American Roulette
The American Roulette Wheel contains 38 numbers including 0, 00 and 1 to 36. Having two zeros (0, 00) gives the house a 5.26% advantage. In other words, for every $100 a gambler bets, the house will make $5.26 in profit.
European Roulette
The European Roulette Wheel contains 37 numbers including 0 and 1 to 36. Having one zero (0) gives the house a 2.70% advantage. In other words, for every $100 a gambler bets, the house will make $2.70 in profit.
Other differences between the two Roulette Games
One major difference pertains to the color of the gambling chips. While American casinos will give the players different colored chips which will allow the players to differentiate their chips/bets from other players, the European casinos will give the players the same colored chips. Thus unlike the players at American casinos, gamblers at European casinos need to rely on memory to distinguish their chips/bets from those of other players.
Another difference between the two games includes the fact that in European casinos, dealer use a long stick known as the Rake to sweep in all chips, while the American casino dealers will use their hands and arms to sweep the chips off the table.
The last major difference between the two types of Roulette games is that if the ball lands on the zero (0) in a European casino, then the gambler is offered the option of utilizing the en prison rule, whereby he may choose to either surrender one half of his/her outside wagers or to leave them for the next game.
History of Roulette
The term “Roulette” is derived from a French word meaning small wheel. The origin of Roulette is not very clear. While some sources state that Blaise Pascal, a 17th Century French mathematician invented the roulette wheel, other sources state that the game originated in China and was brought to Europe by Dominican monks who were trading with the Chinese.
During the late 18th century the Roulette wheel became very popular when Prince Charles (ruler of Monaco at the time) introduced gambling to Monaco as a way of alleviating the financial problems of the region.
However, the modern version of the Roulette wheel did not appear until 1842 when Frenchmen Francois and Louis Blanc invented the single “0” roulette game. The game was eventually brought to America in the early 1800s.
However, the single “0” modification was rejected in America and the two zeros “00” where returned to the Roulette wheel. The Roulette wheel gained a great deal of popularity in America during the California Gold Rush.
Glossary of Roulette
American Wheel – A roulette wheel with 38 slots numbered from 1 to 36, plus a 0 and 00.
Column Bet – The roulette table layout is divided into three columns.
Betting that the number will fall in one of those three columns.
The payout for a Column Bet is 2:1
Corner Bet – Betting on four numbers at the same time.
The payout for a Corner Bet is 8:1
Dealer/Croupier – The person who operates the roulette table.
Dozen Bet – Wagering on either 1 to 12, 13 to 24 or 25 to 36 at the same time.
The payout for a Dozen Bet is 2:1
Double-zero – 00 number slot on the roulette wheel.
European Wheel – A wheel that contains the numbers 1 to 36, plus one zero.
Even-Odd Bet – A wager on either an even or an odd number.
The payout for an Even-Odd Bet is 1:1
Five Number Bet – A bet covering 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3.
The payout for a Five Number Bet is 6:1
French wheel – A wheel containing just one zero.
High-Low Bet – A bet covering the numbers 1 to 18 or 19 to 36.
The payout for a High-Low Bet is 1:1
Inside Bet – A bet on any number or set of numbers on the roulette table. Inside Bets include: 5-number bets, 6-number bets, Corner bets, Split bets, Straight bets and Trio bets
Outside Bet – A bet on Red, Black, Odd, Even, High (19 to 36) or Low numbers (1 to 18).
Outside Bets – include: Columns bets, Dozens bets, Even or Odd bets, High or Low bets and Red or Black bets
Red-Black Bet – A wager on either the red or black colors. The payout for a Red-Black Bet is 1:1
Six-Number Bet – Betting on six numbers at the same time.
The payout for a Six-Number Bet is 5:1
Split Bet – A bet on two numbers at the same time.
The payout for a Split Bet is 17:1
Straight Bet – A wager on a single number. A player may make as many straight bets as he/she wishes.
The payout for a Straight Bet is 35:1
Straight Up Bet – A wager on a single number only.
The payout for a Straight Up Bet is 35:1
Trio Bet – Betting on a combination of three numbers at the same time.
The payout for a Trio Bet is 11:1
Zero – 0 number slot on the roulette wheel.
Payout Table
Type of Bet Numbers Covered Payout
Black Bet 18 numbers 1 to 1
Column Bet 12 numbers 2 to 1
Corner Bet 4 numbers 8 to 1
Dozen Bet 12 numbers 2 to 1
Even Bet 18 numbers 1 to 1
Five Bet 5 numbers 6 to 1
High Bet 18 numbers 1 to 1
Line Bet 6 numbers 5 to 1
Low Bet 18 numbers 1 to 1
Odd Bet 18 numbers 1 to 1
Red Bet 18 numbers 1 to 1
Split Bet 2 numbers 17 to 1
Straight Up Bet 1 number 35 to 1
Trio Bet 3 numbers 11 to 1
How to Play Roulette
After purchasing the chips from the dealer, the player places them on the desired positions on the table in an attempt to predict where the ball will land after the wheel is spun and the ball comes to a stop.
Once the chips are placed on the table and the bets are made, the dealer spins the Roulette wheel while spinning the ball in the opposite direction inside the Roulette wheel. Players are allowed to continue placing their bets during the spin until the dealer says “No more bets”.
When the wheel slows down and the ball drops into one of the numbered slots, the dealer places a marker on the winning number on the Roulette table. The players who bet on the winning number are rewarded while the players who bet on the losing number(s) lose their chips to the casino.