Picking American or European Roulette

The online gambling industry is experiencing a boom currently. Players are moving online droves to evade the inconvenient social distancing rules that are now the norm in most land-based casinos. But if you’re a beginner, you may be forgiven for not knowing the difference between American roulette and European roulette wheels. Well, don’t be confused anymore as this article lays bare all the similarities and differences of these entertaining games. Read on!

American Roulette Wheel

American roulette is easily one of the most famous casino games in the US gambling floors and online casinos. The wheel has up to 38 divisions, including zero, double zero, and 1 to 36. While zero and double zero are marked using green color, the numbers 1 to 36 are marked in alternating red and black. That said, the objective is to predict where the roulette ball will land. The probability of the ball settling anywhere is 50/50.

European Roulette Wheel

European roulette or French roulette is the most popular roulette variant in Europe. Like the American roulette, the European roulette wheel comes with numbers 1 up to 36 marked in black and red. You will notice the numbers are not in the same order just like in the American roulette wheel. However, there is only a single green pocket for zero.

The Game Layout

As said before, the European roulette lacks a double zero pocket giving it 37 divisions on the wheel. Other than this small difference, both games have 18 red pockets and 18 black pockets. But that’s the obvious part of things. The main difference here is that the European roulette numbers go in a clockwise order while the American roulette goes counterclockwise.

The House Edge

Now this is where the real difference comes to the fore. The American roulette comes with a much higher house advantage (5.26%) than European variant. In fact, it’s almost double what you’ll get playing European roulette (2.7%). Technically, that’s because the American wheel features a double zero and a single zero wheel. Therefore, the house will always have the upper hand when a player makes a bet, especially even-money wagers. Of course, this difference isn’t much, but the 1 in 37 odds of winning a European roulette is irresistible.

The Rules

Generally, the basic rules of these table games are similar across most online live casinos. However, the European roulette wheel offers players lots of advantageous situations. For example, the “En Prison Rule” gives you an additional spin whenever the ball lands on the single zero pocket. That can reduce the house advantage drastically to around 1.35%.

Also, the European roulette wheel allows you to make “call bets.” Similar to regular betting, “call bets” enable players to announce the wager to the dealer rather than put chips on the table. This bet is only allowed when you want to make a complex betting decision. It features Red Split and Neighbors.

Final Decision: Which Variant is Better?

Up to this section, you must have noticed that the difference between these table games is subtle. However, playing European roulette is the better option due to the lower house edge and better odds.

But playing and winning casino games goes further than just better odds and lower house edge. That’s because you need a cunning roulette strategy to lower the house advantage no matter which variant you play.

Also, playing the game for free doesn’t do your bankroll any harm, does it?

And lastly, there are many roulette variants to play online. Trying these options can let you know which variant resonates with your playing style. Just remember to play on regulated online casinos.