What is the difference between European and American roulette?

There are only two versions of roulette played at casinos and live online casinos around the world – European and American. But what are the key differences between the two?

Extra zeros

The main and most obvious difference between an American and European roulette wheel and table is that an American one has an extra 00, which is green, just like the 0. This means there is more chance of a house win, and the casino can potentially make more money. In terms of odds, European roulette has a house edge of 2.75, whereas American is 5.26%. So American roulette has 38, rather than 37 numbers and pockets on the wheel, but there are a few other things which are different, whether you’re playing in a live casino or a traditional bricks and mortar one.

The way the numbers are ordered on the wheel – the extra 00 has not just been placed in among the European wheel numbers – an American roulette wheel has the numbers in a completely different order.

Optional rule of en prison

Meaning ‘in prison’, some casinos have the en prison rule, which is when 0 comes up, and you have an even money bet placed (such as betting on red), your chips are left on the table and have another spin of the wheel.

European roulette call bets

In European roulette, there are call bets, also known as announced bets, which cover certain sections of a roulette wheel. Most of the names are in French, with those which are fixed bets including Voisins du Zero (neighbours of zero), Jeu Zero (Zero Game), Tiers du Cylindre (Thirds of the Wheel) and Orphelins (Orphans).

As its name suggests, a Voisins du Zero bet covers the 17 numbers closest to the 0 on the wheel, which is to say, the numbers from 22 on the left and 25 on the right, with the green 0 in the middle. It is the largest wheel section covered by fixed bets and uses a combination of corner, split and 3 number bets. It is the only call bet which places multiple chips and has odds of winning at 45.9%.

Jeu Zero is the smaller version of Voisins du Zero and includes numbers between and including the number 15 on the wheel, which is just 7 in total and requires 4 betting chips. It has odds of winning of 18.9%.

The numbers on the opposite side to the Voisins du Zero section are Tiers du Cylindre and as the name suggests, covers roughly one third of the roulette wheel. Odds of winning are 32.4%, and it requires using 6 betting units, using only split bets by placing one chip on each.

Orphelins, which is the only fixed call bet to place an overlapping bet on the number 17, covers the remaining 8 numbers on the wheel and has odds of winning of 21.9%. It’s called Orphelins as they are the left over numbers which have been split apart.

Variable call bets

These cover different sections of a roulette wheel. A Neighbours bet is a straight bet on a number and two numbers on either side of it, so 5 betting units are needed. This has a 13.5% odds of winning.

Final bets, also known as finale or finaal, are straight bets on numbers ending in a digit you choose. Depending on the digit you choose, these need either 3 or 4 chips. They don’t cover a continuous part of the wheel, unlike all other call bets.

American Five number bet

In American roulette only, you can place a five number bet, thanks to the extra 00. It has the worst odds, with a house edge of 7.89%.

Which is best?

For players hoping to win, European roulette clearly has the upper hand, with its lower house edge. Whether you’re playing a in a real casino or online live casino, the same rules apply, and though the differences are subtle between European and American, the odds are clear. No one wants worse odds, and we all want to try and win, by making it as likely as we can.

Taking advantage of the free offers of live casinos, such as 50 free spins, is a good way of trying out a site before you decide where to place your bets. You can get 50 free spins without having to spend anything, using comparison sites to find 50 free spins no deposit offers.

Most live casinos offer the option of either wheel and table to players, as well as all the other classic casino games like baccarat and blackjack. But there are many more European roulette variants available online, so unless your casino only offers American roulette, it’s generally a good idea to always choose European for the best odds.