What Is the Shotwell Roulette System?
Most roulette systems are betting progressions: they change the size of your stake after a win or a loss. The Shotwell doesn’t. You place the same five-unit bet on every spin, and the system is entirely about where those chips go.
Instead of grouping numbers that sit together on the table layout, the Shotwell picks numbers that are spread evenly around the wheel itself. The idea is that the ball always lands close to one of your numbers. It was designed for the American double-zero wheel, and it’s still played at American tables today.
How to Play the Shotwell System
Each spin, place five equal units:
| Bet | Numbers covered | Units | Pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double street (six line) | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | 1 | 5 to 1 |
| Straight up | 8 | 1 | 35 to 1 |
| Straight up | 10 | 1 | 35 to 1 |
| Straight up | 20 | 1 | 35 to 1 |
| Straight up | 26 | 1 | 35 to 1 |
That covers 10 of the 38 numbers on an American wheel. On the wheel itself, there are never more than three empty pockets between two of your numbers, which is where the Shotwell gets its reputation for “surrounding” the ball.
What Each Spin Pays
With $1 units, your total stake is $5 a spin:
| Outcome | Numbers | Chance on an American wheel | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ball lands on 1–6 | 6 | 15.79% | +$1 (the six line pays $5, the four straight-ups lose $4) |
| Ball lands on 8, 10, 20 or 26 | 4 | 10.53% | +$31 (the straight-up pays $35, the other four bets lose $4) |
| Any other number, including 0 and 00 | 28 | 73.68% | −$5 |
You lose on about three spins in four. The occasional straight-up hit is what keeps a session alive.
Example session. Over 10 spins at $1 units, you hit a straight-up once, the six line twice, and miss seven times: +$31 + $2 − $35 = −$2. A session with no straight-up hit loses quickly; one with two hits comes out well ahead. Over many spins, the result trends toward the house edge.
Does the Shotwell Beat the House Edge?
No. Being close to the ball counts for nothing: a number one pocket away from the winner loses just as surely as one on the far side of the wheel. Every number has the same chance on every spin, so the Shotwell carries the same 5.26% house edge as any other bet on an American table, about 26 cents lost per $5 spin on average.
Can You Use the Shotwell on a European Wheel?
The chip pattern works on any table, but the even spacing doesn’t: on a European wheel the same 10 numbers bunch together, with as many as 10 empty pockets between some of them.
Since the spacing never affected your chances anyway, that doesn’t matter. Playing the same five bets on a European wheel is actually the better deal: there’s no 00, so you win on 10 of 37 numbers and the house edge drops to 2.70%.
Pros and Cons of the Shotwell
Pros
- Flat stakes, so you always know what each spin costs.
- Simple to set up: the same five bets every time.
- Straight-up hits pay well, which gives sessions real upside.
Cons
- You lose almost three spins in four.
- Six-line wins return just $1, barely covering one missed spin.
- Built for the American wheel, which has the higher 5.26% edge.
- Its main idea, being close to the ball, has no effect on the result.
Is the Shotwell System for You?
The Shotwell suits players who like inside bets and want a fixed, predictable stake with a chance of a big hit. Treat it as a way to structure your play, not a way to win, and play it on a European wheel where you can. For similar coverage-style systems, see the Double Street Quad, or compare every system on our roulette systems page.
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