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Many casual roulette players fail to notice the small differences between American and European roulette wheels. These differences have little to do with where the game is played and more to do with how it is played. Though the differences may seem minor, they make a large impact on the odds offered by each variation. While it is easy to find both American and European roulette wheels online, in a small casino your options are often limited. Should you be lucky enough to have access to both wheels, it's important that you make an informed choice.

The most notable difference between American and European roulette wheels is the number of slots on each wheel. The European wheel has 37 slots comprised of 36 red and black numbered slots and one green 0. The American wheel has 38 slots of the same color and order with an additional green 00 slot. If you understand how roulette odds work, then you may already see the importance of that extra slot.
Zero Roulette

The odds against hitting a single number in American roulette are 37 to 1. In European roulette, the odds are slightly better at 36 to 1. In both games, the casino gets its edge by paying out at odds of 35 to 1. This puts the player at a constant disadvantage, since they are playing against worse odds than the casino is actually paying. In American roulette, the disadvantage results in a house edge that is nearly twice that of the European wheel (5.26% vs 2.7%), and all because of that one seemingly harmless extra slot. For this reason, most seasoned roulette players go out of their way to find European wheels. Many roulette fans avoid the American wheel altogether.

American and European roulette also utilize slightly different rules. Some American roulette tables offer a rule called “surrender.” The European equivalent is called “En Prison.” While the rules are similar, they are not the same. Once again, the European rule is superior because of the decreased edge. With the En Prison rule, an even-odds bet is not lost if the ball lands on 0. Instead, the bet remains in play during the next round. Should the player win this time, their bet will be returned. With surrender, a player gets half of their even-odds bet back should the ball land on 0.

As mentioned before, it's extremely easy to find both versions of roulette online, but when playing at a live table a quick check for the green 00 is all it takes to confirm that you are at either a European or American wheel.