European vs American Roulette: What is the difference?
Explore online roulette and you will soon notice that not every wheel follows the same format. European roulette features one green zero, while the American version adds a second green pocket marked 00. It is a small visual change with a meaningful effect on the game’s probabilities.
Most of the experience remains familiar. You select a number, colour or section of the betting layout before the wheel is set in motion. The pocket the ball settles in determines the result. However, the number of pockets on the wheel affects how frequently any individual selection can succeed.
Understanding that distinction makes it easier to compare the versions available at an online casino like Jackpot City. So, what sets European and American roulette apart, and why does the extra zero matter? Let’s find out.
What is the main difference between European and American roulette?
The defining difference is the wheel layout. European roulette has 37 pockets, including one zero, while American roulette has 38 pockets, including 0 and 00.
A standard European wheel contains:
- Numbers 1 to 36
- One green 0
The American format contains:
- Numbers 1 to 36
- One green 0
- One green 00
Apart from the additional 00, the numbered pockets share the familiar red and black colour pattern. Both versions also support many of the same selections, including individual numbers, small number combinations, colours and broader sections of the layout.
That extra pocket changes the probability behind every wager. On a European wheel, one selected number has a 1-in-37 chance of being drawn. The same selection on an American wheel has a 1-in-38 chance.
How are the roulette wheels arranged?
The numbers on a roulette wheel do not appear in numerical order. Instead, the sequence distributes red and black pockets, along with high, low, odd and even values, around the wheel rather than placing the numbers in ascending order.
European and American wheels also use different sequences. The American arrangement must accommodate both 0 and 00, so it is not simply a European wheel with one extra pocket added beside the zero.
These sequences matter when discussing neighbouring wagers, where a selection covers a number and the pockets positioned alongside it on the physical wheel. However, the order does not change the probability attached to a straight-up selection. Any individual pocket remains as likely to be drawn as any other pocket on the same wheel.
Our roulette wheel guide takes a closer look at the layout, number sequence and relationship between the wheel and betting table.
Do European and American roulette use different bets?
The core betting options are broadly similar. In both games, the table is divided into inside and outside sections. If these terms are unfamiliar, our guide on how to play roulette explains the table layout, main wagers and basic flow of the game.
Inside bets concentrate on individual numbers or compact groups on the numbered grid. Common examples include:
- Straight up: One number
- Split: Two adjoining numbers
- Street: A horizontal row of three numbers
- Corner: A block of four adjoining numbers
- Six line: Two adjoining rows covering six numbers
Outside bets cover larger sections of the layout. These include:
- Red or black
- Odd or even
- 1 to 18 or 19 to 36
- First, second or third dozen
- First, second or third column
American roulette also includes the five-number bet, which covers 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3. This option is unique to the double-zero layout and carries a larger mathematical disadvantage than the other standard wagers available on the table.
For a closer look at these broader table selections and the numbers they cover, see our guide to roulette outside bets.
Are the payouts different?
Standard roulette payouts are generally consistent across European and American tables. A successful straight-up selection, for example, provides 35 units in winnings for every unit placed, with the initial stake returned separately.
The return increases as fewer numbers are covered. A two-number split offers 17 to 1, while a three-number street returns 11 to 1. Extending the selection to four numbers changes the payout to 8 to 1, and covering two adjoining rows with a six-line bet offers 5 to 1. Broader dozen and column selections pay 2 to 1, while red/black, odd/even and high/low wagers return 1 to 1.
These returns remain consistent even though the American wheel contains an additional possible result. That extra pocket is why the double-zero version carries a higher built-in casino advantage.
A payout should not be confused with the probability of success. The same selection may offer an identical return on both wheels, but its chance of succeeding is slightly lower when there are 38 possible landing positions rather than 37.
Why does the extra zero affect roulette odds?
Roulette payouts are based on 36 regular numbers, but neither main version has only 36 possible results.
European roulette adds one zero, creating 37 landing positions. American roulette introduces both 0 and 00, bringing the total to 38. These green pockets sit outside common paired categories such as red and black, odd and even, or low and high.
Consider a red selection:
- A European wheel contains 18 red pockets among 37 possible outcomes.
- An American wheel contains 18 red pockets among 38 possible outcomes.
The payout remains 1 to 1 in both cases, but the additional green pocket on the American wheel reduces the probability of red being drawn.
This difference applies across the betting layout. The extra 00 does not affect only outside wagers. It also slightly reduces the likelihood of winning on individual numbers and smaller number combinations.
Which version has the lower house edge?
Under standard rules, European roulette has a lower theoretical casino margin than American roulette.
The commonly quoted figures are:
- European roulette: Approximately 2.70%
- American roulette: Approximately 5.26%
- American five-number bet: Approximately 7.89%
The difference comes from the number of zero pockets rather than a change to the regular payouts. European roulette divides the possible results across 37 pockets, while American roulette uses 38.
The house edge is a long-term mathematical measurement calculated across a very large number of rounds. It does not predict the outcome of an individual spin or indicate what will happen during a short playing session.
What happens to outside bets when zero appears?
Zero does not form part of either side of the standard even-chance categories. It is neither red nor black, and it sits outside the odd/even and low/high groups.
Under ordinary European rules, a result of 0 means those selections do not win. On an American table, the same applies when either 0 or 00 is drawn.
This treatment of zero is central to the game’s mathematics. Eighteen pockets support each side of an even-chance selection, but the wheel contains at least one additional result that belongs to neither side.
Some French-style tables use special rules that alter how qualifying wagers are settled when zero is drawn. The two best-known examples are La Partage and En Prison.
What are La Partage and En Prison?
La Partage and En Prison are roulette rules associated with certain French and European tables. Both apply to eligible even-chance selections when the result is zero, but they handle the wager differently.
How does La Partage work?
La Partage completes the round by returning half of the amount placed on a qualifying even-chance wager.
For example, suppose 10 units are placed on black and the ball settles in the 0 pocket. At a table using La Partage, 5 units are returned instead of the full 10-unit stake being lost.
This partial return can reduce the effective long-term casino margin on qualifying selections to approximately 1.35%.
How does En Prison work?
En Prison does not immediately divide the wager. Instead, an eligible even-chance selection is held on the table for the next spin.
The following result then determines how the held wager is resolved according to that table’s rules. Exact procedures can vary, which makes it important to review the information supplied with the game before placing a bet.
La Partage and En Prison should not be assumed to apply to every European or French roulette table. They are game-specific rules and usually relate only to qualifying even-chance wagers.
Is European roulette better than American roulette?
European roulette offers the lower standard house edge because it has one zero instead of two. For readers comparing the games strictly by their underlying mathematics, that is the most important difference.
That does not mean European roulette produces predictable results or guarantees better short-term outcomes. Each spin is independent, and the ball can settle in any pocket.
American roulette may still appeal to players who prefer its distinctive wheel, double-zero layout or five-number selection. The more suitable version ultimately depends on the available games, and the type of table experience you prefer.
Before choosing, check:
- Whether the wheel uses one zero or two
- The minimum and maximum table limits
- Which wagers appear on the layout
- Whether special rules are available
- The stated payouts
- Whether the game is RNG-based or hosted by a live dealer
Do betting systems change the odds?
No staking system can change the number of pockets on the wheel or influence where the ball settles.
Approaches such as Martingale, Fibonacci and Labouchère adjust the amount placed after different results. They do not alter the probability attached to the next spin, remove the zero pockets or overcome the game’s built-in mathematical advantage.
Increasing a stake after a loss also introduces practical risks. A sequence of unsuccessful rounds can cause the required wager to rise quickly, while table limits may prevent the system from continuing as intended.
The most useful approach is to understand the game rules, choose affordable limits and set a budget before playing.
European vs American roulette at a glance
| Feature | European Roulette | American Roulette |
| Total pockets | 37 | 38 |
| Zero pockets | 0 | 0 and 00 |
| Standard house edge | Approximately 2.70% | Approximately 5.26% |
| Straight-up probability | 1 in 37 | 1 in 38 |
| Five-number bet | No | Yes |
| La Partage or En Prison | Offered at some French or European tables | Not normally offered |
| Standard straight-up payout | 35 to 1 | 35 to 1 |
Which roulette wheel should you choose?
The clearest difference between European and American roulette is the additional 00 pocket on the American wheel. Most familiar bets and payouts appear in both versions, but the second zero changes the probability behind every selection and raises the game’s standard house edge.
From a purely mathematical perspective, European roulette offers the more favourable setup. American roulette provides a different wheel layout and an additional five-number wager, but its 38 pockets result in a higher long-term casino margin.
Whichever version you explore, take a moment to check the wheel, betting limits and table rules. Small differences in layout can meaningfully affect how the game works.