It’s difficult to argue that roulette gambling is one of the most popular, if not the most popular, casino game in the world. Even in Hollywood movie scenes depicting casino establishments, along with poker games, we most often see the spinning wheel with a sequence of numbers and a small ball – the roulette.
However, no matter how popular this casino game is, the types, strategies, and rules of roulette are not widely known among casual casino enthusiasts. In this article, we’ll talk about European, French, and American roulette. We’ll also introduce their advantages, differences, and the rules of roulette.
Rules of Roulette
When you enter a casino, you may have questions about roulette and other casino games. The main goal of roulette is to predict and guess on which number the roulette ball will land on the wheel. Bets can be placed not only on specific numbers, but also on various combinations, such as selecting a number range, color, even/odd numbers, and so on. Below is an image of a traditional roulette wheel, which can be found in both physical and online casinos.
Riskiest Roulette Bets
Placing a bet on a specific number (from 0 to 36, as shown above) carries a significant risk, with a 1 in 36 chance of winning (in European roulette). In other words, if you bet 10 EUR, you could win 360 EUR! Of course, if you’re lucky, the risk could pay off significantly, but this type of bet is more of a blind guess rather than a roulette strategy. The risk, as well as the casino’s winnings, can be reduced by guessing several random numbers at once. However, we would only recommend this casino strategy to very successful players.
One of the betting options in roulette is the corners in which a bet is placed on 4 numbers surrounding a single corner (for example, 5, 6, 8, 9). If at least one number is correctly guessed, the winnings are 8 times the original bet.
Another option is a street bet. In which a bet is placed on 3 consecutive numbers in a row (fo example, 13, 14, 15). Because there are less bets placed than in corner bets, the winnings are higher – 11 times the original bet in a successful outcome.
A line bet is a bet on six consecutive numbers. It forms a line (for example, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36). Bets can also be placed on five numbers if it’s the line adjacent to 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 in American roulette, or on four numbers if it’s the European version. A standard six number line significantly increases your chances of winning. And the won amount would be 5 times bigger than your bet amount.
Less Risky Roulette Bets
Dozens bets – divided into three ranges: 1 to 12, 13 to 24, and 25 to 36. The chances of winning are relatively high, and if you win, you will receive three times your bet amount. Dozen bets are popular among casino players due to the good odds. So perhaps this strategy could help you sweep out Casino de Monte Carlo too?
Similar odds and winnings can be achieved by betting on columns (for example, 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34). Because there are three columns, betting on one of them would triple your bankroll if you won.
The roulette number sequence is divided into two halves: 1 to 18 and 19 to 38 (also known as low and high numbers). If you win, your bet amount doubles, and your chances of winning increase significantly.
Similar odds can be discovered in color and even/odd number bets. In American roulette, the odds of winning are 18 out of 38 and in European roulette, the odds are 18 out of 37. The winnings are the same as the bet amount (doubling your bankroll if you win). These types of bets are popular when using winning systems and roulette strategies such as Martingale or Labouchere.
What is European Roulette?
If you’ve ever played or watched roulette, it was most likely European roulette. This roulette wheel has 18 red and 18 black numbers, as well as a green zero. In European roulette, the casino house advantage or margin, is 2.7%. Making it statistically one of the most player-friendly and advantageous game for the players. In most gambling games, the betting operator’s margin is usually 5% or higher, making roulette a relatively favorable option for players.
This version of roulette is most familiar to players, with numbers ranging from 1 to 37, as well as the zero. Bets are simple, and there are no special rules for European roulette.
What is American Roulette?
In some ways, American roulette differs from European roulette. One of the most significant differences would be in the rules.
The main difference between American and European (and French) roulette is the inclusion of a double zero pocket on the wheel. It does not count as red, black, even/odd number, etc. At first glance, an extra slot may not appear to have a significant impact on a player’s or house’s chances of winning, but the presence of the double zero almost doubles the house edge.
When betting on a specific number in European roulette, a player has a 2.7% chance of winning. Whereas in American roulette, the odds are 2.6% for the same payout. This difference is not as significant when betting on individual numbers as it is in other types of bets.
Placing bets on colors, even/odd, and halves gives the player a 48.65% chance of winning in European roulette. And a 47.37% chance in American roulette. Again, the difference seems small, but when the house margin is calculated, it becomes significant. Using the same logic, the European house margin is 2.7%, while the American is already 5.26%. Thus, the casino’s chances of winning increase by almost double, and when comparing European roulette to American roulette, the player’s odds are significantly better in the first one.
What is French Roulette?
The French roulette is similar, but also different to European roulette. Both share the same numbers, but the layout of the table is quite different. Additionally, French roulette provides a sort of betting guarantee: if a bet on zero is lost, half of the wager is returned. The casino has set two types of rules in this roulette for the benefit of the player:
- La Partage – or “Sharing”. When the roulette game begins and the ball lands on zero, bets on even numbers (when selecting: colors, halves, even/odd) are divided in half. One part of the bet is returned to the player, while the other part goes to the casino. All other bets follow the standard rules (when selecting: specific numbers, rows, lines, streets, columns, dozens, etc.).
- En Prison – or “In Prison”. After spinning the roulette and the ball lands on zero, the casino dealer marks all even bets. If during the next game, the ball lands on an even number, the player recovers the entire wagered amount. This rule does not apply to any other bets.
Casinos that offer French Roulette usually follow to one of the two rules mentioned above, but it is more commonly the “La Partage” or “Dividing Rule”. Regardless of which of these rules is in use, the casino’s advantage decreases. Applying the “La Partage” or “En Prison” rules brings the player closer to even odds with the casino, lowering the house advantage (margin) from 2.7% to 1.35%.
What are the differences between the European, French, and American versions of roulette?
As you’ve learned, there are small differences between the three types of roulette. But the main differences between live and online roulette games are these:
American roulette includes a double zero pocket, which increases the casino’s advantage. This feature is not available on European or French roulettes.
The numbers in French roulette are arranged differently than in European and American roulette.
In French roulette, there are “La Partage” and “En Prison” rules, that reduce the casino’s advantage over the player. European and American versions of roulette do not have such rules.
In short, the French version of roulette is the safest and most favorable in terms of winning chances. European roulette comes in second in terms of the player’s chances of winning. And the most dangerous, but no less interesting and fun, is American roulette.
Learn more about board games
If you enjoy playing roulette, you might also like other games. We invite you to read and learn about the rules of chess, Texas Hold’em poker, and checkers.
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