The one exception on the wheel
The defining fact about roulette is that every bet on a given wheel carries the same house edge. There is exactly one exception, and this is it.
Also called the basket or the top line, it covers five pockets, 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3, and pays 6:1. It exists only on American double-zero layouts, because it needs both zeroes to make its awkward group of five.
Why it is worse
Five pockets out of 38 should pay 6.6:1 to be consistent with the rest of the layout. Chips do not divide neatly at that ratio, so the payout was rounded down to 6:1 and the extra shortfall went to the house.
| Bet | Pockets | Payout | Consistent payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Five number | 5 of 38 | 6:1 | 6.6:1 | 7.89% |
| Corner (4 numbers) | 4 of 38 | 8:1 | 8:1 | 5.26% |
| Six line (6 numbers) | 6 of 38 | 5:1 | 5:1 | 5.26% |
The bets either side of it are priced consistently. Only the five number bet takes the rounding, and it takes it at your expense: 7.89% against 5.26%, half again as expensive as anything else on the table.
What to do instead
Nothing on this layout is good, but everything else on it is better. If you want those low numbers, a street on 1-2-3 plus a separate bet on the zeroes costs the standard 5.26%.
Better still, find a European wheel, where the bet does not exist and everything costs 2.70%. Our page on European against American wheels covers how much that single choice is worth.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the house edge on the five number bet?
- 7.89%, against 5.26% for every other bet on an American wheel.
- Why is it worse than the other bets?
- Five pockets in 38 should pay 6.6:1 for consistency. The payout was rounded down to 6:1 and the difference became extra house edge.
- Does it exist on a European wheel?
- No. It needs both a 0 and a 00, so it appears only on American double-zero layouts.
- Is it ever worth playing?
- No. It is the single worst bet available on a roulette table and every alternative on the same layout is cheaper.
House edges on this page are computed from the pocket count and the payout in exact rational arithmetic, then checked against published references before publication. Payouts are standard, but the wheel and the zero rule vary between casinos and between tables in the same casino, so confirm both before you sit down.