Roulette is a popular game of chance often found in casinos. The famous wheel allows you to test your luck, place your bets, enjoy the thrill and hope you can boost your bankroll with the result. The roulette wheel is said to have originated in 18th century France after the famous physicist and mathematician Blaise Pascal created an early version of the revolution in the 17th century.
Many versions of the Roulette wheel are available to play at land-based and online casinos such as Betfair, for example. Join us as we discover the three main variations of the beloved wheel and their differences, and click here to play roulette online once you’ve read and chosen which one you want to play.
American Roulette
Most popular in – you guessed it – America, this version of the Roulette wheel is the one you’re most likely to find spinning on the Las Vegas Strip. The game consists of 38 pockets, with numbers from one to 36, sitting between the green zero and the double zero pockets.
Although the table layout is the same in all versions of Roulette, the wheel numbers are arranged in a slightly different order. The game’s concept remains the same, and the house edge is 5.26%, making this version somewhat less favourable for some than other forms of the game.
European Roulette
European Roulette is not very different from American Roulette. The European version of the game, however, is generally more popular. This is because, like the American wheel, it only has a single zero pocket instead of two zero pockets. This reduces the number of pockets on the wheel from 38 to 37, as the house edge is almost half of what it is in the American game – 2.7%.
It was in 1843 that French brothers François and Louis Blanc created this unique zero variation of the wheel. The brothers eventually settled in Monaco, and, due to the fame of this game, they are credited with building the first modern casino – the Monte Carlo casino. Playing Roulette online will familiarise you with the slightly different betting systems and layouts of each Roulette variation, so it’s worth experimenting before your first visit to a land-based establishment.
French Roulette
While American and European wheels are the most well-known versions, there is also French Roulette, which just so happens to be the version with the potential to have the lowest edge of the house. After gaining popularity in the years following the French Revolution, the game is played on the standard European Roulette wheel. It has two rules that can reduce the house edge to 1.35%.
These include La Partage – a rule that can take effect if a player places an outside even money bet, and the winning number are zero. The real money bet will immediately be divided by two, allowing the player to recover 50% of the chance, while the other 50% is given to the house. With this rule, there is no option to leave the original bet for another wheel spin, but it does lower the house edge.
En Prison – a variation of the partage rule. The player is given the option to place their original bet in prison (“in prison”). The bet is left on the previous bet, and if the bet wins the next round, the player can redeem their money. If you lose, the bet is lost.
Differences In Rules And Odds
The simple fact that single zero roulette contains only 37 numbers in total (one less than double zero roulette) and has the same payout ratio makes it clear that the RTP of American roulette is more unfavorable for the player. European and French roulette is much better because they have a higher RTP and, consequently, a more minor house edge. Know this when playing in an online casino.
The RTP for European Roulette is 97.3%, while the RTP for American Roulette is only 94.74%. Therefore, it is safe to say that European roulette is much more favorable for the player. If you have a choice, always choose to play European (or French) roulette.
Other than that, the games are very similar. There are some differences in betting between single zero and double zero roulette due to the extra number (00) present in American roulette. There is a unique bet called “top line” in American roulette, which covers the numbers 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3, while bets called “trio” (0-1-2 or 0-2-3 ) and ” basket “(0-1-2-3) are exclusive to European and French roulette tables.
