What Colour Are the Numbers on a Roulette Wheel?

Red and black. That is the most common answer you will hear if you ask someone what color the numbers on a roulette wheel are.

And, for the most part, that person would be correct. The majority of roulette wheels in both online and brick-and-mortar casinos are colored red and black, with the exception of the zero and double zero which are colored green.

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So, why are most roulette wheels red and black? The simple answer is that it makes it easier for players to see which number they bet on. If all the numbers were one color and the background was another color, it would be more difficult for players to determine which number they placed their bet on.

Red and black is a color scheme that is easy for the human eye to distinguish.

The Origins of Red and Black Roulette

The first roulette wheels were not red and black; they were actually red and white. It wasn’t until the late 1800s that casino operators began painting the numbers on their roulette wheels red and black.

There are a few theories as to why this change was made, but the most likely explanation is that it was simply easier to see against a white background.

PRO TIP:The numbers on a Roulette wheel are traditionally divided between black and red, with the exception of the 0 and 00 which are green.

Over time, red and black became the standard colors for roulette wheels in both Europe and America. In some European casinos, you may still find a few roulette wheels that are colored red and white, but this is mostly for historical purposes.

These days, if you want to play roulette in a casino, you will almost always find a wheel that is colored red and black.

Do All Roulette Wheels Have 18 Red Numbers?

No, not all roulette wheels have 18 red numbers. In fact, most American roulette wheels have two green zeros – 0 and 00 – which means that there are actually 38 numbers on these wheels (18 red, 18 black, and 2 green).

European roulette wheels only have one green zero, so there are 37 numbers on these wheels (18 red, 18 black, 1 green).

The French version of roulette – which can be found in some European casinos – has two special rules that affect how bets are paid out when the ball lands on zero. These rules – known as “la partage” or “en prison” – can sometimes result in players getting half of their bet back when the ball lands on zero.

As a result of these special rules, some people believe that French roulette gives players a better chance of winning than other types of roulette. However, the house edge is still present no matter which type of roulette you play.