Key facts
- American roulette uses a double zero wheel with 38 pockets (0, 00 and 1 to 36) but pays the same as a single zero wheel, so the house edge is 2 in 38, or 5.26%.
- The five-number bet on 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 pays 6 to 1 and carries a 7.89% edge, the worst standard bet on the table.
- In Victoria, approved casino rules include a double zero variation and Crown Roulette, a 39-pocket triple zero wheel with a 7.69% edge on every bet, introduced on 28 November 2024.
- In our calculation $10 on red for 1,000 spins finishes ahead 4.5% of the time on a double zero wheel, against 18.8% on a single zero wheel.
- New Jersey's regulations let casinos take only half of an even-money bet when 0 or 00 lands, which cuts the edge on those bets to 2.63%.
What American roulette is
American roulette is the double zero game. The wheel has 38 pockets: 1 to 36 in red and black, plus two green pockets, 0 and 00. Every bet pays exactly what it pays on a single zero wheel, 35 to 1 for a number down to 1 to 1 for red or black, so the second zero is pure profit for the house.
The arithmetic is short. A straight-up bet wins 1 time in 38 and pays 35 to 1. Over 38 spins at $1 you bet $38 and get back, on average, $36. The missing $2 is a house edge of 2 in 38, or 5.26%, on every standard bet.
American roulette odds compared with single and triple zero
The payouts never change from wheel to wheel; only the number of pockets does. Here are the chances that matter, in our calculation:
| Bet (payout) | Single zero, 37 pockets | Double zero, 38 pockets | Triple zero, 39 pockets |
|---|---|---|---|
| One number (35 to 1) | 2.70% | 2.63% | 2.56% |
| A dozen or column (2 to 1) | 32.43% | 31.58% | 30.77% |
| Red, black, odd, even (1 to 1) | 48.65% | 47.37% | 46.15% |
| House edge, every standard bet | 2.70% | 5.26% | 7.69% |
| Average cost of a $10 bet | 27 cents | 53 cents | 77 cents |
The per-spin differences look tiny: red wins 47.37% of spins instead of 48.65%. Over a session they compound. In our calculation, $10 on red for 100 spins finishes ahead 35.5% of the time on a single zero wheel and 26.5% on a double zero wheel. Stretch it to 1,000 spins and the numbers become 18.8% and 4.5%.
The five-number bet: the worst bet on the layout
Double zero layouts add one bet the single zero table does not have: the five-number bet, also called the five-line or first five, covering 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 with one chip. Victoria's approved rules and the ACT's both set its payout at 6 to 1.
It wins 5 spins in 38. In our calculation a $10 five-number bet returns $9.21 on average, a house edge of 7.89%, half as bad again as every other bet on the same table. If you want those five numbers covered, five straight-up bets on 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 cost five chips instead of one but keep you at the table's normal 5.26%.
The double zero layout also adds streets that include 00. Under the approved rules for both Crown Melbourne and Casino Canberra, 0, 00 and 2, and 00, 2 and 3, count as streets paying 11 to 1. When 0 or 00 lands, only bets that include it win; everything else, including red, black and the dozens, loses.
Double zero roulette in Australia
Single zero is the default in the Australian rules we read, but double zero has a place too:
| Where | What the approved rules allow |
|---|---|
| Victoria (Crown Melbourne) | A Double Zero Roulette variation with a 38-compartment wheel and the five-line bet at 6 to 1. On 12 March 2026 the VGCCC approved Double Zero and Crown Roulette variants for fully automated table games. |
| Victoria (Crown Roulette) | A triple zero wheel with 39 compartments (0, 00 and 000 or a Crown symbol), introduced 28 November 2024. Extra bets: Any Green (0, 00 or 000) at 11 to 1 and First Six at 5 to 1. |
| ACT (Casino Canberra) | The approved game is called American Roulette and may run on either a single zero or a double zero wheel. |
Crown Roulette deserves a warning of its own. With 39 pockets and standard payouts, every bet carries a 7.69% edge in our calculation, including Any Green (3 numbers at 11 to 1) and First Six (6 numbers at 5 to 1). A $1,000 night of total bets costs $76.92 on average, against $27.03 on a single zero wheel.
Pundit tip: in Canberra the sign can say American Roulette while the wheel has one zero. Count the green pockets, not the words on the sign.
The half-back rule on double zero tables
Some double zero rules soften the blow on even-money bets. New Jersey's gaming regulations let a casino choose whether a player who bets red, black, odd, even, 1 to 18 or 19 to 36 loses the whole bet or only half of it when the ball lands in 0 or 00, provided the option in force is shown at the table. With the half-back option, the edge on those bets falls to 2.63% in our calculation, half the normal double zero figure. The rule does not touch inside bets, which stay at 5.26%.
None of the Australian rule books we read includes this option for double zero tables. The closest Australian equivalent is the French table, covered in our French roulette guide, although Victoria's approved French Roulette rules do not include a half-back rule either.
What it costs per $1,000 bet
| Game and bet | House edge | Average loss per $1,000 bet |
|---|---|---|
| Single zero, any standard bet | 2.70% | $27.03 |
| Double zero, even money with half-back rule | 2.63% | $26.32 |
| Double zero, any standard bet | 5.26% | $52.63 |
| Triple zero (Crown Roulette), any bet | 7.69% | $76.92 |
| Double zero, five-number bet | 7.89% | $78.95 |
For the full single zero payout table, see roulette odds; for how roulette's edge compares with blackjack, baccarat and pokies, see our house edge guide and the best odds casino games list.
American roulette online
Game makers offer double zero tables online too. Evolution describes its live American Roulette as adding "an additional double-zero number (00)" with a Five Bet, and lower betting limits than its other variants. Online roulette, though, is one of the casino games that cannot legally be offered to people in Australia, and ACMA warns that players with illegal operators risk losing their money. Our online roulette Australia guide covers the law.
If you have a choice of wheels, the single zero game in our European roulette guide costs about half as much per dollar bet.
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Frequently asked questions
What is American roulette?
American roulette is roulette on a double zero wheel: 38 pockets numbered 0, 00 and 1 to 36. The payouts are the same as on a single zero wheel, so the extra pocket raises the house edge from 2.70% to 5.26%.
What are the American roulette odds on red?
Red covers 18 of 38 pockets, so it wins 47.37% of spins. On a single zero wheel it wins 48.65%. Both pay 1 to 1, which is why the double zero version costs about twice as much.
Is double zero roulette worse than single zero?
Yes. On every standard bet the edge is 5.26% instead of 2.70%, so a $1,000 total bet costs $52.63 on average instead of $27.03. The five-number bet is worse again at 7.89%.
What is the five-number bet in American roulette?
It is a single bet covering 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3, called the five-line or first five. It pays 6 to 1 and wins 5 spins in 38. In our calculation it returns 92.1% of the amount bet, a 7.89% edge.
Is American roulette played in Australian casinos?
Double zero tables are covered by approved rules in Victoria and the ACT. Victoria's VGCCC approved Double Zero and Crown Roulette variants on fully automated tables on 12 March 2026. In Canberra the approved game is called American Roulette but may use a single zero wheel.
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