European vs American Roulette: What the Extra Zero Costs
European and American roulette use the same betting layout, the same bets and the same payouts. The difference is one extra pocket: the American wheel adds a double zero (00), giving 38 pockets instead of 37. Because the payouts stay the same, that pocket almost doubles the house edge, from 2.70% to 5.26%. On every practical measure, the single-zero wheel costs the player less. This page sets out the differences. It is part of our roulette guide.
Comparison Table
| Feature | European | American |
|---|---|---|
| Pockets | 37 (0, 1–36) | 38 (0, 00, 1–36) |
| House edge, standard bets | 2.70% (1/37) | 5.26% (2/38) |
| Special bet | Trio 0-1-2 / 0-2-3 (11:1) | Five-number 0-00-1-2-3 (6:1), edge 7.89% |
| Zero rules for even-money bets | La Partage or En Prison on some tables (1.35%) | Rare; some “Surrender” tables return half on 0 and 00 (2.63%) |
| Return per A$100 staked (long run) | A$97.30 | A$94.74 |
| Wheel order | 0-32-15-19-4-21-2-25-17-34-6-27-13-36-11-30-8-23-10-5-24-16-33-1-20-14-31-9-22-18-29-7-28-12-35-3-26 | 0-28-9-26-30-11-7-20-32-17-5-22-34-15-3-24-36-13-1-00-27-10-25-29-12-8-19-31-18-6-21-33-16-4-23-35-14-2 |
Where the Edge Comes From
Every standard bet pays as if the wheel had 36 numbers. A straight-up bet pays 35:1:
- European: probability 1/37. Expected return per A$1 = 36/37 = A$0.973. House edge 2.70%.
- American: probability 1/38. Expected return per A$1 = 36/38 = A$0.947. House edge 5.26%.
The same arithmetic applies to splits, streets, dozens and even-money bets. An even-money bet on red wins 18 times in 37 on a European wheel (48.65%) and 18 times in 38 on an American wheel (47.37%), yet pays the same 1:1.
The A$ Difference
| Session | Total staked | European expected loss | American expected loss | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 spins × A$5 | A$500 | A$13.50 | A$26.30 | A$12.80 |
| 200 spins × A$10 | A$2,000 | A$54.00 | A$105.20 | A$51.20 |
| 500 spins × A$20 | A$10,000 | A$270.00 | A$526.00 | A$256.00 |
These are long-run averages. Individual sessions vary widely, but over time the American wheel costs about 1.95 times as much for the same play.
Chance of Finishing Ahead
The higher edge shows up most clearly over longer sessions. For a player making the same even-money bet (for example A$10 on red) every spin, the probability of being in profit at the end is approximately:
| Spins | European (18/37 win chance) | American (18/38 win chance) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | about 36% | about 27% |
| 1,000 | about 19% | about 4.5% |
Figures use a normal approximation of the binomial distribution; being “ahead” means at least 51 wins in 100 spins or 501 in 1,000. Over 1,000 spins the American wheel leaves roughly one player in 22 in profit, against about one in five on the European wheel. Short sessions are dominated by luck on both wheels; long sessions are dominated by the edge.
The Five-Number Bet
The American layout allows one bet that the European does not: 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 together, paying 6:1. Five numbers out of 38 win 13.16% of the time. Expected return per A$1 = 5/38 × 7 = A$0.921, a house edge of 7.89%, the highest of any standard roulette bet. The European equivalent bets (trio 0-1-2 or 0-2-3, and the “first four” 0-1-2-3 at 8:1 where offered) carry the normal 2.70%.
Zero Rules
On European and French tables, La Partage (half of an even-money stake returned on zero) cuts the edge on even-money bets to 1.35%. En Prison has a similar effect (about 1.35%–1.39%, depending on the second-zero rule). Some American games offer a “Surrender” rule that returns half of even-money stakes on 0 or 00, bringing those bets to 2.63%, still almost twice the European La Partage figure. Details on La Partage and En Prison and French roulette.
Wheel Layout Differences
The European number order alternates red and black and separates consecutive numbers. The American wheel places pairs of consecutive numbers opposite each other (for example 1 and 2, 27 and 28 sit across the wheel), with 0 and 00 directly opposite each other. These layouts matter for neighbour and sector bets on the racetrack, which are mostly offered on European and French tables. They do not change the probability of any single number.
Which Wheels Are Offered Online
Online casinos accepting Australians usually list European roulette as the default, alongside French roulette and American roulette in both RNG and live versions. Live studios run single-zero tables in most formats, including auto-roulette and speed formats; double-zero live tables are fewer. Multiplier games such as Lightning Roulette are built on a single-zero wheel but with modified payouts.
To check which wheel you are playing:
- Look at the top of the layout for a single 0 or for 0 and 00.
- Open the game rules and look for “single zero” or “double zero” and the stated RTP: 97.30% (European), 94.74% (American) or 98.65% for even-money bets under La Partage.
- Avoid any game that does not state its RTP.
When Would American Roulette Make Sense?
Only when no single-zero wheel is available, or when a bonus requires a specific game. In both cases, the expected cost per spin is roughly double, so reduce stakes or session length accordingly. Our bankroll management guide explains how to set session limits by expected loss.
More roulette maths: odds and payouts, and the basics on the roulette rules page. Casinos with single-zero tables are compared on our roulette sites list.
Frequently Asked Questions
European. It has one zero instead of two, which gives a 2.70% house edge versus 5.26%, with identical payouts.
No. A straight-up bet pays 35:1 and red/black pays 1:1 on both. Only the probabilities differ, because the American wheel has 38 pockets.
An American-only bet on 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 that pays 6:1. Its house edge is 7.89%.
It uses the same single-zero wheel, plus La Partage or En Prison on even-money bets, which lowers those bets to about 1.35%.
Check the layout for a 00 pocket and the RTP in the game rules: 97.30% for European, 94.74% for American.
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