One pocket, double the cost
A European wheel has 37 pockets: 1 to 36 plus a single zero. An American wheel has 38, the same numbers plus a second green pocket marked 00.
Payouts are identical on both. A straight-up number pays 35:1 either way, red pays even money either way. So the entire difference between the two games is that one has an extra way to lose.
That single pocket takes the house edge from 1/37 = 2.7027% to 1/19 = 5.2632%, a multiple of 1.95.
What it costs in money
Expected loss on $100 of action, which is a handful of spins at a modest stake:
| Wheel | Zeroes | Edge | Expected loss per $100 | Per $1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| French (even money, la partage) | 1 | 1.35% | $1.35 | $13.50 |
| European | 1 | 2.70% | $2.70 | $27.00 |
| American | 2 | 5.26% | $5.26 | $52.60 |
| American, five number bet | 2 | 7.89% | $7.89 | $78.90 |
Playing the American wheel instead of the European one costs an extra $25.60 per $1,000 wagered, for a game that plays identically and looks nearly the same.
How to tell them apart in three seconds
Look for the 00. That is the whole check. If the layout has a green 00 box next to the 0, it is an American wheel.
Two further tells: European wheels run the numbers in a different sequence around the rim, and French tables carry French labels, impair, manque, passe, which almost always signals a single zero and often the la partage rule as well.
Single-zero wheels dominate Europe, and both types are common in the United States, where single-zero tables are often placed in higher-limit areas. Paying a higher minimum to sit at a single-zero table is frequently the better deal, because the edge saving outruns the larger stake sooner than most players expect.
The rule that beats both
On a French table running la partage, an even-money bet costs 1.35%, half the European figure and under a third of the American one. That is the cheapest roulette in the world, and it applies only to bets paying 1:1.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between European and American roulette?
- The American wheel has an extra green 00 pocket, 38 rather than 37. Payouts are the same, so the edge rises from 2.70% to 5.26%.
- Is European roulette really better?
- Yes, by a factor of 1.95 on every bet. It is the single most valuable choice available to a roulette player.
- Which bets are affected?
- All of them equally. The wheel changes the cost of every wager on the table by the same proportion.
- Is it worth a higher table minimum to play a single-zero wheel?
- Usually yes. Halving the edge outweighs a moderately higher stake over any normal session length.
House edges on this page are computed from the pocket count and the payout in exact rational arithmetic, then checked against published references before publication. Payouts are standard, but the wheel and the zero rule vary between casinos and between tables in the same casino, so confirm both before you sit down.