American Roulette

A standard American roulette wheel has thirty-eight pockets: one through thirty-six, zero and double zero. The two green zero pockets matter because ordinary payouts do not increase to compensate for the extra losing outcome. On a fair wheel, a straight-up bet covers one pocket out of thirty-eight. A standard winning one-dollar bet pays thirty-five dollars profit, plus the dollar stake back: thirty-six dollars total. For standard ordinary bets, the house edge is two divided by thirty-eight, about five point two six percent. This is a long-run expectation, not a prediction of your next session. The five-number basket is an exception. It covers zero, double zero, one, two and three, and normally pays six to one in profit. Five winning outcomes returning seven times the stake produce a house edge of three divided by thirty-eight, about seven point eight nine percent. Under ordinary rules, both zeros lose red or black and other even-money wagers. Some tables offer half-back settlement on eligible bets, but the American label does not guarantee that option. Check the actual payout and zero rules. Confirm chip values and minimums before betting, and stop changing wagers when the dealer or timer closes betting. Set a spending limit and never chase losses.