockets in red and black.
You can spin both in the American roulette simulator and the triple zero simulator.
European roulette red numbers list
The colors of the numbered pockets are the same on the European, American and triple zero wheels.
- Red: one, three, five, seven, nine, twelve, fourteen, sixteen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty-one, twenty-three, twenty-five, twenty-seven, thirty, thirty-two, thirty-four, thirty-six.
- Black: every other number from one through thirty-six.
- Green: the zero, plus the double zero and triple zero on wheels that have them.
Quick rule: from one to ten and from nineteen to twenty-eight, odd numbers are red. From eleven to eighteen and from twenty-nine to thirty-six, even numbers are red.
A bet on red or black usually loses when the ball lands on any green pocket. That is where the house edge on these bets comes from.
In French roulette, La Partage or En Prison rules soften this on even-money bets when the zero hits.
The roulette table layout (the board)
The roulette board is the felt where you place chips. Unlike the wheel, it lists the numbers in counting order.
- The numbers sit in three columns of twelve.
- Each row across holds three numbers in a row, starting with one, two and three at the top.
- The zero boxes sit at the top end, above the first row.
Around the numbers you find the outside bet boxes:
- Columns: one box at the end of each column, pays 2 to 1.
- Dozens: first dozen, second dozen and third dozen, pays 2 to 1.
- Even-money boxes: Red, Black, Odd, Even, Low and High, pays 1 to 1.
A single number pays 35 to 1. See every bet on the roulette payouts page and the basics on the rules page.
Does the order of numbers change the odds?
No. The ball has the same chance to land in every pocket, no matter where that pocket sits on the wheel.
- On a European wheel, one number hits with a chance of 2.70%.
- On an American wheel, one number hits with a chance of 2.63%.
- The house edge is 2.70% on the European wheel and 5.26% on almost every American bet.
- The five-number top line (0-00-1-2-3) on the American wheel is worse, at 7.89%.
The mixed order spreads colors and low and high numbers evenly. It does not create hot sections or a way to predict the next spin.
A fun fact: if you add up all the numbers from one through thirty-six, the sum is 666. The zeros add nothing to it.
Watching which part of the wheel hits more often will not help. Test any pattern you like in the system tester and see your loss as a share of the total bet tend to get closer to the house edge over many spins.
Questions
How many numbers are on a roulette wheel?
A European wheel has 37 pockets with one zero, an American wheel has 38 with an added double zero, and a triple zero wheel has 39 with an added triple zero.
Which numbers are red on a roulette wheel?
The red numbers are one, three, five, seven, nine, twelve, fourteen, sixteen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty-one, twenty-three, twenty-five, twenty-seven, thirty, thirty-two, thirty-four and thirty-six. The colors are the same on European, American and triple zero wheels.
Why are the numbers on a roulette wheel not in order?
The order mixes red and black, odd and even, and low and high numbers evenly around the wheel. It does not change the chance of any pocket, which stays the same on every spin.
What do all the numbers on a roulette wheel add up to?
The numbers one through thirty-six add up to 666. The green zero pockets count as nothing.
Is the zero red or black?
Neither. The zero, double zero and triple zero pockets are green, so bets on red, black, odd, even, low or high usually lose when the ball lands there. French rules like La Partage or En Prison soften this on even-money bets.