Differences between American and European Roulette

While the basic premise of all variants of roulette remains the same, one of the most important splits in the way the game is played took place in the 19^th century with the development of American Roulette. This change saw the adaption of the game to US players and casinos, and, more importantly, increasing the house edge significantly.

So what are the main differences between American and European Roulette? To highlight the difference, we first need to take a look at the European Roulette table, as American Roulette evolved from this original game.

European Roulette

European Roulette (or French Roulette as it's sometimes known), comprises of the roulette wheel and the betting area on the table.

These are the main characteristics of European Roulette:

The wheel is made up of 37 numbers (one through to 36 and a single zero).
The numbers appear in alternating red and black on the wheel, while the zero is green.
On the betting area, the numbers are spread out in three rows, with other betting fields placed around these rows to offer extra wagering options.
Players can opt to place bets on a variety of outcomes, ranging from single and multiple numbers to adjoining numbers.
The wheel is spun and players are paid out according to where it landed.

If the ball lands on the zero, the bank will win unless the player has wagered on the zero. In this case, the wager is locked and players have a chance to recoup their wager on the next spin. This is known as the 'en prison' rule.

American Roulette

The main difference between American and European Roulette is the fact that the odds are higher in the American version of the game, due to the addition of the extra zero on the roulette wheel. The wheel is thus made up of 38 numbers (one through to 36, a single zero – 0 – and a double zero – 00).