Roulette Odds: Why European Wheels Beat American Wheels
Roulette looks identical from across the room whether it's a European or American wheel — same red-and-black layout, same spinning ball. But the two wheels have a different number of pockets, and that one difference roughly doubles the house edge on the American version.
The two wheels
A European wheel has 37 pockets: numbers 1-36 plus a single 0. An American wheel has 38 pockets: 1-36 plus both 0 and 00. That extra double-zero pocket is the entire difference between the two games — every other rule is the same.
Why one extra pocket matters so much
A straight-up bet on a single number pays 35:1 on both wheels. But your actual odds of winning are 1 in 37 on European (house edge 2.70%) versus 1 in 38 on American (house edge 5.26%) — the payout doesn't change to reflect the extra losing pocket, so the house edge nearly doubles. This is a rare case in casino gambling where the "which version of the same game" choice makes a measurable difference to your expected loss rate. Always choose a European (single-zero) wheel when one is available.
Inside bets vs outside bets
Inside bets are on specific numbers or small groups: straight-up (one number, 35:1), split (two numbers, 17:1), corner (four numbers, 8:1). They pay more but hit less often. Outside bets cover larger groups: red/black, odd/even, or 1-18/19-36, all paying even money and hitting close to (but under) 50% of the time. Neither category has a better house edge than the other on a standard wheel — the payout-to-probability ratio is built to be equivalent across almost every bet on the table, with one notable exception below.
The one bet to actually avoid
On American wheels, the five-number bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3 together) pays 6:1 but carries a house edge of 7.89% — noticeably worse than every other bet on the layout. It's the one specific bet on the table that's mathematically worse than the rest, and it only exists on the American wheel.
La Partage and En Prison
Some European tables offer a rule called La Partage or En Prison: if the ball lands on 0 and you've placed an even-money outside bet (red/black, odd/even, high/low), you get half your stake back instead of losing it all. Where available, this cuts the house edge on those specific bets to roughly 1.35% — the best odds you'll find anywhere on a roulette table.
No betting progression (Martingale or otherwise) changes the house edge on any spin — each spin is independent. See our responsible gambling page if it stops being fun.
Comparing your options at the table? Blackjack basic strategy gets the house edge even lower, and our full house edge comparison covers every game.
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