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European vs. American Roulette Explained

Roulette is universally recognized as one of the most iconic and popular games in casino history.

Choosing the wrong version of roulette is the most common and costly mistake new players make.

The Extra Green Zero

The American wheel, however, has 38 pockets: numbers 1 through 36, a single zero (0), and a double zero (00).

While the payouts remain exactly the same, your odds of hitting a specific number decrease on the American wheel.

• European wheel has 37 total pockets
• American wheel has 38 total pockets
• Both versions pay 35 to 1 on a single number bet

Comparing the House Edge

Conversely, the American wheel’s extra double zero pushes the house edge up to a massive 5.26%.

Statistically, for every $100 you wager, you expect to lose $2.70 on European and $5.26 on American.

The En Prison and La Partage Rules

The “La Partage” rule dictates that if the ball lands on zero, you only lose half of your even-money bet.

American roulette essentially never offers these rules, further cementing its status as the inferior option.

The conclusion is incredibly simple: you should always seek out and exclusively play European or French roulette.