European vs American roulette

One extra pocket

European roulette has one zero and 36 numbered pockets. American roulette has zero, double zero and the same 36 numbered outcomes. Under standard payouts a straight-up bet pays 35 to 1 on either wheel. The extra losing outcome on an American wheel reduces the chance of winning without increasing the profit paid when the selected number hits.

Compare the same red bet

Red covers 18 pockets on either wheel. Its chance of winning is 18/37, about 48.65%, on European roulette and 18/38, about 47.37%, on American roulette. A 10-chip red bet pays 10 chips of profit when it wins. Zero and double zero both lose under the ordinary rules used here. The payout calculator lets you switch wheels while keeping the stake fixed.

Calculate the house edge

For red on a European wheel, expected profit per unit wagered is 18/37 minus 19/37, or −1/37. The house edge is about 2.70%. On an American wheel it is 18/38 minus 20/38, or −2/38, about 5.26%. These are long-run expectations, not a forecast of the next session. Individual sessions can finish above or below their starting balance.

Check the rules before comparing

The American first-five bet has a different edge of 7.89%. La partage and en prison can change the treatment of zero on certain even-money bets. A European label alone does not establish those special rules. Multiplier roulette may also change base payouts. Read the table’s own pay table before applying these numbers. Our bet reference uses standard fixed payouts. Start with how to play for the round sequence, or inspect the table layout to understand the betting areas.

Compare like with like

For 1,000 total chips wagered on ordinary red bets, expected loss is about 27.03 chips on the European model and 52.63 on the American model. Turnover adds all stakes together, including returned chips wagered again. It can exceed the starting balance. These are expected values rather than a forecast of one session's ending wallet.

The wheel sequence also differs

Near zero, the conventional European order reads 26–0–32, while the American order reads 2–0–28 clockwise. A neighboring-pocket control needs the correct wheel sequence. A split still follows the felt's valid shared boundaries rather than the ring of pockets.

The wheel-order reference lists both sequences. Triple-zero roulette compares the next extra-pocket variant. For special even-money zero settlement, read la partage and en prison instead of assuming a European label includes it.