Mexican roulette with 3 zero’s
Mexican Roulette is a roulette variant that adds a third green pocket — the triple zero (000) — to an otherwise standard American-style wheel. The result is 39 pockets instead of 38, a house edge of 7.69%, and the highest built-in casino advantage of any mainstream roulette format. Understanding exactly what that third zero costs you is essential before you sit down at a Mexican Roulette table.
What Is Mexican Roulette?
Mexican Roulette is built on the same structure as American Roulette but with one additional green pocket marked 000. Where the American wheel has 0 and 00, the Mexican wheel has 0, 00, and 000 — three green pockets in total across 39 numbered positions.
The game is rare in land-based casinos but has found a niche in online and live casino formats as a novelty variant. It is sometimes marketed as “Triple Zero Roulette.” The rules for all bets are otherwise identical to standard roulette — the only mechanical difference is the addition of that third green pocket, which has an outsized effect on the mathematics.
The 39-Pocket Wheel
The Mexican Roulette wheel contains 39 pockets: numbers 1 through 36 in red and black, plus three green pockets — 0, 00, and 000. The layout of the numbered pockets follows the same sequence as an American double-zero wheel. The three green pockets are spaced evenly around the wheel so no single section is dominated by green.
On the betting grid, the 000 pocket appears as a separate column alongside 0 and 00 at the top of the layout. You can place a straight-up bet on 000 just like any other number, and it pays 35:1 — the same as every other pocket on the wheel.
| Specification | Mexican Roulette |
|---|---|
| Total pockets | 39 |
| Numbered pockets | 1–36 (18 red, 18 black) |
| Green pockets | 3 — single zero (0), double zero (00), triple zero (000) |
| House edge | 7.69% |
| RTP | 92.31% |
| Straight-up payout | 35:1 |
| La Partage / En Prison | Not available |
House Edge and Real Cost
The house edge in roulette is determined by the gap between the payout and the true odds. On a 39-pocket wheel, a straight-up bet has a 1 in 39 chance of winning, but still pays only 35:1 — a payout calibrated for a 36-number wheel. The casino retains the difference on every spin.
Here is what that edge means in practice over a session at €10 per spin, compared to other variants:
| Wheel Type | House Edge | 100 spins × €10 | 500 spins × €10 | 1,000 spins × €10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| French (La Partage) | 1.35% | €13.50 | €67.50 | €135 |
| European (Single Zero) | 2.70% | €27 | €135 | €270 |
| American (Double Zero) | 5.26% | €52.60 | €263 | €526 |
| Mexican (Triple Zero) | 7.69% | €76.90 | €384.50 | €769 |
Bets and Payouts
All standard roulette bets are available in Mexican Roulette. Payouts are identical to European and American roulette — the extra pocket does not change what you receive when you win. It only changes how often you lose. See our full roulette payouts guide for a complete breakdown.
| Bet Type | Covers | Payout | Win Probability (39 pockets) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Up | 1 number | 35:1 | 2.56% |
| Split | 2 numbers | 17:1 | 5.13% |
| Street | 3 numbers | 11:1 | 7.69% |
| Corner | 4 numbers | 8:1 | 10.26% |
| Six Line | 6 numbers | 5:1 | 15.38% |
| Dozen / Column | 12 numbers | 2:1 | 30.77% |
| Red / Black | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 46.15% |
| Odd / Even | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 46.15% |
| High / Low | 18 numbers | 1:1 | 46.15% |
Note that even-money bets like red/black win only 46.15% of the time on a Mexican wheel, compared to 48.65% on a European wheel. That 2.5 percentage point drop is entirely due to the three green pockets rather than one.
Mexican vs American vs European Roulette
| Feature | Mexican (Triple Zero) | American (Double Zero) | European (Single Zero) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total pockets | 39 | 38 | 37 |
| Green pockets | 3 (0, 00, 000) | 2 (0, 00) | 1 (0) |
| House edge | 7.69% | 5.26% | 2.70% |
| RTP | 92.31% | 94.74% | 97.30% |
| La Partage / En Prison | No | No | On French tables only |
| Straight-up payout | 35:1 | 35:1 | 35:1 |
| Red/Black win rate | 46.15% | 47.37% | 48.65% |
| Availability | Rare — online/live niche | Standard in North America | Standard globally |
Should You Play Mexican Roulette?
Mexican Roulette is a mathematically unfavourable game. A 7.69% house edge means the casino takes more than twice as much per spin as on a European wheel, and nearly 50% more than American roulette. There is no compensation for this — no bonus feature, no jackpot, no special rule that offsets the extra green pocket. The payouts are identical to European and American roulette; only the win rates are lower.
The Case Against
If you have a choice of tables, there is no mathematical argument for choosing Mexican Roulette over a European or French wheel. The same stakes, the same play time, and the same strategy will produce significantly worse expected results on the triple-zero wheel. Even American roulette — which most experts already advise against when a single-zero alternative is available — is substantially better than Mexican.
The Case For
The honest case for playing Mexican Roulette is novelty. If you have played all standard variants and want something different, the triple-zero format is mechanically distinct. The additional green pocket creates slightly different betting dynamics — for example, covering all three zeros as part of a broader inside bet strategy. If you play with a fixed entertainment budget and treat the higher edge as the cost of a different experience, there is nothing wrong with trying it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the house edge in Mexican Roulette?
7.69%, with an RTP of 92.31%. This is the highest house edge of any mainstream roulette variant — nearly three times the 2.70% edge of European Roulette and almost double the 5.26% edge of American Roulette. The higher edge is entirely caused by the third green pocket (000) with no change to payouts.
How many zeros does Mexican Roulette have?
Three — a single zero (0), a double zero (00), and a triple zero (000). This gives the wheel 39 pockets in total: 36 red and black numbered pockets plus three green zeros. It is also called Triple Zero Roulette for this reason.
Does Mexican Roulette have any special rules?
No. Unlike French Roulette, which offers La Partage (returning half your even-money stake when zero lands) or En Prison (locking the bet for another spin), Mexican Roulette has no rule that partially compensates for the green pockets. All three zeros are full losses for outside bets.
What does the triple zero pay in Mexican Roulette?
A straight-up bet on 000 pays 35:1 — identical to any other number on the wheel. The 000 pocket is not special in terms of payout. Its significance is mathematical: three green pockets with unchanged payouts raises the house edge from 5.26% (two zeros) to 7.69% (three zeros).
Is Mexican Roulette the same as American Roulette?
No. American Roulette has two green pockets (0 and 00) and a house edge of 5.26%. Mexican Roulette adds a third green pocket (000), raising the total to 39 pockets and the house edge to 7.69%. Apart from that additional pocket, the two games are structurally identical.
Where can I play Mexican Roulette?
Mexican Roulette is a niche variant not available at most standard roulette tables. It appears occasionally in online casino game libraries and some live dealer lobbies. It is rarely found in physical casinos outside of novelty settings. Check our roulette games overview for currently available variants, or our live roulette guide for platforms that carry it in a live format.