Block library

The decorative dome at the very centre of the wheel head. It holds the spindle in place and is usually machined from polished brass or chromed steel — both for looks and to add a touch of weight at the rotor centre.

The vertical axle the wheel head rotates around. Mounted on precision ball bearings so the rotor can spin for 60–90 seconds on a single push from the croupier with almost no friction loss.

The free-spinning disc that carries the numbered pockets. Sits on the spindle and is launched in one direction; the croupier sends the ball spinning in the opposite direction along the ball track.

The annular ring on the wheel head that holds the numbered slots. European wheels carry 37 pockets (0–36); American wheels add a second 00 pocket for a total of 38. The numbering sequence is non-consecutive to spread risk.

The individual numbered slots cut into the pocket ring. Each is sized just slightly larger than the ball so it can settle cleanly. Half the non-zero pockets are red, half are black; the zero (and double zero) are green.

The cushioned bottom inside each pocket. Made of soft synthetic material to absorb the ball's energy and prevent it from bouncing back out once it settles. Casinos replace worn pads regularly to keep landings consistent.

The thin metal walls between adjacent pockets. They guide the ball into a pocket once it loses momentum. Modern "low-profile" frets are deliberately shorter than older designs, making the wheel less predictable.

The outer wooden ring the ball spins along after the croupier launches it. Polished and slightly sloped inward — gravity does the rest as the ball loses energy and begins drifting toward the centre.

A small sphere, typically 18–21 mm in diameter, traditionally made from ivory but today from acetal or Teflon. Light enough to bounce dramatically off frets and deflectors before settling.

The eight raised diamond-shaped pegs (sometimes called "canoes") on the inner slope between the ball track and the pocket ring. They scatter the ball's trajectory and add an extra layer of randomness to where it lands.

The sloped wooden section connecting the ball track to the pocket ring. Once the ball loses enough velocity to fall off the track, it slides down the apron, sometimes ricocheting off a deflector along the way.

The wooden housing that contains the entire wheel — typically crafted from mahogany, walnut, or rosewood for premium tables. Provides structural rigidity and absorbs vibration during play.

The painted ring on top of the pocket ring showing the visible numbers. Reading the European sequence clockwise from 0: 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25, 17, 34, 6, 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33, 1, 20, 14, 31, 9, 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26.

The pedestal the wheel sits on. Heavy and bolted to the table to prevent any vibration during play — even a small tilt would bias the ball over thousands of spins.