European Roulette
Roulette, or “The Devil’s Game”, because the numbers on the wheel add up to 666, has been played all over the world for more than 300 years.
Over the years, people have developed a few variations of the game including American and French, in addition to the European Roulette, we will be discovering in this article.
The recommended casinos below offer most of these variants so, in order for you to be prepared to win, let’s take a closer look at this particular style of Roulette.
Roulette is one of the quickest casino games to learn how to play, so what are you waiting for?
Learning Roulette
As one of the quickest games to learn, Roulette attracts new players who are looking for something simple to try that doesn’t require a lesson about the rules. The glitz and glam of Roulette portrayed in the movies also appeal to those who enjoy imagining themselves living the high life.
Learning strategies to successfully beat the house offer an interesting spin on the game as you can make playing Roulette as straightforward or as complex as you want to make you want it to be.
How to play European Roulette
Despite the history of the game spanning 3 centuries, Roulette, and the rules of how to wager, have remained consistent. Different variations of the game have been introduced over the years though, as well as the creation of online versions.
When you play European roulette online, the key elements are the wheel and the table. The wheel in European roulette has 37 pockets numbered from 0 – 36 that are either red, black or green (number 0). A ball is spun around the wheel, with players betting on which number pocket the ball comes to rest in.
Bets are placed on the table, which is divided into several different sections. As well as individual numbers, there are a number of other ‘outside’ bets available, all of which offer different odds. You can bet on:
- a single number
- on the first 12 numbers
- on red/black
- odd/even
Variations of Roulette
French roulette also has 37 numbers.
American roulette wheel has 38 pockets:
- which includes the numbers 1 – 36
- And 0 and 00
Online Roulette
Online European roulette is played in the same way as in a land-based casino, with the table being laid out in the same way and the same range of bets.
However, when you play European roulette online there is the added advantage of it being a much faster game as you don’t have to wait for other players to place their bets.
European roulette vs regular roulette
The online casinos that we recommend generally offer three main varieties of roulette – European, French and American.
European roulette rules dictate:
- that there are 37 numbers (including 0) on the wheel and the table
- with 0 placed closest to the wheel at the top of the table
- the remaining numbers arranged in order 1 – 36
- These are either red or black
Players can bet on single numbers, odds/evens, red/black, etc., with the odds being a reflection of the probability. For instance, betting on black pays even money, while betting on a single number pays 35-1.
French roulette is very similar:
- the wheel has 37 pockets—numbers 1-36 and 0
- although the table is set out in the same way, the numbers are all the same color
- La partage rule: if the number 0 is spun, outside bets such as red/black or odds/evens receive half the stake back
The differences between European and American roulette are, however, more significant, as the latter features a wheel and table with 38 pockets, the extra one being for the number 00.
Playing roulette online
Playing online European roulette at the casinos that we recommend has several advantages for both new and experienced players:
- At many sites, games can be played in Flash mode without the need to download casino software or, in many cases, even to sign up for an account:
- This means you can enjoy a European roulette free game in demo mode to get a better understanding of the game and to experiment with different wagering and bankroll management strategies
- In addition, we also recommend online casinos that offer players generous Welcome Bonuses
- Although there are very few bonuses geared specifically towards roulette players, and roulette rarely makes a 100% contribution to meeting the playthrough requirements, there are nevertheless opportunities to pick up signup offers that enable you to play with casino money
Tips for playing online roulette
Despite the fact that it’s a game of chance and there is no European roulette strategy that can predict which number is going to be hit, there are nevertheless strategies that can be used to manage your bankroll to get as much value as you can:
D’Alembert System:
- which is based on making even money bets and requires players to increase or decrease the size of their wager depending on the outcome of the previous spin
- A variation of this is the Martingale System, where you double your stake after a winning spin, and then return to the original bet size after a win.
Inside Bet System:
- where players bet only on odd/even or red/black using a system of multiple bets
- the Parlay System, where payers set themselves a target they are trying to win and bet so they reach the desired win total in as few spins as possible
- the Adrenotrends System, which aims to profit from runs on the same color
Whichever system you decide to use (or if you go for none at all), it’s important to understand the probability and odds of any bet, and how these compare between European roulette and other versions of the game.
House Odds
The key to this is the inclusion of 00 in American roulette, which increases the House Edge to 5.26%, as opposed to only 2.63% in European roulette.
Likewise, when you make outside bets (i.e, red/black, odd/even, etc.) although both versions of the game pay out even money, the probability of a win in the American variation is 46.37%, while in European roulette it is higher at 48.6%.
Therefore, European roulette can be seen to provide significantly better odds overall than the American version of the game.
