What is the difference between European and American Roulette?

European Roulette has 37 pockets (numbers 1–36 plus a single zero), giving a house edge of 2.70%. American Roulette has 38 pockets (numbers 1–36 plus 0 and 00), raising the house edge to 5.26%. Always choose European Roulette for better odds — the payouts are identical but the extra 00 pocket nearly doubles the house advantage.

What does a Straight Up bet pay in Roulette?

A Straight Up bet — a bet on a single number — pays 35:1. So a 10-coin bet on one number returns 360 coins (350 winnings plus your 10 stake back) if that number hits.

What is the best bet in Roulette?

Even-money outside bets (Red/Black, Odd/Even, High/Low) offer the best combination of win frequency and house edge. In European Roulette they win 48.65% of the time with a 2.70% house edge. With the La Partage rule active, the house edge on even-money bets drops further to 1.35%.

What is the La Partage rule in Roulette?

La Partage is a European Roulette rule that applies when the ball lands on zero. When active, half of any even-money bet (Red/Black, Odd/Even, High/Low) is returned to the player instead of the full amount being lost. This reduces the house edge on even-money bets from 2.70% to 1.35%.

What is a Five Number bet in Roulette?

The Five Number bet (also called Top Line) is exclusive to American Roulette. It covers 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 in one bet. It pays 6:1 but carries a house edge of 7.89% — the worst bet on the American Roulette table. Avoid it.

Can you bet on 0 in Roulette?

Yes. Zero (and double zero in American Roulette) are valid Straight Up bets, paying 35:1 like any other number. However, zero is not covered by Red/Black, Odd/Even, or High/Low bets — those bets lose when zero hits (or return half under La Partage).

What is an Inside bet vs Outside bet in Roulette?

Inside bets are placed on specific numbers or small groups of numbers on the inner numbered grid. They offer higher payouts but lower win probability (e.g. Straight Up 35:1). Outside bets are placed on larger groups like Red/Black or Dozens, offering lower payouts (1:1 or 2:1) but higher win probability. Both are valid strategies.

How to Play Roulette — Rules, Bets & European vs American Guide

The Basics

How Roulette Works

A roulette wheel is a spinning disk divided into numbered pockets. A dealer (or random number generator online) spins the wheel in one direction and launches a small ball in the opposite direction. When the wheel slows, the ball drops into one of the numbered pockets — that number is the winning result.

Before the spin, players place bets on the table predicting where the ball will land. You can bet on a single number, a group of numbers, a colour (red or black), whether the result is odd or even, and many other combinations. Payouts depend on the probability of winning — rarer outcomes pay more.

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The one rule that matters most: Always choose European Roulette over American Roulette when you have the option. The house edge is 2.70% vs 5.26% — almost double — with identical payouts. This is explained fully in the next section.

The Most Important Choice

European vs American Roulette

The two most common versions of roulette look almost identical — same wheel, same table, same payouts. But one small difference changes everything: the American wheel has an extra green pocket (00), the double zero.

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European Roulette

37

pockets · Single zero (0)

2.70%

HOUSE EDGE

✓ Recommended

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American Roulette

38

pockets · Zero (0) + Double Zero (00)

5.26%

HOUSE EDGE

⚠ Higher house edge

Both wheels pay 35:1 for a straight-up (single number) bet. On the European wheel that number covers 1 of 37 pockets (2.70% win chance). On the American wheel it covers 1 of 38 (2.63% win chance). Same payout, lower probability — that gap is the house edge, and it compounds over every bet type across the table.

European vs American Roulette comparison
Feature	European	American
Pockets	37 (0–36)	38 (0, 00, 1–36)
House Edge	2.70%	5.26%
RTP	97.30%	94.74%
Straight-up win chance	1/37 = 2.70%	1/38 = 2.63%
Even-money win chance	18/37 = 48.65%	18/38 = 47.37%
La Partage rule	Available (edge → 1.35%)	Not available
Five Number bet	Not available	Available — 7.89% edge ⚠️
Call bets (Voisins etc.)	Available	Not standard

The La Partage Rule — European Only

La Partage is an optional rule in European Roulette. When the ball lands on zero, instead of losing your entire even-money bet (Red/Black, Odd/Even, High/Low), half of your bet is returned to you. This reduces the house edge on even-money bets from 2.70% to just 1.35% — making it among the best bets in any casino.

The En Prison rule works similarly: instead of returning half immediately, your bet is "imprisoned" on the table for one more spin. If it wins, you get it back. If it loses, the casino keeps it.

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Avoid the American Five Number bet: The bet covering 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 pays 6:1 but carries a house edge of 7.89% — the worst bet on the entire roulette table. It exists only because of the double zero. Never place it.

Step by Step

How to Play Roulette — Round by Round

1

Place Your Bets

Choose your chip value and place bets on the table before the spin. You can place multiple bets in a single round — inside bets, outside bets, or both. There is no limit to the number of bets you can cover simultaneously.

2

The Wheel Spins

The dealer (or the game) spins the wheel and launches the ball in the opposite direction. Once the ball is in motion, no more bets are accepted — the table is closed.

3

The Ball Lands

The ball slows and drops into a numbered pocket. The winning number is announced and marked on the table. Every bet that covers this number wins; all others lose.

4

Payouts Are Settled

Losing bets are swept from the table first. Winning bets are paid according to their payout ratio — a Straight Up bet pays 35:1, a Red/Black bet pays 1:1, and so on. Your original winning chips remain on the table unless you move them.

5

Next Round Begins

A new round begins immediately. You can adjust your bets, add new ones, or keep the same layout for the next spin. There is no carry-over between rounds — every spin is statistically independent.

All Bet Types

Roulette Bets — Inside & Outside

Roulette bets fall into two categories: Inside bets (placed on specific numbers on the inner grid) and Outside bets (placed on larger groupings around the edge of the table). Inside bets pay more but win less often. Outside bets pay less but win more frequently.

All payouts below use European Roulette odds (37 pockets). American Roulette has the same payouts but slightly lower win probabilities due to the extra 00 pocket.

Inside Bets — Higher Payouts

Straight Up

1 specific number

35:1

European: 2.70% · American: 2.63%

Place chips directly on any single number, including 0 (and 00 in American). The highest-paying bet on the table.

Split

2 adjacent numbers

17:1

European: 5.41% · American: 5.26%

Place chips on the line between two adjacent numbers on the grid. Wins if either number hits.

Street

3 numbers in a row

11:1

European: 8.11% · American: 7.89%

Covers an entire horizontal row of three numbers (e.g. 1-2-3). Place chips on the outside edge of the row.

Corner (Square)

4 numbers in a square

8:1

European: 10.81% · American: 10.53%

Covers four numbers that form a square on the grid (e.g. 1-2-4-5). Place chips at the corner where all four meet.

Six Line

6 numbers — 2 rows

5:1

European: 16.22% · American: 15.79%

Covers two adjacent rows of three numbers (6 total). Place chips at the edge between two rows.

Five Number ⚠

0, 00, 1, 2, 3

6:1

American only: 13.16%

American Roulette only. House edge 7.89% — worst bet on the table. Avoid entirely.

Outside Bets — Higher Win Frequency

Red / Black

18 numbers (colour)

1:1

European: 48.65% · American: 47.37%

Bet on all red numbers or all black numbers. Zero is green and loses this bet (unless La Partage applies).

Odd / Even

18 numbers (parity)

1:1

European: 48.65% · American: 47.37%

Bet on all odd numbers (1, 3, 5…) or all even numbers (2, 4, 6…). Zero does not count as even and loses this bet.

High / Low

18 numbers (range)

1:1

European: 48.65% · American: 47.37%

Low covers 1–18, High covers 19–36. Zero loses both. The cleanest, most straightforward roulette bet.

Dozen

12 numbers (1–12, 13–24, 25–36)

2:1

European: 32.43% · American: 31.58%

Three dozen bets dividing the layout into thirds. Zero loses all dozen bets.

Column

12 numbers (vertical column)

2:1

European: 32.43% · American: 31.58%

Three columns of 12 numbers each run vertically down the table layout. Zero is not part of any column.

Complete Reference

Roulette Bet Payouts at a Glance

Complete roulette payout and odds table
Bet	Numbers Covered	Payout	Euro Win %	US Win %
Straight Up	1	35:1	2.70%	2.63%
Split	2	17:1	5.41%	5.26%
Street	3	11:1	8.11%	7.89%
Corner	4	8:1	10.81%	10.53%
Five Number ⚠️	5	6:1	N/A	13.16%
Six Line	6	5:1	16.22%	15.79%
Dozen / Column	12	2:1	32.43%	31.58%
Red / Black	18	1:1	48.65%	47.37%
Odd / Even	18	1:1	48.65%	47.37%
High / Low	18	1:1	48.65%	47.37%

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Why do all bets have the same house edge? In European Roulette, every bet except the Five Number (American only) returns the same house edge of 2.70%. Whether you bet a single number at 35:1 or Red/Black at 1:1, the casino's mathematical advantage is identical. Choosing between bets is a question of volatility preference, not house edge optimisation.

The Wheel

Red & Black Numbers — Which is Which?

The 36 numbered pockets alternate between red and black. Zero (and double zero) are always green. The specific red/black assignment is fixed — these never change. 18 numbers are red, 18 are black.

3

6

9

12

15

18

21

24

27

30

33

36

0

2

5

8

11

14

17

20

23

26

29

32

35

1

4

7

10

13

16

19

22

25

28

31

34

Red: 1,3,5,7,9,12,14,16,18,19,21,23,25,27,30,32,34,36 · Black: 2,4,6,8,10,11,13,15,17,20,22,24,26,28,29,31,33,35 · Green: 0

Strategy Tips

Roulette Strategy — What Works and What Doesn't

Roulette is a game of pure chance. No betting system can change the house edge — each spin is statistically independent of every previous spin. However, understanding the math helps you make informed decisions.

1

Always play European over American

This is the single highest-value decision in roulette. European Roulette's house edge (2.70%) is nearly half of American's (5.26%). With identical payouts, there is never a mathematical reason to choose American Roulette.

2

Use La Partage when available — it's the best bet in roulette

European Roulette with La Partage on even-money bets gives a house edge of just 1.35%. This is comparable to Baccarat Banker (1.06%) and far better than almost any other mass-market casino bet. If La Partage is offered, place even-money bets.

3

Betting systems don't change the math — they change the variance

Martingale (double after every loss), D'Alembert, Fibonacci — none of these change the house edge. What they do is trade smaller wins for rare catastrophic losses. Martingale feels like it works until a long losing streak hits a table maximum. Use them for entertainment, not expectation.

4

Each spin is independent — "due numbers" don't exist

If Red has hit 10 times in a row, Red and Black are equally likely on the next spin (48.65% each in European). The wheel has no memory. The Gambler's Fallacy — believing a number is "due" — is the most expensive misconception in roulette.

5

Outside bets for longer play, inside bets for bigger wins

Same house edge, different volatility. Red/Black gives you close to a 50/50 flip every spin — your bankroll stays steady. Straight Up bets can return 35× on a single number — massive when it hits, but a long time between wins. Choose based on the experience you want, not mathematical advantage.

6

Avoid the American Five Number bet — always

The Five Number bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) pays 6:1 but has a 7.89% house edge — nearly three times the European house edge and the only roulette bet that breaks the otherwise uniform 5.26% American advantage. There is no situation where this bet is a good choice.

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House edge summary: European Roulette (even-money + La Partage) 1.35% · European Roulette (all other bets) 2.70% · American Roulette (standard) 5.26% · American Five Number bet 7.89%. The choice of which table to sit at has a bigger impact on your expected return than any betting system.

Quick Reference

Roulette Terms Glossary

Roulette glossary
Term	Definition
Straight Up	A bet on a single number. Pays 35:1.
Split	A bet on two adjacent numbers. Pays 17:1.
Street	A bet on three numbers in a horizontal row. Pays 11:1.
Corner / Square	A bet on four numbers forming a square on the grid. Pays 8:1.
Six Line	A bet on six numbers covering two adjacent rows. Pays 5:1.
Dozen	Outside bet covering 12 numbers (1–12, 13–24, or 25–36). Pays 2:1.
Column	Outside bet covering a vertical column of 12 numbers. Pays 2:1.
Even-money bet	Red/Black, Odd/Even, or High/Low — all pay 1:1 and cover 18 numbers.
House Edge	The mathematical advantage the casino holds. European: 2.70%. American: 5.26%.
La Partage	European rule returning half of even-money bets when zero hits. Reduces house edge to 1.35%.
En Prison	Alternative to La Partage — even-money bets stay on the table for one more spin when zero hits.
Five Number bet	American only. Covers 0, 00, 1, 2, 3. Pays 6:1. Worst bet on the table (7.89% house edge).
Voisins du Zéro	European call bet covering 17 numbers closest to zero on the wheel. Requires multiple chips.
Orphelins	European call bet covering 8 numbers not included in Voisins or Tiers.
Tiers du Cylindre	European call bet covering 12 numbers opposite to zero on the wheel.

How Roulette Works

European vs American Roulette

The La Partage Rule — European Only

How to Play Roulette — Round by Round

Roulette Bets — Inside & Outside

Roulette Bet Payouts at a Glance

Red & Black Numbers — Which is Which?

Roulette Strategy — What Works and What Doesn't

Roulette Terms Glossary

Ready to Spin the Wheel?