European vs. American Roulette

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You can visit almost any Xgtiger gambling site and find two different forms of online roulette. One is called European online roulette, and the other is American online roulette. There is only a small difference between the two games, but the difference greatly affects how much money you win or lose.

The only difference between the two games is that European online roulette has 37 numbered slots while American online roulette has 38. An additional slot in American roulette is reserved for double zero. Other places in American roulette may not be as much, but it doubles the house edge in that game.

About those Zeros

The house edge in online roulette exists because of those pesky zero spots. This is because all winning bets are paid out as if there were only 36 spots. For example, a bet on a single number offers a payout of 35 to 1 (you get your original bet back).

In addition, even money bets like red/black and even/odd lose if the ball lands on the green zero spots. Therefore, the chance of winning any such bet is slightly less than 50%. So again, the house pays less than the odds of winning.

American roulette almost doubles the house edge because it has two different zero spots (0 and 00). All this results in each form of roulette having the following advantage on all bets:

  • European roulette: 2.7%
  • American roulette: 5.27%

Over time, you can expect to lose $2.70 for every $100 you bet on a European roulette wheel. That loss jumps to $5.27 for every $100 you bet on American wheels.

The lesson here is to always play the European roulette wheel when given the chance. Your money will last longer, and you’ll experience less home advantage in the long run. It was an easy decision to make. Always play a European roulette game.

Another Difference

There is another small difference between the two types of games. The American roulette game has an extra bet that you can place. This is called a “basket bet,” which allows you to bet on a group of numbers, including 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. The payout on this bet is 6 to 1.

This is the only American roulette bet without a 5.27% house advantage. Instead, it has a 7.89% home advantage. This makes it the worst bet in all of roulette. If you find yourself at an American roulette table, avoid this bet at all times.
The basket bet does not exist in European roulette because there is no place for 00.

Conclusion

Are you an avid gaming fan and want to know how to bet on online casino games? At Xgtiger, you’ll get the latest information on this year’s best casino games and a variety of gaming options, all in one place.

To start your online gambling journey, all you need to do is create an account on the site, deposit funds and you’ll be ready to bet on the best and most anticipated casino games.

Frequently asked questions

This difference is the key point to take away from this article. The overall house edge of American roulette is 5.26%, while the European version is significantly better for players, at just 2.70%. This means that for every $100 spent, the house makes $2.70 from European roulette.

The roulette strategy Martingale was developed by Paul Pierre Levy. It’s often cited as the best way to win at roulette, but is it? Theoretically, the Martingale system is a sound roulette betting strategy and it works simply: you double your bet size after a loss and reset after a win.