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Wheel guide · Updated
European vs American Roulette: Odds, House Edge and Which to Play
European roulette has one zero and a 2.70% house edge. American roulette adds a double zero, so the same bets at the same payouts cost you 5.26%, almost twice as much. Here's what that one extra pocket changes, what it costs per hour, and how to make sure you're at the right table.
- Both wheels drawn pocket by pocket
- Odds of every bet on each wheel
- Cost calculator for your own stakes
- 37 vs 38pockets on each wheel
- 2.70%European house edge
- 5.26%American house edge
- 1.35%French, La Partage
The two wheels
One Extra Pocket Is the Whole Difference
Both wheels carry the numbers 1 to 36 in alternating red and black. The European wheel adds a single green 0 for 37 pockets. The American wheel adds 0 and 00 for 38, and puts the numbers in a different order.
The order of the numbers doesn't change your odds on either wheel. Every pocket is equally likely on every spin; what matters is how many pockets there are. Look up any number's color, neighbors and position, or spin both wheels, in our roulette wheel guide. New to the game? Start with how to play roulette.
Odds by bet
Same Payouts, Lower Chances: Every Bet on Both Wheels
Each bet pays exactly the same on both tables. The extra 00 is one more losing pocket for everything except the basket, so each bet wins slightly less often and the house keeps almost twice as much.
| Bet | Pays | Wins, European | Wins, American | Edge, European | Edge, American |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight (one number) | 35 to 1 | 2.70% | 2.63% | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| Split | 17 to 1 | 5.41% | 5.26% | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| Street | 11 to 1 | 8.11% | 7.89% | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| Corner | 8 to 1 | 10.81% | 10.53% | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| First four: 0, 1, 2, 3 single zero | 8 to 1 | 10.81% | — | 2.70% | — |
| Basket: 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 double zero | 6 to 1 | — | 13.16% | — | 7.89% |
| Six line | 5 to 1 | 16.22% | 15.79% | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| Dozen or column | 2 to 1 | 32.43% | 31.58% | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| Red, black, odd, even, low, high | 1 to 1 | 48.65% | 47.37% | 2.70% | 5.26% |
Chance of winning = numbers covered ÷ pockets. Edge = 1 − chance × (payout + 1). Want a single bet worked out for your stake? Use the roulette odds calculator, or see the full payout chart with true odds.
The math
Why One Pocket Doubles the House Edge
Picture betting $1 on one number for one perfect cycle of the wheel, where every pocket comes up once. On a European wheel that's 37 spins: you win once ($35 profit) and lose 36 times ($36). You're down $1 out of $37 bet, which is the 2.70% edge.
On an American wheel the cycle is 38 spins. You still win once at 35 to 1, but now you lose 37 times. You're down $2 out of $38 bet: 5.26%. One extra pocket doubles the money the house keeps, because the payout was never adjusted to cover it.
The same thing happens on every bet, from a split to red or black. The one bet that's worse is the American basket on 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3: it pays 6 to 1 when fair would be 6.6 to 1, so its edge is 7.89%.
| $1 on one number, every pocket once | European | American |
|---|---|---|
| Spins | 37 | 38 |
| Winning spin pays | +$35 | +$35 |
| Losing spins | −$36 | −$37 |
| Net over the cycle | −$1 (2.70%) | −$2 (5.26%) |
-
French, La PartageEven-money bets, single zero$1.351.35% edge
-
EuropeanSingle zero, every standard bet$2.702.70% edge
-
AmericanDouble zero, every bet but one$5.265.26% edge
-
Triple zero0, 00 and 000: 39 pockets$7.697.69% edge
-
American basketThe 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 bet$7.897.89% edge
$100 in total bets × house edge. That's the long-run average; one session can finish well up or well down.
Interactive
What the Extra Zero Costs You: Calculator
Enter your usual bet, how fast the table spins and how long you play. You'll see the average cost of the session on each wheel and how much the 00 adds. A quick live table runs about 40 spins an hour; auto and RNG games can run far faster.
Total bet over the session: $800
European, single zero
$21.62
average cost at 2.70%
American, double zero
$42.11
average cost at 5.26%
What the 00 adds
$20.48
for exactly the same bets
On even-money bets at a French table with La Partage, the same session would cost about $10.81.
Averages, not predictions: a two-hour session can easily finish $100 up or down at these stakes. Want to see the swings? Play the same bets on both wheels in our roulette simulator with free chips.
Our test
The Same Martingale Session on Three Wheels
We ran our Martingale test on each wheel: 200,000 simulated sessions per wheel, each starting with $100, betting $1 on an even-money bet and doubling after every loss, ending at $150 or when the next bet couldn't be placed. Nothing changed but the wheel.
French La Partage
51.5%
of sessions reached $150
European Single zero
48.8%
of sessions reached $150
American Double zero
43.4%
of sessions reached $150
5.4 points between European and American is a lot for one pocket. On none of the three does Martingale make money over time: each losing session wipes out far more than a winning one adds. The full test, with streak odds and bankroll tables, is in our Martingale guide, and you can compare all eight roulette systems we tested.
Layout and rules
What Changes on the Table Besides the Wheel
The zero boxes and special bets
An American layout has 0 and 00 side by side at the top. That replaces the European first-four bet (0, 1, 2, 3 at 8 to 1) with the five-number basket at 6 to 1, the worst bet in the game. Every other box and payout is the same.
Racetrack and call bets
European and French tables usually add a racetrack: an oval of the wheel order for neighbor bets and call bets like Voisins du Zéro and Orphelins. These are just groups of standard bets, so the edge stays 2.70%. American tables rarely offer them.
Zero rules on even money
French tables with La Partage hand back half an even-money bet when 0 lands; En Prison holds it for one more spin. Both cut those bets to about 1.35% (how each rule works). In Atlantic City, double-zero tables use a surrender rule on even money, which takes them to 2.63%.
Our verdict
Which Roulette Should You Play?
The payouts are the same and the game plays the same, so there's no trade-off to weigh. Single zero costs less every time.
Play this whenever you can
European roulette
2.70% on every bet. Online, a European table usually has the same minimums as an American one sitting next to it in the lobby, so there's no reason to pick double zero.
Best for even-money bets
French roulette
The same single-zero wheel, plus La Partage or En Prison. If you bet red, black, odd, even, low or high, check the rules panel for one of them: they halve the edge to 1.35%. How French roulette works.
Only if it's the only table
American roulette
If double zero is all there is, bet smaller or play fewer spins. A $25 single-zero spin costs about the same on average as a $13 double-zero spin, so a higher-minimum European table can still be the better deal.
Before you bet
How to Make Sure You're at a Single-Zero Table
- Count the zeros on the layout. One green box at the top means single zero. Two (0 and 00) means American, whatever the table is called.
- Check the RTP in the game rules. Online games list their return to player in the info panel: 97.30% is single zero, 94.74% is double zero, and 98.65% on even-money bets means La Partage applies.
- Don't trust the name alone. Branded and live tables often just say "Roulette". Open the rules before your first bet, especially on a new site.
- Watch for triple zero. Some Las Vegas casinos run wheels with 0, 00 and 000: 39 pockets and a 7.69% edge on every bet. Walk past them. Here's how to spot a triple zero table.
- Read the paytable on multiplier games. Lightning-style tables use a single-zero wheel but pay less on a normal straight hit to fund the multipliers, so their RTP differs from plain European roulette.
Try both for free
See the difference before you bet real money
- Spin both wheels in our free roulette game and get used to finding the zeros.
- Run 1,000 spins of the same bets on each wheel in the simulator and compare the balances.
- Check a bet on both wheels in the odds calculator.
Ready for real money?
Where to Play European Roulette Online
The top three from our ranked list of roulette sites. In the lobby, choose European or French roulette, then open the rules and check for a single zero before your first bet.
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We earn a commission if you sign up through these links. Online casino play is legal only in some states; the sites above operate from outside the US, so check the law where you live. 21+. Prefer a dealer? See our live roulette guide.
European vs American Roulette: Common Questions
Is European or American roulette better?
European roulette gives you better odds. It has 37 pockets and a 2.70% house edge; American roulette has 38 pockets and a 5.26% edge. The payouts are identical, so on average you lose almost twice as much per bet at an American table.
What is the house edge on American roulette?
5.26% on every bet except the five-number basket (0, 00, 1, 2, 3), which has a 7.89% edge. On European roulette, every standard bet has a 2.70% edge.
Do European and American roulette pay the same?
Yes. A straight bet pays 35 to 1, a split 17 to 1, a dozen 2 to 1 and red or black 1 to 1 on both wheels. The only difference is that the extra 00 pocket makes every bet win a little less often.
How much more do you lose playing American roulette?
On average, $5.26 for every $100 you bet, against $2.70 on European roulette. At $10 a spin and 40 spins an hour, that's about $21 an hour on double zero and $11 on single zero.
How can I tell if an online roulette game is European or American?
Count the zeros on the layout: one green 0 is European, 0 and 00 is American. If the game is just called "Roulette", open its rules or info panel and check the RTP: 97.30% means single zero, 94.74% means double zero.
Is French roulette the same as European roulette?
It uses the same single-zero wheel. The difference is the La Partage or En Prison rule on even-money bets: when 0 lands, you lose only half your stake (or it's held for the next spin). That cuts the edge on those bets to 1.35%. Inside bets stay at 2.70%.
Why does American roulette have a double zero?
Early roulette wheels in France had both a 0 and a 00. Single-zero wheels appeared in the 1840s and became the standard in Europe, while the double-zero wheel stayed popular in the US, where it's still the default in most land casinos.
Does a betting system work better on European roulette?
It loses less, but no system beats either wheel. In our Martingale test, 48.8% of sessions reached the target on a European wheel against 43.4% on an American one, and the losing sessions cost more than the winning ones made on both.
Can you find single-zero roulette in Las Vegas?
Yes, but not everywhere. Some Las Vegas casinos run single-zero tables, usually with higher minimum bets, while most tables are double zero, and many casinos now also deal triple-zero wheels with a 7.69% edge. Count the zeros before you buy in.
Sources: Wizard of Odds: roulette rules and house edge · Random Services: roulette bets, payouts and expected returns · LibreTexts on roulette probabilities
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