KEY TAKEAWAYS
CONTENTS
The difference between American and European roulette is one extra pocket, and it is expensive. A European wheel has 37 pockets (numbers 1 to 36 plus a single 0) and a house edge of 2.70% on every standard bet. An American wheel has 38 pockets (1 to 36 plus 0 and 00) and a house edge of 5.26%. The payouts are the same on both, so the second zero takes away chances to win without paying you anything extra for it.
In money terms, wagering $100 on a European wheel costs about $2.70 on average, while the same $100 on an American wheel costs about $5.26. Neither figure predicts a single session, but over many spins the American wheel takes almost twice as much of every dollar bet.
This guide compares the two wheels side by side, shows the arithmetic behind each house edge, works through an example on both, and explains the special cases: the five-number bet, la partage, en prison and triple-zero wheels. Which wheel is available depends on the casino and the table, so check before you play.
The Two Wheels: What Actually Differs
Both wheels use the same 36 numbered pockets, alternating red and black, plus green zero pockets. The only structural difference is the number of zeros: one on the European wheel, two on the American wheel. The numbers on the table layout are the same, and the same inside and outside bets are available, with one American exception covered below.
The zeros matter because they belong to nobody. A bet on red, black, odd, even, high or low loses when the ball lands on a zero, even though the zero is neither red nor black in the way that counts for those bets. The zeros are where the house edge comes from, and an extra zero means one more pocket where the casino collects. For a refresher on the bets themselves, see how roulette works.
European wheels are the standard across much of Europe and many online games. American wheels are common in US casinos. Availability varies by casino and table, and some venues offer single-zero or even triple-zero tables, often with different table minimums. French roulette uses a single-zero wheel with additional rules that can lower the edge on even-money bets, described later.
The wheel type is usually visible: look for one green pocket or two on the wheel, and for a 00 on the layout. If the table is American, the double-zero pocket appears on the felt next to the single zero.
Where the House Edge Comes From on Each Wheel
Every standard bet on a roulette table pays as if the wheel had only 36 pockets, but the wheel has more. That gap between true odds and paid odds is the house edge. A straight-up bet on one number should pay 35 to 1 on a 36-pocket wheel to be fair, and it does pay 35 to 1 on both wheels, even though the real chances are worse.
European wheel: 37 pockets
With 37 pockets, one number wins 1 time in 37, or 2.70%. The bet pays 35 to 1, so the average result per $1 is (35 × 1/37) − (1 × 36/37) = −1/37. The house edge is 1 ÷ 37 = 2.70%, and the same figure applies to every standard bet because all bets are priced from the 36-pocket scale.
American wheel: 38 pockets
With 38 pockets, one number wins 1 time in 38, or 2.63%. The same 35 to 1 payout gives (35 × 1/38) − (1 × 37/38) = −2/38. The house edge is 2 ÷ 38 = 5.26%, again the same for every standard bet. A bet on red wins with probability 18/38, or about 47.4%, compared with 18/37, or about 48.6%, on the European wheel.
Notice that the house edge is not the same as the chance of winning. A European red bet wins about 48.6% of the time, and its house edge is still 2.70%, because the winning side is paid 1 to 1 while the zero makes the losing side slightly more common.
Worked Example: $10 on Number 17 and $10 on Red
Suppose you bet $10 straight up on 17 on each wheel. A win pays 35 to 1, which is $350 in profit. On the European wheel, the ball lands on 17 with probability 1/37. Average result: (350 × 1/37) − (10 × 36/37) = 9.46 − 9.73 = −$0.27, which is 2.70% of the $10.
On the American wheel, the chance is 1/38. Average result: (350 × 1/38) − (10 × 37/38) = 9.21 − 9.74 = −$0.53, which is 5.26% of the $10. The prize is the same $350, but the American wheel makes you wait longer for it on average.
Now a concrete spin. You bet $10 on red on a European wheel and the ball lands on 32, which is red. The bet pays 1 to 1, so you win $10. On the next spin, the ball lands on 0 and the same bet loses $10. A single zero makes red lose even though the ball did not land on black.
Over many spins, those zero results add up. If you made 100 red bets of $10 on a European wheel, you would wager $1,000 and expect to lose about $27 on average. On an American wheel, the same $1,000 would cost about $52.63. These are long-run averages, not predictions: in any short run you could be well ahead or well behind.
House Edge Table, Five-Number Bet and Other Special Cases
The table lists the main wheel types. The figures follow directly from the number of zeros: the house edge equals the number of zero pockets divided by the total pockets.
| Wheel | Pockets | House edge (standard bets) | Chance red wins | Average cost per $100 bet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| European (single zero) | 37 | 2.70% | 48.6% | $2.70 |
| European with la partage on even-money bets | 37 | 1.35% | 48.6% (half back on zero) | $1.35 |
| American (0 and 00) | 38 | 5.26% | 47.4% | $5.26 |
| Triple zero | 39 | 7.69% | 46.2% | $7.69 |
The extra pockets compound the cost, and the table makes the ranking plain: the more zeros, the higher the house edge. The one exception inside the American table is the five-number bet on 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3, which pays 6 to 1. Its house edge is 7.89%, higher than any other bet on that wheel, and it is available only on American layouts.
Two rules can lower the edge on a European wheel. La partage returns half of an even-money bet when the ball lands on zero, and en prison leaves the bet “imprisoned” for the next spin. Under the standard version of either rule, the house edge on those even-money bets falls to 1.35%. Not every table offers them, so confirm before you sit down.
Common Mistakes and Myths About the Two Wheels
The most common mistake is assuming the wheels pay differently. They do not: a straight-up bet pays 35 to 1 and red or black pays 1 to 1 on both. The difference is hidden in the probabilities, which is why players often fail to notice it.
A second mistake is thinking the extra zero is a minor change. It nearly doubles the house edge, from 2.70% to 5.26%, so the same budget lasts roughly half as long on average. Another error is playing the American five-number bet because it looks like a bargain; at 7.89%, it is the most expensive bet on the table.
Myths are equally persistent. Some players believe a number is “due” after not appearing for many spins. Every spin is independent, so the wheel has no memory, and 37 or 38 pockets still have equal chances next time. Others think a betting system, such as doubling after each loss, can beat either wheel. It cannot, as shown in why the Martingale betting strategy fails.
Practical Tips: Choosing a Wheel at the Table
Before you place a chip, count the green pockets. If there is a choice, take the single-zero wheel, because the house edge is lower for every bet and the same payouts apply. If the casino offers a table with la partage or en prison, that is lower still on even-money bets.
Look at the table minimum too. A single-zero table with a high minimum may cost more per hour than a double-zero table with a low one, because cost depends on the amount wagered, not only the percentage. At $5 a spin and 40 spins an hour, you wager $200: that costs about $5.40 on a European wheel and about $10.53 on an American wheel on average.
Set your budget before you buy in, as explained in how to buy in at a casino table, and remember that roulette chips are assigned to you and valid only at that table. Treat the budget as the price of entertainment, not as an investment.
Where to Go From Here
To understand why the house edge exists at all, read how the house edge works. Roulette is the cleanest example of it, because the zeros are visible on the wheel. After that, the natural next topics are the payout of each inside and outside bet and why no system changes the math, since both wheels follow the same rule: every bet has a negative expected result for the player.
