European Vs. American Roulette Explained

Roulette is universally recognized as one of the most iconic and popular games in casino history.


European and American roulette may look nearly identical to the untrained eye, but the math differs wildly.

The Difference is in the Zeros

The American wheel, however, has 38 pockets: numbers 1 through 36, a single zero (0), and a double zero (00).


The addition of the 00 pocket effectively doubles the casino's built-in mathematical advantage over the player.

The green zeros represent the house edgeAmerican roulette includes the 0 and the 00European roulette only utilizes the single 0
Comparing the House Edge

Conversely, the American wheel's extra double zero pushes the house edge up to a massive 5.26%.


There is absolutely no mathematical justification for ever choosing to play American roulette if European is available.

The En Prison and La Partage Rules

The "La Partage" rule dictates that if the ball lands on zero, you only lose half of your even-money bet.


American roulette essentially never offers these rules, further cementing its status as the inferior option.

GameWheel NumbersEdge with La PartageFrench371.35%American38N/A

Playing American roulette is a mathematical mistake that unnecessarily drains your bankroll twice as fast.