European Roulette

Where you find it

Nearly every live studio and RNG table outside the United States, and increasingly inside it. If a table is simply labeled “Roulette” online, it is almost always this one. Casino floors across Europe, Asia and Australia run it as standard, often with French rules added.

Roulette in AustraliaRoulette in Europe

The arithmetic

A straight upbetStraight upA single number, pays 35:1.Read full → wins 1/37 and pays 35: EV = 35/37 − 36/37 = −1/37 = −2.70%. Every other bet gives the same, because every payoutmoneyPayoutWhat a winning bet returns, quoted as “X to 1” on top of the returned stake.Read full → is 36/n − 1 against 37 pocketsequipmentPocketOne of the 37 numbered compartments on the rotor. Also: slot, cup.Read full →. The sequence of numbers around the wheel is the one used throughout this site: 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.

Roulette Wheel

Compared with the rest

French rules on the same wheel halve the even-money edge. The American wheel adds a pocket and almost doubles it. Nothing about the layoutequipmentLayoutThe printed betting grid on the table. Also: table, felt, cloth.Read full → or the bets changes between the three; a player who can read a European layout can play anywhere.

American Roulette

Call bets

The European wheel supports the traditional sectorwheelSectorA contiguous arc of pockets on the wheel, as distinct from a group on the layout.Read full → bets (voisins, tiers, orphelinsFR · sectorOrphelins“Orphans”: the eight numbers left over by voisins and tiers: 17, 34, 6 and 1, 20, 14, 31, 9.Read full →, neighborsbetNeighborsA number and the two pockets on either side of it on the wheel, five straight-up chips.Read full →) because the sequence defines them. Live tables show a racetracktableRacetrackThe oval strip on live and electronic layouts showing the numbers in wheel order, used to place neighbors and sector bets in one tap.Read full →; RNG tables usually have a “special bets” panel. They carry the same 2.70%.

OrphelinsExpected Value of Call Bets

A note on labels

“European” online sometimes means the graphics rather than the rules. Count the pockets in the info panel, and check whether la partageruleLa partageFrench rule: when zero hits, half of an even-money stake is returned. Halves the house edge on those bets to 1.35%.Read full → is listed. A single-zerowheelZeroThe single green pocket that no even-money, dozen or column bet covers; the source of the house edge. Also: single zero, 0.Read full → table without it is this page; with it, it is the French page and 1.35% on even money.

Questions