As roulette is a luck-based game, you don’t need to know many things or have significant tactical knowledge to play it.
But one thing that can greatly increase your experience and even impact your success in the game is knowing the roulette wheel numbers.
With that in mind, there are several types of roulette games, each featuring different roulette numbers in terms of layout and order. In this guide, we’ll go over the roulette numbers layout in the most popular roulette variations you’ll find in online and land-based casinos.
The Numbers Layout in European Roulette
The European roulette wheel has 37 numbers. This includes red/black numbers from 1 to 36 and one green 0. The 0 ensures a house advantage, as it’s not included in even-money bets.
On each side of the 0 pocket, you’ll find interchanging black and red numbers. And, while the red/black pattern continues around the wheel, the numbers don’t follow any pattern you can read into.
The clockwise arrangement of numbers on the European roulette wheel looks like this: 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25, 17, 34, 6, 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33, 1, 20, 14, 31, 9, 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26.
There are eighteen black numbers and eighteen red numbers. The black numbers are 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, 31, 33, and 35. The red numbers are 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 32, 34, and 36.
This design applies both to the European roulette wheel and the French roulette version. These two games feature identical layouts, so if you master one wheel layout, you can use all of your knowledge on the other version as well.
The Numbers Layout in American Roulette
The number layout on the American roulette wheel differs from the one in European roulette, so we want to cover it separately.
Naturally, the most apparent difference is the presence of a 00 pocket, which you won’t find in European roulette.
Like the 0 in European roulette, the 00 is also green. Due to this additional pocket on the wheel, the American version features 38 numbers.
Moreover, it also directly increases the house edge, as it’s not a part of any even-money bets, much like the standard 0 pocket.
Looking directly at the number layout and arrangement, the 00 pocket is on the opposite side of the 0 pocket. Looking to either side, there are 18 numbers between the 0 and 00 pocket from left to right and vice versa.
More precisely, if we take the 00 pocket as the starting point, the number sequence from 00 to 0 on going clockwise is 27, 10, 25, 29, 12, 8, 19, 31, 18, 6, 21, 33, 16, 4, 23, 35, 14, 2. If we go counterclockwise, the layout is 1, 13, 36, 24, 3, 15, 34, 22, 5, 17, 32, 20, 7, 11, 30, 26, 9, 28.
Another design difference that slips most casual roulette players is that the numbers on the American roulette wheel are turned outwards. This is another way to differentiate this version from the European one quickly.
The Roulette Wheel – What Bets Can You Place?
Understanding the numbers layout on the roulette wheel is a big step in the right direction. However, you should supplement this knowledge with a solid comprehension of the roulette betting board.
Primarily, this includes knowing all of the available bets you can make on the available numbers.
In all roulette variations, all roulette bets are divided into two main groups. These are called inside bets and outside bets.
So, let’s get a closer look at each of the two and go over all of the available bets you can place using the numbers featured on the roulette wheel.
Outside Bets
Outside bets are all roulette bets that cover at least twelve numbers and, most often, eighteen numbers.
Because of this, outside bets are much safer but also less profitable. Here are the types of outside bets you can place in any roulette version:
- Columns – Column bets include three horizontal columns, each featuring twelve numbers. The numbers included are the same in all roulette variations.
- Dozens – This bet is similar to the previous one in the sense that you bet on twelve numbers. However, the main difference is that in this bet, the numbers are grouped by their numerical value. So, the three groups are divided into numbers from 1 to 12, from 13 to 24, and from 25 to 36.
- High/Low – The first of the three even-money bets, this one includes betting on either the low or high numbers. The former group includes numbers from 1 to 18, while the latter encompasses numbers from 19 to 36.
- Odd/Even – Another even-money outside bet. This one includes choosing whether the roulette ball will fall into an even or odd number on the wheel.
- Red/Black – The last of the even-money bets, the red/black bet is arguably the most popular bet in the game. As the name implies, you’re choosing what the color of the number the ball lands in will be.
Inside Bets
Unlike the relatively safe outside bets that cover large groups of numbers on the roulette wheel, inside bets focus on smaller groups of numbers or even single-number bets. Here’s a brief overview of all the inside bets you can place in roulette:
- Straight – A bet on any single number featured on the roulette wheel. This is the easiest bet to place in roulette, the most rewarding one, and also the one with the worst roulette odds.
- Split – This is a bet that covers any two adjacent numbers on the betting board, whether horizontally or vertically. Keep in mind that it pertains to the numbers adjacent on the betting board, not on the roulette wheel itself.
- Street – A bet that includes three consecutive numbers in the same line. You can bet on any three numbers that meet this criterion. In American roulette, you can even bet on a street that includes a 00, even though the numbers that follow it aren’t technically in line with it.
- Corner – Also known as a square bet, the corner bet includes betting on four numbers. But, these four numbers must all share the same corner.
- Basket – The basket bet is only available for players betting on the American roulette wheel. This bet covers the 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 pockets. It’s a simple bet but not a very enticing one, as most experienced roulette players avoid placing it.
- Six Line – A six line bet is a slightly longer version of the street bet, as it involves the same principle but in two vertical rows that include all three numbers.
Wheel Sectors in European/French Roulette
While the American wheel allows for a unique basket bet, the European/French version also puts a twist on the classic gameplay with a few intriguing announced bets.
Also known as called bets, these are more advanced bets you’ll find in many casinos that feature these two roulette wheel variations.
What makes announced bets different from all of the ones we’ve discussed above is that they are only based on the layout of the wheel and not the table. With that crucial distinction in mind, here are the announced bets based on wheel sectors:
- Finales – An interesting bet that focuses on all pockets ending with the same number. For example, this could be a bet on 4, 14, 24, 34, or a bet on 8, 18, 28.
- Jue Zero – The so-called “zero game” bet. It includes the six numbers closest to the 0 pocket, and the 0 itself. So, the bet covers 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, and 15 pockets.
- Le Tiers Du Cylindre – Translated as “thirds of the wheel”, this bet covers twelve numbers on the opposite side of the 0 pocket. These numbers are 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, and 33.
- Voisins du Zero – Meaning “neighbors of zero” in English, this announced bet covers all numbers located between 22 and 25 in the pocket. This includes 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, and 25.
- Orphelins – Meaning “orphans” in English, the orphelins bet includes the remaining numbers that aren’t a part of the previously listed bets. These numbers are 1, 20, 14, 9, 17, 34, and 6.
How the Numbers Impact The House Edge
Apart from knowing the layout and number of pockets of the roulette wheel variation you’re playing, it's also crucial to understand how the numbers impact your chances.
In this sense, it’s best to pick a roulette wheel with the least amount of pockets and numbers.
To elaborate on it a bit, the European version, with 37 numbers in total, has a lower house edge than American roulette, which has 38 numbers in total.
The higher the house edge is, the more money you’ll give to the casino over time.
To be more specific, the European version has a house edge of 2.7%. In comparison, the American roulette version has a house edge of 5.26%. This difference is only because the American wheel also includes a 00 pocket.
This might not seem like much, but it is critical to keep in mind if you play live or online roulette often or plan on playing it for years to come.
It’s primarily because the money you’re giving the casino through the house edge will rack up, and you’ll be less profitable playing the American version.
So, if you’re playing more to win and not just for entertainment, European roulette is the smarter way to go.
Odds and Payouts of Different Bets on The Roulette Wheel
In line with the previous topic, it’s also useful to know how much money you can win for each bet you place and your odds of winning.
We’ll only focus on the two most popular variations, European and American roulette, to make this as simple as possible. So, here are the odds and payouts of different roulette bets:
Type of Bet |
Payout |
American Roulette Winning Odds |
European Roulette Winning Odds |
Odds/Evens |
1:1 |
47.4% |
48.64% |
High/Low |
1:1 |
47.4% |
48.64% |
Red/Black |
1:1 |
47.4% |
48.64% |
Dozens |
2:1 |
31.6% |
32.4% |
Column |
2:1 |
31.6% |
32.4% |
Six Line |
5:1 |
15.8% |
16.2% |
Basket |
6:1 |
13.2% |
N/A |
Corner |
8:1 |
10.5% |
10.8% |
Street |
11:1 |
7.9% |
8.1% |
Split |
17:1 |
5.3% |
5.4% |
Straight |
35:1 |
2.60% |
2.70% |
As you can see from the table above, playing the European roulette wheel is the more player-friendly route to take.
While both variations provide identical payouts, your winning chances are slightly better across all available bets.
What’s The Best Roulette Version for You?
The roulette wheel numbers are laid out in a seemingly random and unintentional arrangement. But, the sequence of roulette numbers is no coincidence, as it is carefully designed.
It’s confusing and complex, making it almost impossible for the human brain to notice any wheel bias. Everything is excellently arranged so that high and low numbers alternate in an unpredictable pattern.
This is particularly obvious in European roulette, making it a more balanced wheel in this regard.
With that in mind, by reading through everything that we’ve covered above, you’ve learned more by reading this page than what most average roulette players learn in months or even years.
Hopefully, it has also helped you decide which roulette version is the better pick for you.
Knowing the numbers and the layout of the roulette version you plan on playing could help you win more, as you’ll have a firmer grasp of how the game works.
The best way to go about it is to also familiarize yourself with the bets, odds, and probabilities we’ve highlighted in this detailed guide, as well as some roulette strategies.
Moreover, no matter which roulette version you decide to bet on the most, it’s good to know that the roulette betting table is pretty much identical across variations.
You’ll notice some slight design differences, but if you know your way around one roulette betting table, you won’t have any problems playing other versions.