European vs American Roulette – Explained for Smart Players
You’ve dived into our offering of roulette games at Cafe Casino, but have one question, what’s the difference between American and European roulette? Well, get ready to find out the different bet types, rules and which one has the lower house edge.
Invented in France hundreds of years ago, roulette has long been a popular casino game. Now, as a staple among our Cafe Casino table games, roulette is offered in multiple forms and formats. In addition to Classic European Roulette and Classic American Roulette, we’ve got updated Cafe Casino roulette games that are mobile friendly with a modern look and feel.
The bottom line? The double zero pocket in American roulette increases the house edge. But keep reading to learn about how you can lower the house edge even further.
But what’s the difference between the main two games? Can you play European Roulette if you’ve got a Cafe Casino login? Of course! Actually, the difference between the two games is surprisingly small.
AMERICAN VS EUROPEAN ROULETTE: WHEEL DIFFERENCES
A basic roulette wheel has numbered chambers referred to as stops. These go from 1-36. The ball is spun down an outer track, while the wheel spins in the opposite direction. As the ball loses momentum, it eventually falls into the stops, bouncing around until it comes to rest in one of them, giving all players their result for the round.
There’s a couple of extra numbered stops you’ll see depending on which version of roulette you choose to play, and this is what makes the difference between American and European roulette. An American roulette wheel has a double zero: 0 and a 00. A European roulette wheel only has a single 0.
It’s a tiny difference, but it alters the odds slightly. As you know, every small change alters the math and probabilities behind a game, so let’s discuss how this difference affects the game of roulette.
AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN ROULETTE PAYOUTS AND ODDS
The stated payouts on each variety of roulette game available after your Cafe Casino login are actually the same, despite the differences in the wheels and numbered stops. Instead of changing payout ratios, the missing “00” influences the expected “house edge” in European roulette, which we’ll talk about a bit below.
BETS AVAILABLE IN ROULETTE
Cafe Casino table games like roulette have a ton of possible bets players can make – it’s not just red or black. You can bet on an odd or even number coming up, a group of numbers, or even rows and columns on the number grid. All you need to do is select your bet amount then place your chips down on your desired bet.
Putting chips down directly on a number bets just that number. Straddling two numbers by placing a bet on the line between them will bet both. Putting it at the four-way connection between four numbers bets that whole group.
If you’re unsure about how to make your bets, use practice mode to play for free and get a feel for how to place your chips in the right spot. You also have as much time as you like in between spins, and the wheel won’t move until you click “Spin,” so go along as leisurely as you like. Practice mode is all about increasing your enjoyment and comfort level with a game.
American Roulette and European Roulette payout and odds
The payouts between European and American roulette are the same.
| Roulette Bet | Roulette Payout | European Roulette Odds | American Roulette Odds |
| One Number (Straight Bet) | 35:1 | 2.70% | 2.63% |
| Two Numbers | 17:1 | 5.40% | 5.26% |
| Three Numbers | 11:1 | 8.10% | 7.89% |
| Four Numbers | 8:1 | 10.81% | 10.52% |
| Five Numbers | 6:1 | 13.51% | 13.15% |
| Six Numbers | 5:1 | 16.21% | 15.79% |
| 12 Numbers (Column/Dozen) | 2:1 | 32.43% | 31.58% |
| 18 Numbers (Red/Black/Odd/Even/High/Low) | 1:1 | 48.65% | 47.37% |
European Roulette’s En Prison Rule
When a zero appears, the En Prison rule holds your bet on the table for the next spin instead of losing half your bet. If the following spin results in a win for the imprisoned bet, you regain original stake. Not every European roulette table has this rule, so double check before you play!
Is French Roulette the same as European roulette?
French roulette is the same as playing European roulette, except it has a “La Partage” rule which applies to any even money bet, which means if you hit 0, half the stake on even chances is returned. Depending on the rules of the French roulette you’re playing, the house edge could be as little as 1.35% on even money bets.
HOUSE EDGE FOR EUROPEAN ROULETTE
For those who don’t know, the house edge on Cafe Casino table games is part of how we are able to operate our online casino. It’s the amount of expected return over the long term when you play a given game. When you play Cafe Casino roulette – the European version – the house edge is a bit less than 3%.
HOUSE EDGE FOR AMERICAN ROULETTE
As we described above, when you play Cafe Casino roulette (American version), there is a 00 stop as well as a single zero stop. This slightly alters the house edge when compared to European roulette, increasing it to a bit more than 5% on most bets.
Each of our Cafe Casino table games available have their own probabilities and house edges. It’s always good as a player to understand what kind of game you’re playing and what returns you can expect session to session and over the long term. The best way to handle the swings that come with casino games after your Cafe Casino login is to keep bankroll management in mind.
Why do people play American roulette?
So you may be thinking, why even play American roulette if it has a higher house edge? Well, some of the perks are different. For example, split bets are closer together on American wheels when compared to European roulette wheels due to the difference in layout. Also, the top line bet, which covers both 0s and the numbers 1-3 can only be used in American roulette and have different payouts. American roulette is also much more straightforward than European roulette as there aren’t any extra rules or side bets like “En Prison”.
ROULETTE BANKROLL MANAGEMENT TIPS
Good roulette bankroll management is built around a few key guidelines. The first is to only deposit what you can afford to gamble with, win or lose. No essential money (money that you need for the ordinary expenses of life) should be wagered. That is, only discretionary funds belong in your Cafe Casino account.
After that, it’s good to select an amount to play within a given session. If you win – fantastic! If luck isn’t on your side, stop when your session funds are depleted and live to have fun another day. There are a million ways to entertain yourself, and your Cafe Casino login is only a gateway to one of them.
CONCLUSION
Both American and European Roulette Cafe Casino table games are quite popular on our site, so be sure to give them each a shot. If you’re looking for more of an edge, then go for European roulette, if you’re feeling patriotic on the 4th of July, then why not go for American?
When you’re ready, head to play our selection of table games and look for the roulette wheel. Don’t forget your lucky numbers (or colors)!
