European versus American roulette: what one extra pocket does
European and American roulette look like the same game with a slightly different wheel, and that is exactly what they are. The difference is one green pocket. Because the payouts do not change to account for it, that pocket nearly doubles what every bet costs. This site goes through the comparison in detail; the conclusion is on this page, and it does not change on the others.
Put it into practice
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The two wheels
| European | American | |
|---|---|---|
| Pockets | 37 (0, 1–36) | 38 (0, 00, 1–36) |
| Green pockets | 1 | 2 |
| Straight-up pays | 35:1 | 35:1 |
| Straight-up wins | 1 in 37 (2.70%) | 1 in 38 (2.63%) |
| Red wins | 48.65% | 47.37% |
| House edge, every standard bet | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| Extra bet | — | Basket (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) at 6:1, 7.89% edge |
| Number order on the wheel | European sequence | American sequence, zeros opposite |
Why the payouts do not adjust
Roulette payouts are set as if the wheel had 36 pockets: 35:1 on a number, 2:1 on a dozen, 1:1 on red. On a 37-pocket wheel the house keeps one pocket's worth, 2.70%. On a 38-pocket wheel it keeps two pockets' worth, 5.26%. The American table does not raise the payouts to compensate; it simply takes the second pocket.
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In pounds
£5 a spin, 60 spins, one hour:
| Bet | European | American |
|---|---|---|
| Red | £8.11 | £15.79 |
| A dozen | £8.11 | £15.79 |
| A number | £8.11 | £15.79 |
| The basket | — | £23.68 |
Same bets, same payouts, same hour. The right-hand column is the price of one green pocket.
The basket
Only the American layout offers the five-number bet on 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3. It pays 6:1 against a fair 6.6:1 and costs 7.89%, the worst standard bet in roulette. It exists because the two zeros sit next to 1, 2 and 3 on the layout and a chip fits there. Nothing about it is worth placing.
Where each wheel comes from
The two-zero wheel is the older design, from 18th-century Paris. The single zero was introduced in Germany in 1843 as a competitive offer and spread through Europe from Monte Carlo. The double zero stayed in America, which is why it carries the name, and it has never had a player-side justification.
Online
Both wheels sit in most lobbies, often next to each other, often from the same provider, often with identical graphics apart from the second green box. The American table costs the operator nothing extra to list and earns nearly twice as much per spin. The European table is one tile away.
The whole comparison in a sentence
Every bet on the American wheel is the same bet as on the European wheel, paid the same, at nearly twice the price, plus one extra bet that is worse still. The other pages here cover the odds bet by bet, the American layout in detail and the question of whether there is any case for playing it. There is not, but the arithmetic is worth seeing.
Give it a spin
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Asked and answered
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What is the difference between European and American roulette?
The American wheel has a second green pocket, 00, making 38 instead of 37. Payouts are identical, so every bet costs nearly double: 5.26% house edge against 2.70%.
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Which is better, European or American roulette?
European, for every bet and every player. There is no bet on the American wheel that pays more or wins more often than its European equivalent. The only thing the extra pocket adds is cost.
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Why do online casinos offer American roulette at all?
It costs them nothing to list and some players choose it from habit or by accident. It is also more profitable per spin. The European table is in the same lobby and is the one to open.