If you’re new to the world of online casino games and want to play roulette for the first time, you’ll notice one odd thing — the roulette wheel has mainly two colors: red and black. However, one number (or two numbers, depending on the type of the roulette you play) is painted in green — the Zero.

The European version of roulette has one Zero field, while the American one has two Zeros marked with 0 and 00.

If there’s one thing that players hate the most about roulette, that’s the Zero, and in this article, we’ll explain why.

Whenever we review roulette bets that are located on the outside (not betting on individual numbers), we advise caution, as there’s one result when you’ll always lose — and that’s when the ball lands on Zero.

Let us elaborate. Namely, imagine that you want to place an outside bet that focuses on colors. Your choice is to bet either on Red or Black. If you bet on Red and the ball lands on a number that’s painted in red, you’ll double up your stake. For instance, if you bet $10, you’ll get $20 ($10 on top of your original stake). The same goes for Black. However, if the ball lands on 0 or 00, you won’t receive anything.

Statistically speaking, the ball is bound to land on Zero pockets every once in a while, and that’s how casinos create an edge over the players.

As a matter of fact, all outside bets don’t count zero. Even if you decide to bet on Evens or Odds, you won’t win anything if the result is zero.

Simply put, the Zero pockets are the reason why many players lose more money in the long run, especially those who focus on outside bets.

Does this mean that roulette is rigged? It doesn’t. Roulette is designed in such a way that will allow casinos to profit long-term. However, it all comes down to the element of luck. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll be able to make a profit by guessing the outcome correctly. In that case, zeros cannot affect you in any way. Still, they should never be taken out of the equation.

If you’re new to the world of online gambling, make sure to check out our short guide on how to play roulette in order to understand some basic concepts related to this game and make your first official bet.