European, American and French roulette compared
How the extra zero changes the house edge from 2.70% to 5.26%, what La Partage does, and why payouts stay the same on every wheel.
Roulette looks much the same in every version: a wheel, a ball and a layout of numbers. What matters is the number of zero pockets, because that decides the house edge. Every version has an edge, so players lose on average.
One zero or two
A European wheel has 37 pockets: the numbers 1 to 36 plus a single zero. The chance of any one number is 1 in 37, or 2.70%. An American wheel has 38 pockets because it adds a double zero (00), so the chance of any one number is 1 in 38, or 2.63%.
Payouts are the same on both wheels: 35 to 1 straight up, 17 to 1 for a split, 11 to 1 for a street, 8 to 1 for a corner, 5 to 1 for a six line, 2 to 1 for a dozen or column and 1 to 1 for even-money bets. With an extra pocket but no change in payouts, every bet wins less often and the edge rises.
- European (single zero): 2.70% on every bet.
- American (double zero): 5.26% on every bet except one.
- American top line (0, 00, 1, 2, 3): 7.89%, paying 6 to 1. It is the only American bet with a different edge.
For an even-money bet such as red or black, the chance of winning is 18 in 37 (48.65%) on a European wheel and 18 in 38 (47.37%) on an American one. Zero is neither red nor black, so those bets lose when it comes up.
The edge can be worked out directly. A straight-up bet on a single-zero wheel wins 35 units with probability 1/37 and loses 1 unit with probability 36/37, so the expected result is (35 - 36) / 37, or -2.70%. On a double-zero wheel the same sum gives -2/38, or -5.26%.
French roulette and La Partage
French roulette uses the single-zero wheel with French bet names and a different layout. It is often played with La Partage or En Prison rules, which soften the loss on even-money bets when the ball lands on zero.
Under La Partage, an even-money bet loses only half the stake on zero, which halves the edge on those bets from 2.70% to 1.35%. Whether either rule is offered depends on the casino and table, and the 1.35% figure applies only where La Partage is offered.
What this means in practice
Check the wheel type first: a single-zero wheel has about half the edge of a double-zero wheel on the same bets. Even so, the lowest edge is still negative. No pattern of bets, doubling system or tracking of past spins changes the odds, because every spin is independent.
This guide is for information only and is for adults aged 18 or over, or the legal age where you live. Treat any money staked as the cost of entertainment, and take a break if it stops being fun.
18+ only. This article is for information, not advice to gamble. Responsible gambling.
