European and American roulettes both have their unique pros and cons.
However, there are quite a few good reasons why many gamblers prefer the European variation much better than its American counterpart.
Here, we’ll discuss this topic in detail to help you learn the differences between these two roulette games.
So, without any further ado, let’s get to the bottom of it!
European roulette has one less pocket
European roulette has 37 numbers, while its American alternative has 38. This by itself makes your odds a bit better when you’re playing the European version. Let’s say you’ve backed a number while playing American roulette – your odds are now one to 38. If you were to play the European (also known as French) one instead, your odds would be one in 37 times instead. It’s as simple as that!
Of course, while it’s a small difference, it’s still one of the main reasons why people prefer one over the other. The „extra“ number the American roulette has is called double zero, but more on that later on.
Overall, one of the main reasons for the popularity of European roulette games is that it has 37 numbers instead of 38. If you’ve enjoyed American roulette before, we advise you to try this one out as well! Chances are you’ll love it as much as we do.
It also has a lower vigorish
The house edge or vigorish is the casino’s profit expressed as the percentage of your bet. The lower it is, the better!
So, you won’t be surprised when we tell you that European roulette has a lower house edge than the American one does. In fact, the house edge on American tables is almost double the value of European roulette’s vigorish. It’s a subtle, yet incredibly important difference that makes people switch to French roulette quite quickly.
Generally speaking, the house edge for American roulette is 5.26%, while it’s around 2.70% for European roulette games. Therefore, if you really want to win some prize money while gambling, European tables are your best bet (no pun intended)!
All of this remains true for both online and „real-life“ casinos – there’s hardly any difference! We advise you to check the casino-specific rules before you start playing just to be sure, though. Don’t hesitate to look for European tables while you’re at it, as you’ll certainly win more money than if you were to play the American roulette.
It doesn’t have the 00 number on its wheel
As we’ve mentioned before, European roulette wheels only have one zero number, while American ones have the „extra“ double zero as well. This additional number decreases your chances of winning, as it affects the house advantage in a major way.
The 00 isn’t the only thing that makes their wheels different, though. You’ll be able to differentiate between them by the order in which the numbers are placed. While this doesn’t have much effect on your odds, we thought it would still be useful to know, especially if you’re new to the world of gambling.
Either way, the additional double zero number is certainly not a good thing for the player. It’s one of the main reasons people tend to look for European roulette tables in a casino, all while avoiding the American ones like plague.
Now, of course, we’re not saying American roulette is not worth playing. If you enjoy taking higher risks and having more variety when you gamble, it might be the perfect casino game for you. As long as you come up with an effective strategy, you’ll be able to lower the house edge in a way that makes American roulette extremely profitable. If you’re interested in roulette strategies and tactics, you can learn more on n1casino.
It has the „En Prison“ rule
Now, the „En Prison“ rule is only available in the French roulette. It’s completely optional, but most gamblers choose to implement it as it can be a true game-changer. It can help you reduce the house edge down to 1.35%, majorily increasing your chances of winning a high prize.
You can learn more about the „En Prison“ rule online,
but the basic principle is this: when your bet is even-odds and the ball lands on zero, you’ll get another „extra“ spin for a chance to recover half of your bet. It’s certainly good news for the player, so it only adds to the appeal the European roulette provides to its players (especially when compared to the American variant).
There are some other betting rules that are available in the European but not in American roulette games (and vice versa), but none of them are as impactful as the „En Prison“. We advise you to research them either way, to ensure you’re well-prepared for your next visit to the casino.
It’s more profitable in the long run
All things considered, European roulette is certainly much more profitable than the American variant, especially in the long run. You would be able to earn excellent prizes by playing both, but European tables provide better consistency and more frequent wins for the player.
You can play both of these online without betting any real money or breaking a sweat, so we advise you to check it all out for yourself. You’d quickly conclude that the French roulette provides higher and more consistent gains, especially when you’re looking at it from a long-term perspective.
The bottom line
European roulette has better odds and a lower house edge than its American counterpart. These are two of the main reasons why people consider the French roulette to be superior to the American versionin every possible way.
Again, you can still enjoy and win tons of money by playing the American version, as long as you have the necessary strategy at your disposal.
All in all, we hope our article helped you learn everything you’d ever wanted to know about different types of roulette games and we wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors.
