American vs European Roulette

American vs. European Roulette – An Overview

For those of you who are new to the game of roulette, it is a game of chance that you can play at traditional casinos as well as online ones. The game has quite a few variants, with the most commonly seen ones being American and European roulette.

While the game itself is played the same way for both American and European roulette, there are a few differences when it comes to the table layout and the wheel, which in turn brings about a difference in the casino edge and also the odds. In this article, we will discuss the basic differences between American and European roulette.

Basic Differences between American and European Roulette

The primary difference between American and European roulette lies in the wheel and table layout. This primary difference also has a secondary impact, in terms of the house advantage and also the odds for each bet. Let us discuss the table first.

The table in European roulette has a single zero. In all, the table has 37 boxes, numbered 0 to 36, arranged in three columns. The single zero is at the top of the table, while the bottom of the table has three additional squares, with each bearing the label 2-1. Along the side of the columns are nine boxes in two rows. The first row has three boxes labeled 1st 12, 2nd 12, and 3rd 12 respectively. The second row has six boxes labeled 1 to 18, Even, All Red, All Black, Odd, and 19 to 36.

The American roulette table also looks more or less the same as the European table, with one major difference. The American table has an extra number, the double zero, which is missing in the European version of the game. This double zero is seen in a box alongside the single zero box at the top of the table. This means the American roulette table effectively has 38 boxes instead of the 37 you see in European roulette, numbered 0 to 37.

The Wheel in American and European Roulette

As in the case of the table layout, there is also a similar difference in the kind of wheel used in American as well as European roulette. European roulette uses a wheel that has a single zero. This wheel came into existence in 1842, thanks to Francois and Louis Blanc. There was a reason why they introduced this wheel – they calculated that introducing a single-zero wheel would impact the house edge in a way that was encouraging for people to come and try the game. Their calculation was proved correct and the single-zero wheel remains hugely popular in Europe to this day.

The American roulette wheel has an additional number, the double-zero. Ironically, in the early years of roulette in the United States – the game came to this country at the beginning of the 19th century through New Orleans – you could find the single-zero as well as the double zero wheel. However, operators opted to use the double-zero wheel and that is what you find commonly in American roulette even today.

In the early years of American roulette there was one more difference between American and European roulette – the speed at which the wheel spun. This speed was three times higher in American roulette than in European roulette, where it was just 36 spins in an hour.

American vs. European Roulette – The House Advantage

So how does the presence of the double zero box impact the game in American roulette? You can see the impact tremendously in terms of the house advantage and subsequently, the odds as well. By using the single-zero wheel in European roulette, the Blanc brothers ensured the house advantage came down by close to 50%, from 5.26% to2.70%. This is one of the reasons for the continuing popularity of European roulette.

In the case of American roulette, the presence of the extra number, the double-zero, meant that the casino continued to enjoy a big advantage over the players. The house advantage for American roulette is 5.26% compared to the 2.70%, which is one reason why there has been a wane in popularity of the game compared to European roulette.

American Vs. European Roulette – The Bets

Another difference between American and European, again because of the presence of the double-zero, is in the five-number bet. This bet is not available when it comes to European roulette, and can be found only in American roulette. You can place this bet on the line that intersects the two zeros – single and double – and the row with the numbers 1, 2, and 3. This is considered literally the worst of all bets in American roulette thanks to the whopping 7.89% house advantage associated with it.

Again, in European roulette you see the en prison rule, whereas in American roulette you get to see the surrender rule. The introduction of the surrender rule has ensured that when this rule is in play, the house advantage comes almost on par with that in the European version of the game, at 2.63%.