Odds and Edges in American and European Roulette

a roulette table spinning with the ball

Out of all the casino table games, Roulette is one of the favorites amongst players. The attraction? It’s so easy to play, that you can drop a few bucks and end up winning thousands! The thing is, you shouldn’t just walk into a casino and start playing American or European Roulette ‘blindly’ without understanding the house edge, and the odds of winning on each.

Read on to gain a better understanding of the Roulette odds associated with betting on either red or black, or odd or even numbers. We’ll also explain what the casino house edge is and how it affects your bankroll each time you wager. Before we get into the nitty gritty, are American and European Roulette wheels the same? Read more on this go-to guide to the odds and edges in American and European Roulette.

Sign Up

American Roulette vs European

Both American and European Roulette are available internationally and in the States. The gist of playing either American or European Roulette is that you place your bet on a number, or red or black. The dealer will then throw the ball which will spin and (hopefully) land on your chosen number or color.

The element that differs on either type of Roulette is the layout of the wheel. The European Roulette wheel is numbered from 0 to 36, and therefore has 37 numbers. The American Roulette wheel is also numbered up to 36, but with its two zeros, it now has 38 numbers, or 38 extra slots for the ball to fall into.

From zero to zeros. Let’s see how you can become a winning hero!

Impact of Zero When Playing American and European Roulette

When it comes to European Roulette vs American, that zero on both Roulette games affects the casinos house edge and your winning odds. With only one zero on the European Roulette wheel, the house edge is 2.7% and you have a 1 out of 37 chance to win.

When you play American Roulette, the house edge increases dramatically! It more than doubles and goes up to 5.26%. Your Roulette odds also decline to a 1 in 38 chance to win due to the additional zeros.

Let’s put this into a dollar perspective for it to make more sense. For every $100 bet made on European Roulette, $2,70 will go towards the casino. Whereas with American Roulette odds, each $100 wager suffers a loss of $5.26.

European Roulette is definitely the better choice to literally roll into wins with!

Roulette betting variations

There are quite a couple of betting options available in Roulette. We’ll start with inside bets. This is where you wager on numbers you think will be lucky. This type of betting option is the least desirable as your chances of winning are quite low. Putting the Roulette house edge in the casinos favor.

Here are examples of inside bets:

  • Straight up: Wagering on a single number pays out 35:1
  • Corner bet: Playing 4 numbers in the corner or 4 numbers in a square will payout 8:1
  • Split bet: Betting on 2 numbers divided by a line pays out 17:1
  • 5 number/basket bet: Putting money on zero, double zero, and top numbers 1, 2, 3 is an extremely bad wager with a house edge of 7.9%
  • 6 number bet: This type of wager on 2 lines of 3 numbers next to each other will payout 5:1
  • Street/steam bet: Making a bet on 3 numbers starting from the highest or the lowest is set to pay out 11:1

Rather boost your luck with outside bets and up those Roulette odds by wagering on odd, even, red or black numbers. When you make the smart move and play European Roulette with its 36 numbers, you’ll see that 18 numbers are in red and 18 are in black, 18 numbers are odd, and 18 numbers are even.

This translates to you having a 50/50 chance to win, granting you a payout ratio of 1:1. So, when you bet $10, you will win back your $10. We like those Roulette odds, don’t you?

Check Out These Outside Bet Options!

  • Column bet: Here, you put your chips down on 3 columns of 12 numbers for a 2:1 payout
  • Dozens bet: Just as the name says. You’ll wager on 12 numbers for a 2:1 payout
  • Odd or even bet: Betting on odd or even numbers gets a 1:1 payout
  • Red or black bet: Picking either red or black numbers also gets a 1:1 payout
  • Low or high bet: Low bets are numbers 1 to 18 (low) whilst high bets are 19 to 36 with a 1:1 payout

Extra Hot Roulette Tip

Another reason to rather opt to play European Roulette instead of American Roulette is the fact that you’re able to put the Roulette house edge in your favor with the La Partage rule.

What this means to you, is that when the ball lands on zero, your wager will get divided into two. One half will go straight back to you, while the casino gets the other half. The advantage for you is that this takes the house edge from 2.7% to only 1.3%.

American vs European Roulette at Black Lotus Casino

Whether you prefer playing American or European Roulette, there is no better place to give it a try than at Black Lotus Casino. It’s better than going to a stuffy casino that’s far too crowded and way too smoky! Our Roulette versions have the highest quality graphics with crystal-clear audio when you play on both mobile or desktop.

If you would like some social interaction while playing, why not try our Live Dealer Roulette games? You’ll get to interact with stunning ladies who really know how to keep the conversation going while rolling you into wins galore.

Come on in to Black Lotus Casino today because we can’t wait to have you seated at OUR table!

Sign Up