Roulette is a beloved game played at casinos around the world. But there are several distinctions between its two most popular versions – European and American.

One of the most noticeable distinctions on a wheel is the number of green pockets. European wheels only feature one, while American ones have two. Although this difference may seem minor, it can have an immense effect on your chances for winning in the long run.

Game rules

Roulette is an entertaining casino game in which gamblers wager on numbers and colors, as the ball spins around a wheel with numbered pockets. Once it stops spinning, those who correctly guess either color or number win their bets.

European Roulette is very similar to American Roulette, except it only has one green pocket (0 instead of two). While this may seem like a minor distinction, it has an enormous effect on your chances of success.

When playing European Roulette, be sure to pay attention to the La Partage rule which allows you to recover half your stake if zero comes up. This can reduce the house edge on even-money bets such as red or black by half.

Payouts

One of the primary distinctions between American and European Roulette is their payouts. On average, American has better odds and a lower house edge than its European counterpart.

Payouts are determined by where a player’s chips fall on an array of numbers on the table. Players have the option of betting on either one number or multiples of that same figure.

Players can place bets on specific sectors of the wheel. These sectors consist of adjacent numbers clustered together under a specific name to make betting simpler.

These bets typically offer better odds than other forms of bets, but require a substantial amount of money to win and can be risky. Therefore, it’s wise to start small and diversify your stakes; this will help keep your bankroll under control and prevent you from over-chasing losses.

Variations

Roulette has been a longstanding favorite at casinos both land-based and online. It can be enjoyed by gamers of all skill levels and experience levels alike, offering endless possibilities.

In this game, a wheel with 37 pockets is spun. Each pocket contains an integer from 0 to 36 in red and black colors. Players wager on which pocket the small ivory ball will land when it stops spinning.

The game also has rules that can reduce the house edge and boost your chances of winning. One such rule is La Partage, which states that if you make an even money bet (like red or black) and the ball lands on zero, half your stake is returned.

American roulette is an adaptation of the game with a green zero segment added to the wheel, increasing your odds of hitting any given number twice as much.

House edge

The house edge is the percentage of profits a casino expects to keep from each wager. It can be seen as an incremental tax of 2.7% applied to winning wagers.

This advantage does not guarantee you a win, but it can greatly enhance your gaming experience. Whether playing roulette online or at an actual brick-and-mortar casino, take into account the house edge when making decisions about where to bet.

American roulette boasts a house edge of 5.26%, while European Roulette offers an even lower 2.6% for single-zero wheels. However, the chances of making a successful bet with European Roulette are much greater than with American Roulette.