American wheel coverage system
Shotwell Roulette Strategy: The American Wheel Layout Explained
The Shotwell roulette system uses one six line bet and four straight up bets. The base version stakes one unit on each of five positions, covers ten pockets and was designed around the number order on an American roulette wheel.
This guide calculates that five unit base layout. It keeps the later nine unit weighting and historical win press rules separate, because mixing those versions produces the payout errors found in many Shotwell explanations. Wheel spacing does not change the chance of any pocket on a fair spin.
Shotwell Set A on the table and wheel
The first recognised group places one unit on the six line covering 1 to 6, then one unit straight up on 8, 10, 20 and 26. The diagram also shows those ten pockets in the American wheel order.
Check wheel types and inside bet limits
The original groups need an American table, while a European adaptation has different wheel spacing. Check the wheel type, inside bet minimums and standard paytable before choosing a unit.
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How to place the five unit base layout
Set A is the easiest group to learn because it uses the first six line on the table. The same stake is placed on each of the five positions.
1uSix line covering 1 to 6
Place one unit on the outside edge between the first two streets. That one chip covers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and pays 5 to 1 profit if any of those pockets wins.
4uFour straight up numbers
Place one unit directly on each of 8, 10, 20 and 26. Each selected number pays 35 to 1 profit when it wins.
Because the five positions are inside bets, the layout can become expensive where the minimum chip is high. A low stakes roulette table or a genuine 20p roulette game makes the total cost easier to see before using real money. The safest way to learn the placement is on free roulette.
The seven published Shotwell number groups
Each group contains one six line and four separate straight up numbers. All five positions receive one unit in the base version. The four straight up numbers were selected to spread the ten covered pockets around the American wheel.
Swipe sideways to compare all columns.
| Set | Six line | Four straight up numbers | Wheel note |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 to 6 | 8, 10, 20, 26 | Used in the main diagram and worked example. |
| B | 4 to 9 | 10, 13, 14, 15 | Ten American wheel pockets with one chip on each position. |
| C | 10 to 15 | 16, 17, 18, 28 | All numbers can be placed on either American or European tables. |
| D | 13 to 18 | 11, 12, 27, 28 | Shown in many seven group reproductions but omitted from some later academic tables. |
| E | 19 to 24 | 1, 2, 4, 26 | American wheel spacing differs from the way these numbers appear on the felt. |
| F | 28 to 33 | 00, 22, 24, 35 | Requires an American table because the set includes 00. |
| G | 31 to 36 | 0, 00, 29, 30 | Also requires an American table because both zero pockets are selected. |
The groups may be changed between spins, but changing them does not improve the next result. Each spin is independent. The spacing only describes how the chosen numbers sit around the wheel.
Exact base payouts after every losing chip is counted
The six line win looks small because its six unit gross return must cover the four losing straight up chips. A straight up hit creates the larger result because one unit returns 36 units gross.
| Winning outcome | Total staked | Gross return | Complete result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any six line pocket | 5u | 6u | +1u |
| One selected straight up | 5u | 36u | +31u |
| Any uncovered pocket | 5u | 0u | -5u |
Correct five spin example with Set A
The old page treated number 2 as a miss even though it sits inside the 1 to 6 six line. The corrected sequence is:
| Spin | Number | Outcome | Spin result | Running result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 34 | Miss | -5u | -5u |
| 2 | 2 | Six line wins | +1u | -4u |
| 3 | 20 | Straight up wins | +31u | +27u |
| 4 | 1 | Six line wins | +1u | +28u |
| 5 | 15 | Miss | -5u | +23u |
This short example finishes ahead because one of the four straight up bets wins. It is an illustration of the result calculation, not evidence that the layout predicts future numbers.
The later nine unit weighting
Some modern guides put five units on the six line and one unit on each straight up. That is a valid weighted variation, but it is not the same as the equal stake five unit base version.
Base version
1u on the six line plus 1u on each of four straight ups.
Total: 5 units
Weighted variation
5u on the six line plus 1u on each of four straight ups.
Total: 9 units
| Weighted result | Total staked | Gross return | Complete result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Six line pocket | 9u | 30u | +21u |
| Selected straight up | 9u | 36u | +27u |
| Miss | 9u | 0u | -9u |
American wheel versus a European adaptation
The original number groups were arranged around the American wheel order. Using a group that contains only ordinary numbers on a European roulette table lowers the house edge, but it no longer preserves the original Shotwell spacing.
Swipe sideways to compare all columns.
| Wheel | Pockets covered | Base stake edge | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| American roulette | 10 of 38 | 5.26% | Preserves the original 0 and 00 wheel order and allows every published set. |
| European roulette | 10 of 37 for compatible sets | 2.70% | Lower house edge, but the selected pockets no longer have the same wheel spacing. |
| French roulette | Same as European | 2.70% on these inside bets | La Partage does not apply because Shotwell has no even money wager. |
| Multiplier roulette | Depends on the game | Check the paytable | A reduced normal payout can change every complete result shown above. |
Why 10 covered pockets still leave a negative expectation
The base layout produces a positive result on ten American pockets and a five unit loss on the other 28. The larger straight up results do not remove the double zero house edge.
American 38 pocket proof
Six six line pockets at +1u give +6u.
Four straight up pockets at +31u give +124u.
Twenty eight misses at -5u give -140u.
Complete result across 38 equally likely outcomes: -10u.
European adaptation
Six six line pockets at +1u give +6u.
Four straight up pockets at +31u give +124u.
Twenty seven misses at -5u give -135u.
Complete result across 37 equally likely outcomes: -5u.
| Version | Stake per spin | Turnover over 100 spins | Theoretical expected result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five unit American base | 5u | 500u | -26.32u |
| Five unit European adaptation | 5u | 500u | -13.51u |
| Nine unit American weighting | 9u | 900u | -47.37u |
| Nine unit European weighting | 9u | 900u | -24.32u |
These figures follow the normal roulette odds. Spreading the selected pockets around the wheel does not change their total probability or the expected loss applied to the amount staked.
Does Shotwell include a progression?
Historical descriptions add a win press to the fixed layout. The base bets remain one unit on each position, but the next spin can be increased after a positive result.
| Previous result | One historical next step | Total next stake |
|---|---|---|
| Miss | Return every position to the one unit base stake. | 5u |
| Six line win | Use 2u on the six line and keep each straight up at 1u. | 6u |
| Straight up win | Use 2u on all five positions until a miss resets the layout. | 10u |
For a genuinely fixed stake comparison, see Masse Égale. For systems that deliberately change stake size after results, the Martingale and other pages in the roulette strategy library explain their own triggers separately.
What the American wheel spacing does and does not show
What it shows
- The selected pockets are distributed around the American wheel.
- The pattern looks irregular on the table because table order and wheel order differ.
- The groups were designed for a wheel containing both 0 and 00.
What it does not prove
- A nearby miss does not return any part of the stake.
- Even spacing does not improve a selected pocket on the next spin.
- Rotating groups does not create a prediction or remove the house edge.
A physical bias would need to be measured from a large record of actual results and linked to specific pockets or sectors. Shotwell does not perform that test. It is a fixed coverage layout built around wheel positions.
Shotwell compared with other roulette coverage systems
Shotwell is best compared with fixed inside layouts, not with systems that only change the size of an even money stake.
Swipe sideways to compare all columns.
| System | Base idea | Main difference from Shotwell |
|---|---|---|
| Shotwell | One six line and four straight ups | American wheel groups covering ten pockets with five positions. |
| Kavouras | Seven fixed inside positions | Uses eight units across First Four, six line and split bets on a European table. |
| Finals bets | Numbers sharing the same last digit | Changes the exact straight up and split positions according to the chosen final. |
| 666 system | Fixed table coverage | Uses a different collection of inside and outside positions with a larger total stake. |
| Romanovsky | Mixed coverage layout | Combines different bet types and does not rely on American wheel spacing. |
| 36 Focus | Number selection over a defined cycle | Tracks a different rule and is not a five position wheel layout. |
Other coverage pages worth comparing include the 24+8 strategy and the one number Makarov Biarritz system. Each uses a different number of bets and must be judged from its complete result after every losing chip is counted.
Calculation method
Coverage
Six pockets from the six line plus four separate straight up pockets gives ten unique selected pockets.
Positive result
On the American wheel, 10 divided by 38 gives a 26.3158% chance of a positive result on one fixed spin.
Expected loss
The normal wheel edge is applied to total turnover: 5 units times 5.26% on American roulette or 2.70% on European roulette.
A six line returns six units gross for every unit staked. A straight up returns 36 units gross for every unit staked. The tables subtract all other losing Shotwell positions to show the complete result rather than quoting a payout in isolation.
Shotwell roulette questions
What is the Shotwell roulette system?
Shotwell combines one six line bet with four straight up bets. The base version places one unit on each of five positions, covers ten pockets and uses number groups designed around the American wheel order.
Does Shotwell cost five units or nine units?
The equal stake base layout costs five units: one on the six line and one on each straight up. A later weighted variation uses five units on the six line plus four one unit straight ups, for a total of nine units. The two versions must not share one payout table.
Why do some Shotwell guides list six groups and others seven?
Many system reproductions list seven groups. A later academic table omits the group using the six line 13 to 18 with straight ups 11, 12, 27 and 28. RouletteUK shows all seven and labels the disputed extra group.
Can Shotwell be used on European roulette?
Compatible number groups can be placed on a European table, and the standard house edge falls from 5.26% to 2.70%. However, the wheel order changes, 00 disappears and the original American spacing is no longer preserved.
Does La Partage help the Shotwell system?
No. La Partage applies to qualifying even money bets. Shotwell uses a six line and straight up bets, so French La Partage does not reduce the edge on this layout.
What happens after a Shotwell win?
The fixed base version simply repeats the same five units. Historical descriptions add a press: after a six line win the next six line may be doubled, while after a straight up win all five positions may be doubled until a miss. These stake changes do not improve the house edge.
Does the wheel spacing make Shotwell more likely to win?
No. The ten selected pockets still have a combined 10 in 38 chance on an American wheel. Spacing them around the wheel changes their position, not the probability of the next fair spin.
Play the layout as five separate bets
Shotwell can create long sequences of five unit misses, and any historical press raises the amount at risk. Check the full cost before placing the first chip, use a standard paytable and stop rather than increasing the stake to recover an earlier loss. Practise the layout free before moving to a live or online table.