The Two Main Roulette Variants

There are two primary variations of roulette that can be found in any casino, whether online or off. American and European games are the two most popular and while they may look very much the same and have the same roulette rules, the house edge is quite a bit different from one variant to the next. The numbers on either wheel are carefully placed so that the odds of winning on red, black, high, low, even or odd numbers are all evenly distributed.

In the case of European roulette, which is by far the most popular version of the game anywhere in the world, there are the numbers one through 36 on the wheel plus a single zero pocket. Unless the player specifically wagers on the zero, he or she loses his or her wager when the ball lands on this pocket. The house edge for European roulette varies somewhat based upon the wager that the player makes; even money bets are often the best choices here because players have the best odds.

When it comes to American roulette, the odds for the player are a little worse. Rather than just a single zero pocket on the wheel, there is a zero and a double zero--and this means that there is a greater chance that the player will lose his or her wager. To make up for this, some casinos will adjust the payout tables for everything but even money bets. This is done so that the player has an incentive to play this higher-risk game.