A basket bet roulette player asks for is a small group bet built around the zero, but the name does not mean the same thing everywhere: on American tables it usually means the five number bet, where both green pockets join the lowest row of numbers, priced at 6 to 1, on single zero tables it often means the first four (0, 1, 2, 3) paid 8 to 1, and some casinos use it for a three number trio with zero paid 11 to 1. The chip goes in roughly the same corner of the layout each time, which is why the names blur. The prices do not blur, though. One of these versions has the worst house edge on any standard roulette table, and the others are perfectly ordinary bets.
At the table
American five number
0, 00, 1, 2, 3, paid 6 to 1, edge 7.89%First four, one zero
0, 1, 2, 3, paid 8 to 1, edge 2.70%Trio with zero
Three numbers incl. zero, paid 11 to 1Five number chance
5 in 38 spins, 13.16%First four chance
4 in 37 spins, 10.81%Chip spot
Outer line where the zero box meets the first row, or the point where three boxes meet for a trio
What a basket bet in roulette can mean
Ask three dealers what a basket is and you may get three answers. The word sticks to whatever small zero bet that table offers. Here is the full map.
| Where you hear it | Numbers covered | Also known as | Pays | Win chance | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double zero tables | Zero, double zero, 1 through 3 | Five number bet, top line | 6 to 1 | 13.16% | 7.89% |
| Single zero tables | 0, 1, 2, 3 | First four, quatre premiers | 8 to 1 | 10.81% | 2.70% |
| Single zero tables, some houses | Trio of 0 plus 1 and 2, or trio of 0 plus 2 and 3 | Trio, zero street | 11 to 1 | 8.11% | 2.70% |
| Double zero tables, some houses | Both zeros with 2, or double zero with 2 and 3 | Trio | 11 to 1 | 7.89% | 5.26% |
So when a game screen or a dealer says basket, look at which boxes light up or ask which numbers are in it. That one question decides whether you are on a normal bet or the worst one on the felt.
The American basket: why five numbers cost more
On a double zero table, basket almost always means the five number bet. It covers both zeros and the first row, and pays 6 to 1. Every other bet on that table pays as if the wheel had 36 pockets and loses 2 out of 38 to the house, which is the 5.26% edge. Only the five number bet breaks that pattern.
Here is the arithmetic for 38 spins with 1 unit each time, assuming each pocket comes up once:
- The bet wins on 5 spins, each paying 6 units: plus 30.
- It loses on the other 33 spins: minus 33.
- Net after 38 spins: minus 3 units, which is 3 out of 38, or 7.89%.
For the edge to match the rest of the table, the bet would need to pay 6.2 to 1, and a price with no edge at all would be 33 to 5, or 6.6 for each unit. Casinos round down to 6, and that rounding is where the extra edge comes from. If you like covering the zeros on an American table, a split on 0 and 00 at 17 to 1 does it at the normal 5.26%; the split bet guide shows where that chip goes.
The first four on single zero tables
At a lone zero table, basket usually means the first four: zero plus the lowest three numbers, paid 8 to 1. It is priced exactly like a corner, so the edge is the regular 2.70%. Over 37 spins with each pocket appearing once, 1 unit a spin wins 4 times at 8 units, plus 32, and loses 33 times, minus 33, a net of minus 1 unit. One in 37 is 2.70%.
The chip sits on the outer line of the layout, at the junction of the zero box and the lowest row. It is the same spot the five number bet uses on an American table, which is a big reason the two get the same nickname. French tables call it quatre premiers, the first four. If you want the full picture of four number bets, the corner bet page counts all of them.
The trio: a three number basket
Some casinos, and many game screens, use basket for a three number group that touches the green. With one zero you can take zero, one and two, or zero, two and three. With two zeros the usual trios are zero, double zero and two, or double zero, two and three. The chip goes on the point where those three boxes meet.
Like a street, a trio is paid 11 to 1, which leaves it with the standard edge, 2.70% on the European wheel, 5.26% on the American. A 2 unit trio that wins returns 24 units: 22 in winnings and the 2 you staked. The street bet page covers the regular three number rows.
Basket bet roulette examples in units
Same 5 units, three different baskets, one spin where the ball lands on 2.
| Version | Paid | Back to you | Long run cost per 100 units bet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five number, double zero | 30 | 35 | about 7.9 units |
| First four, single zero | 40 | 45 | about 2.7 units |
| Trio 0, 2, 3, single zero | 55 | 60 | about 2.7 units |
The trio pays most when it hits because it covers the fewest numbers. The five number bet pays least and also costs the most over time, which is the worst of both. You can compare all three on the payout calculator, or try each one in turn on the free simulator.
How to ask for it at the table
Because the word moves around, the safest call is the numbers themselves:
- "Five number bet, please" or "zero, double zero, one, two, three" on an American table.
- "First four" or "zero to three" on a single zero table.
- "Trio, zero, two, three" for the three number version.
Say it before betting closes, and watch where the dealer puts the chip. If you are learning the layout, our page on the roulette table layout marks every inside and outside spot.
Mistakes with the basket
- Assuming basket means the same bet everywhere. It can be 3, 4 or 5 numbers depending on the table.
- Picking the five number bet to cover the zeros. It has the highest edge on the American layout. Covering zeros with splits or straight ups costs less over time.
- Thinking a zero bet protects outside bets. A basket chip next to a red bet does not lower the edge of either one, it just adds another bet.
Questions players ask
What is a basket bet in roulette?
Basket is a nickname for a small bet built around zero. At American tables it usually means the five number bet on both zeros and 1 to 3. On single zero tables it is usually the first four, 0 to 3, and some houses use it for a trio.
What does the roulette basket bet pay?
It depends on the version. The American five number basket pays 6 to 1, the first four pays 8 to 1, and a three number trio pays 11 to 1. Ask which numbers it covers to know which price applies.
Is the basket bet a good bet?
The American five number basket is the weakest bet on its table, since the house keeps 7.89% of it against 5.26% on everything else. The first four and the trio on single zero tables carry the normal 2.70% edge, no better and no worse than other bets there.
Where do you put the chip for a basket bet in roulette?
For the five number bet or the first four, on the outer edge of the layout where the green box joins the lowest row of numbers. For a trio, on the point where the three chosen boxes meet.
Can you play the basket on a European wheel?
Not the five number version, because a European wheel has no 00. You can bet the first four, 0 to 3, at 8 to 1, or a three number group joining the green pocket to 1 and 2 (or to 2 and 3) at 11 to 1.