Part I: Games & Gaming · Wheel Games — Roulette

Double Zero (00)

RouletteREPORTED

The additional green-colored pocket found on American roulette wheels, marked “00”, which increases the total number of pockets from 37 to 38. The double zero is what creates the 5.26% house edge on most American roulette bets (compared to 2.70% on single-zero wheels). Some American casinos offer a “five-number bet” (also called the basket bet) covering 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3, which has an even higher house edge of 7.89%. The double zero pocket does not exist on European or French roulette wheels, which is why those games are preferred in most international markets.

In practice

In Asia-Pacific markets, double-zero roulette is virtually never seen. Macau, Singapore, and Australian casinos exclusively offer single-zero roulette. Surveillance should be aware that the presence of double-zero wheels may attract attention from advantage players seeking the more favorable single-zero game.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary, 1,090 terms written for surveillance, compliance and operations professionals rather than for players. Definitions describe industry usage; where a term carries a regulatory meaning, verify against the instrument that governs your jurisdiction.