In this guide
Roulette looks the same whichever wheel you choose, but the number of green pockets changes how much it costs to play. The difference is easy to calculate and worth knowing before you sit down.
Count the pockets
A European wheel has 37 pockets: numbers 1–36 and a single zero. An American wheel has 38 because it adds a double zero. A straight-up bet pays 35 to 1 on both, but the true odds are 36 to 1 on a European wheel and 37 to 1 on an American one. The casino keeps the difference.
House edge by wheel
| Version | Pockets | House edge | Expected loss per €100 staked |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (single zero) | 37 | 2.70% | €2.70 |
| American (double zero) | 38 | 5.26% | €5.26 |
| French with La Partage | 37 | 1.35% on even-money bets | €1.35 |
What La Partage does
On French roulette, the La Partage rule returns half of your even-money stake (red/black, odd/even, high/low) when the ball lands on zero. That halves the house edge on those bets, from 2.70% to 1.35%. It does not apply to straight-up or column bets.
The edge does not change with the bet
On a single-zero wheel every standard bet has the same 2.70% edge. A €5 bet on red and a €5 bet on 17 lose the same on average; the second just loses in fewer, bigger bites. No betting system — Martingale, Fibonacci, D’Alembert — changes the edge. They shift when you lose, not how much, and table limits stop them anyway.
Practical choices
- Choose single-zero tables. If a lobby lists “Roulette” without saying which, open the table and count the pockets.
- Prefer La Partage or En Prison variants if offered.
- Remember that most casinos count roulette at 0–20% towards bonus wagering — see our contribution guide.
- Decide a session budget in advance; a slow game still has an edge.
Read more in our roulette guide.