Game Guides · Explainer 4/6
European vs American Roulette: One Zero Makes the Difference
1 min
Worth rememberingThe two wheels look almost identical. One extra pocket nearly doubles the house edge — here is why it matters.
For adults 18+.
At first glance European and American roulette are the same game: the same layout, the same bets, the same payouts. The difference is a single pocket on the wheel — and it changes the maths of every spin.
The wheels
- European roulette has 37 pockets: 1–36 and a single zero.
- American roulette has 38 pockets: 1–36, a zero and a double zero.
The numbers are also arranged in a different order around the wheel, but that has no effect on the odds.
Why the extra zero matters
Payouts are identical on both wheels — a single number still pays 35 to 1. But with an extra losing pocket, every bet wins slightly less often. The house edge is about 2.7% on the single-zero wheel and about 5.26% on the double-zero wheel. Our roulette odds guide shows the calculation bet by bet.
The five-number bet
American tables offer a bet covering 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3. It pays 6 to 1, which makes it worse value than any other bet on the table, with a house edge of about 7.9%.
French rules
Some single-zero tables use “la partage” or “en prison” rules: when the ball lands on zero, even-money bets lose only half, or are held for the next spin. Where available, these rules lower the edge on even-money bets further. Always check the table rules before playing.
Which should you choose?
If you play roulette for fun, the single-zero wheel simply costs less on average. But neither version can be beaten in the long run, and the edge on both still favours the casino. Before you play, set deposit and time limits.