Roulette Odds: Green Field and Double Zero Payout
8 minutes
Last Updated: September 9, 2022
Roulette is one of the most popular casino games around. Offering fun, excitement, and big win possibilities, roulette tables are always at a center of action in almost every casino.
This is a simple game and you don’t need to learn complex strategies to start playing. Yet, before you do, there are some things you should learn, such as roulette odds and payouts.
In this article, we won’t talk about general roulette odds, though. Instead, we’ll focus on the roulette odds for the green field, the infamous zero (and double zero in American roulette).
The zero field on the roulette field doesn’t just have a different color. It is important for another reason. It is the existence of this pocket that ensures the house edge, so understanding zero in roulette is very important for every player.
Why Is There a Zero on Roulette Wheel?
Surprisingly, there was no zero on the roulette wheel until the middle of the 19th century.
Then, Francois and Lois Blanc were the pioneers in implementing the idea of inventing zero on the roulette wheel in 1842 for King Charles III of Monaco.
Soon, the wheel became an instant hit, and its popularity generated a lot of revenue for the sovereign state.
In due course, zero became an important symbol for the special culture of Monte Carlo for upscale gamblers, which has now become a famous destination among gambling enthusiasts.
The addition of zero in the wheel gave rise to the house edge in the casino.
Imagine if you were to make even money bet like black or red with no zero. In that case, the odds of winning the game would be 50/50.
However, with the addition of zero pockets, your odds of winning are not precisely 50%. Instead, there’s a certain probability of the ball landing in zero, making your odds of winning 47.4%.
In the late 1800s, the roulette game became famous all over the Atlantic and made its way to the United States.
Here, the Americans modified the game further and devised their gaming style by introducing an extra zero pocket on the roulette wheel (double zero).
This further increased the house edge. Now there are 38 pockets; 1 through 36 and two extra zero pockets.
Since the zero and double zero pockets didn’t pay inside bets, the casinos began slicing more significant profits from money wagered by players.
Role of Green Zero in Roulette
In simple words, the presence of zero on the roulette wheel poses an element of risk. Generally, there is no fun betting on something which is certain.
On the other hand, the zero on the wheel increases the house edge slightly and keeps the players on the edge of their seats.
There’s a high chance that you can win the game while placing bets. However, the slightest chance of losing due to the presence of two zero pockets creates tension, excitement, and adrenaline-pumping action while playing roulette.
The green zero is just like any other number on the roulette wheel in terms of placing wagers. However, the green color of the zero pockets makes them stand apart from the remaining numbers.
Green Zero in American Roulette
The most important thing that separates American roulette from European roulette is the presence of two zero greens on the wheel.
In American roulette, there is a single zero and double zero, both present in opposite positions from each other across the wheel.
You can place bets on single green zero, double green zero, or both green zeros simultaneously.
If you place a bet on one of the green zero pockets, your odds of winning are 35/1 with the stakes returned.
In simple words, if you place a bet of $10 and win, you will receive $350 as profit and the initial $10 that you have wagered initially. The house edge for American roulette is 5.26%.
Green Zero in European Roulette
The green zero you see in European roulette is slightly different from its American version. Here, you will find just a single zero, and your options for placing bets are slightly reduced.
Since there are fewer numbers on the roulette wheel where you can bet, your odds of winning are higher in European roulette compared to the American one.
The absence of the extra green zero pocket makes people gravitate towards European roulette more often.
The main reason behind this tendency can be explained by simple mathematics. The payouts on a single number on both roulette variations are 35/1. However, European and American roulette odds are 36/1 and 37/1, respectively.
This means you have a slightly higher chance of landing your selected of number while playing European roulette.
Odds for Single Zero and Double Zero in Roulette
While playing roulette, the ideal betting strategy entails understanding the difference between single zero and double zero on the wheel.
Unfortunately, most of the time newbie players don’t realize the importance of the single or double zero, which in turn has a considerable impact on their gameplay.
The earliest roulette version contained a single zero, and it’s still prevalent across European casinos.
As previously mentioned, when the game found its way to the USA, casino owners introduced an additional green zero to increase the house edge.
You can spot single zero wheels in American casinos, but they are rare and usually only available to high roller players.
The roulette green odds for the single zero pocket would be 1/37 or 2.63%. Similarly, the green odds roulette for the double zero would be 1/38 or 2.70%. Remember that the odds for other wagers and bets are also affected.
Roulette Odds for Single Zero Roulette Wheel
If you wager on red or black, odd or even, or other even money bets, the winning payouts have the ratio of 1:1, and the probability of winning is 48.65%.
If you place bets on 1 to 12, 13 to 24, and 25 to 36, the ratio for winning payouts is 2:1, and the winning probability is 32.43%.
The roulette odds for a single number, two numbers, and three numbers are 2.70%, 5.40%, and 8.11%, respectively. However, if you place bets on four or six numbers, the roulette odds, in that case, would be 10.8% and 16.22%, respectively.
Roulette Odds for Double Zero Roulette Wheel
While playing roulette with double zero pockets, the winning payout is in the ratio of 1:1. If you wager on even money bets, with the winning probability of 47.37%.
If you placed bets on 1 to 12, 13 to 24, and 25 to 36, the ratio for winning payouts would be 2:1, and the winning probability would be 31.58%.
For placing bets on a single number, the payout ratio is 35:1, and the house edge stands at 2.63%.
The payout odds and winning probability for two numbers is (17:1 and 5.26%), for three number is (11:1 and 7.89%) and for four number is (8:1 and 10.53%).
Also, for six numbers, the payout odds and winning probability are 5:1 and 15.79%, respectively.
As evident from above, there is a change in roulette odds for single zero and double zero pockets.
Roulette Odds vs. Payouts
Roulette is indeed a game of chance where luck determines the final winner. However, an air of sophistication graces the roulette table and the probability of winning up to 35 times makes this game enticing to players.
The roulette odds green are easy to calculate. The wheel is divided into 37 or 38 slots, depending on the variation you’re playing.
A single zero pocket is for European roulette, and an extra double zero pocket is for American roulette. The zero space represents the house edge.
The roulette would have been an even money game if there were no zero green pockets across the wheel. The house edge for single zero and double zero roulette stands at 2.7% and 5.26%, respectively.
How to Figure Out the Odds
The actual odds for single and double zero roulette are calculated as follows:
Based on the above two charts, it’s evident that single zero in both versions of roulette offers the same payouts. However, European roulette has better odds because there are fewer slots on the wheel.
While it’s rare to find single zero wheel roulette games at US casinos, roulette with double green zero has become a standard at online casinos.
Single Zero vs. Double Zero Roulette
Roulette games with a single zero green pocket are available in 37 sections – numbers 1 through 36 and a single zero, with house edge at 2.70%.
On the other hand, in double zero roulette wheels, there are 38 sections, and the house edge stands at 5.26%.
This is why many players are attracted to single zero roulette over the double zero version.
It’s important to note that American roulette doesn’t receive the same fan base and player acceptance compared to European roulette.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Playing Session
Whether you prefer to play roulette with single zero or double zero it’s up to you to decide. Try to avoid the First Five/Top Line bet if you’re playing the American version.
This betting is only found in double zero roulette versions and includes numbers – 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. You can try the James Bond strategy but don’t forget to place $1 on the split between 0 and 00.
Final Thoughts – Should You Bet on Green Zero in Roulette?
If you’re a high roller player and look for bigger wins, then wagering on zero will offer the highest payouts, just like any other single number bet.
If you’re playing American roulette, the single number has a 2.6% winning probability, and for European roulette, it’s a 2.7% winning probability.
Suppose you want a sensible and lucrative playing strategy. In that case, we won’t recommend betting on the green zero in roulette, no matter which variation you’re playing.
On the flip side, betting on green zero can be a sensible option if you just want to have fun and raise the excitement bar with higher winning payouts.
