Part I: Games & Gaming · Wheel Games — Roulette

Five-Number Bet (Basket Bet)

Roulette

A bet exclusive to American roulette, covering the numbers 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. The chip is placed on the outside corner of the line separating the 1-row from the zero and double zero boxes, at the intersection with the first column. This bet pays 6:1 but carries a house edge of 7.89%, the highest of any standard roulette bet. For this reason, knowledgeable players avoid it entirely, and casino operations professionals recognize it as one of the most profitable bets for the house on a percentage basis. The five-number bet does not exist on European or French roulette wheels.

In practice

Some jurisdictions discourage or prohibit the five-number bet due to its unfavorable player odds. Surveillance should note that sophisticated players never make this bet; its frequent use may indicate an uninformed player.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary — 1,157 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.