2 min read

Roulette wheel and table layout types: a comprehensive guide

European, American and French roulette compared: how many pockets each wheel has, how the table layout works, inside and outside bets, and what each pays.

Wazir Win Casino Desklive table guides

Published: 17 Dec 2025
Reading time: 2 min read
Sections: 4
FAQs answered: 4

The short answer

Roulette comes in three main versions. European roulette has 37 pockets with a single zero, American roulette has 38 with an extra double zero, and French roulette uses the single-zero wheel with extra rules on even-money bets. The single-zero wheels give the house a smaller edge, so check which one a live table uses before you play.

AI overview

Key takeaways

European roulette has 37 pockets with one zero, and American roulette has 38 because it adds a double zero.
French roulette uses the single-zero wheel and adds la partage or en prison rules on even-money bets.
A straight-up number pays 35 to 1, while red or black, odd or even and low or high pay 1 to 1.
Single-zero wheels carry a smaller house edge, so check the wheel before you sit at a live table.

How do the wheel types differ?

European roulette: numbers 1 to 36 plus a single zero, making 37 pockets.
American roulette: 1 to 36 plus 0 and 00, making 38 pockets. The extra pocket raises the house edge.
French roulette: the single-zero wheel, often with 'la partage' or 'en prison' rules that return part of an even-money bet when zero lands.

How is the table laid out?

The numbers sit in a grid of three columns and twelve rows, with the zero (or zeros) at the top. Around the grid are the outside areas: dozens, columns, red or black, odd or even, and 1 to 18 or 19 to 36.

What are the inside bets and what do they pay?

Straight up (one number): 35 to 1.
Split (two numbers): 17 to 1.
Street (three numbers): 11 to 1.
Corner (four numbers): 8 to 1.
Six line (six numbers): 5 to 1.

What are the outside bets and what do they pay?

Dozens and columns (twelve numbers): 2 to 1.
Red or black, odd or even, low or high: 1 to 1.

On every bet, zero is a losing number unless you bet on it directly or the table uses French rules. Payouts stay the same on a double-zero wheel while the odds get worse, so check the wheel first.