European and American Roulette: Comparison and Details
Roulette is one of the games that attracts numerous players throughout the world. It might not be the oldest, it might not be the most commonly played, but it certainly is the classiest casino game out there. The meaning of the word roulette is “a little wheel” and, unsurprisingly, the game revolves around spinning a wheel, so to say. One can hardly find a casino, whether a brick-and-mortar or an internet-based one, where the game of roulette isn’t played. Even some of the iconic James Bond films feature a game of roulette. The two main roulette varieties are American and European, although the latter is sometimes called French.
Highlights and Short Description of the Variants
European Roulette
Just as the name suggests, this game is most popular in Europe. It isn’t exactly the same as the one that was offered throughout the 18th century, when the modern game of roulette first appeared. European roulette features 37 numbers, 1 through 36, which are either black or red and a single zero in a green pocket. Not only does European roulette have only one zero slot (although this wasn’t the case, originally), but the sequence of the numbered pockets on the wheel differs compared to the American version. Since the game was developed in France, many of the phrases and bet names used in the game are in French, even in the English-speaking countries. Hence, the game is often called French roulette, and rarely, and exclusively by Americans, it is called English or British roulette. In addition to inside and outside bets, European roulette also features called or announced bets, which can be fixed or variable.
American Roulette
This game is slightly different from European. It has a double-zero pocket, and the numbers are aligned on the wheel differently. The numbers that are black in European roulette would also be black in American, and the same goes for the red numbers, but their placement on the wheel is less random. American roulette doesn’t feature called bets, but there are many inside and outside bets to choose from. For example, the inside bets include straight-up or split bets where you place your bet on an individual number or a pair of them, respectively. You can also bet on a row of numbers. The outside bets are slightly different. There you place a bet on a larger amount of numbers and you can expect a higher payout. For example, you can bet on a group of 18, 12, 6 or 3 numbers. The combinations can be based on the colour, on whether the numbers are odd or even, or on their position on the table.
Differences between European and American Roulette
The differences between the two are not very great. For one, American roulette was created mainly owing to the greed of casino owners. The double zero was introduced because American operators didn’t see the house edge of European roulette as big enough. Also, the process takes place significantly faster, the tables are a bit smaller, so that each player can be closer to the desired field. The following paragraphs will look into more details regarding specific differences.
Zero Pockets
| American and European Roulette Compared | ||
|---|---|---|
| Criteria | European Roulette | American Roulette |
| Number pockets | 37 | 38 |
| Red numbers | 18 | 18 |
| Black numbers | 18 | 18 |
| Green pockets | 1 (0) | 2 (0 and 00) |
| House edge | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| Special rules | En Prison | none |
| Special bets | Call bets | Five Numbers bet |
It has already been mentioned that the number of zeros is the main way in which one can differentiate between American and European roulette. However, this hasn’t always been the case. The original European roulette which appeared in 18th-century France featured two zeros. It was two Frenchmen that actually invented the single-zero roulette in the middle of the 19th century. By the end of the Victorian era, all roulette wheels and tables in Europe had a double zero in addition to the single one. The newly developed single-zero roulette gained quick popularity throughout Europe, thus earning its “European” name.
House Edge
Naturally, every player would want a lower house edge, since that means that their winning odds are higher. As it has only one zero, meaning one number less while the payout for any bet is the same, European roulette clearly has a lower house edge. It is 2.70%, while in American roulette the house edge is 5.26%. Besides, if the “en Prison” or “la Partage” rule is enforced in European roulette, this can further reduce the house edge to 1.35%.
Arrangement of the Number Pockets on the Wheel
There is more than one difference resulting from the fact that American roulette has two zero pockets, whereas European only has one. One of them is the arrangement of the numbers of the wheel. Now, the colours of the numbers remain the same, the zero(s) are green and every number that is black in European roulette is also black in America, and the same goes for red numbers. The arrangement of the numbers on the wheel in European roulette is rather random with the only regularity being the fact that each red number is followed by a black one. On the other hand, this irregularity enables the called (sometimes announced) bets which are only possible in European roulette. In American roulette the arrangement is different. Every number is diagonally opposing its successor. For example, 1 is opposite 2, 35 is opposite 36 and so on.
“En Prison” – a Rule from European Roulette
The “en Prison” (meaning “in prison”) is a variation of “la Partage” rule. According to la Partage if a player places an outside bet on even or odd, and the ball happens to land on zero, which is neither odd nor even, the player doesn’t lose all his or her money, but gets back 50% of the initial bet. En Prison is a more complicated variation of this rule, where under the same circumstances the player’s chips are put “in prison”, i.e. stay at the same bet, and are in play for the next spin. Say a player places a bet on even and the ball lands on zero. The player’s chips stay arrested for the next spin and if the next winning number is even, he or she gets the stake back, if not – the stake is forfeited. This rule lowers the house edge to 1.35% and a combination of European roulette with en Prison is the roulette variant with the lowest house edge.
The Five Numbers Bet – a Feature of American RouletteThe “five numbers bet” is possible only in American roulette. As the name suggests, here the player places his or her bet on five neighbouring numbers, namely one, two, three and both the single and the double zero. If you play American roulette and place the chip on the external line of zero and one then you’ve made the “five numbers bet”. The payout in this case is six-to-one, but the winning odds are 13.2%. Statistically speaking, this is the worst bet in roulette and the house edge for this bet is 7.9%, which is quite high compared to other variations. Which Variant Should You Play?
Now the main question that concerns all actual and potential players is which variant they should play. The basic rules and the way you place wagers is the same and there are no variations here. Nevertheless, there are certain special bets, some of which were mentioned above. For example, the called bets in European roulette make it richer with betting options. These called bets are based on the position of the numbers on the wheel, not on the table. There is a bet called “neighbours of zero” which covers the numbers that are close to the zero pocket. There is a smaller version of this bet – the so-called “zero game” (Zero Spiel) and it covers fewer numbers that are close to the zero. The third of the wheel bet covers the part which is on the opposite side of the zero, roughly speaking, and the Orphans are the numbers not covered by either of these bets. Generally viewed, European roulette sounds like a better option, based mostly on the fact that the house edge is lower. Especially if the “en Prison” or “la Partage” rule is enforced the house edge is much lower compared to American roulette. However, some American casinos, though very few, offer one of these two rules. Also, American roulette is lots of fun and some people particularly fancy being able to bet on the double zero. So, you can choose whatever option suits you better, or the one that is available at the casino where you’re playing.