What are the Differences between American & European Roulette?
When it comes to playing roulette, you will always have to choose between the European and American versions. Even when the two tables look almost the same, there are some major differences between the two. If your goal is to increase your profits, you should play the European version of the game. Find out how these two variants of the game are different before deciding which one is for you.
Differences
The different ways in which European and American tables are different are as follows:
- Zeros: This is the most noticeable difference between the two wheels. The European wheel has a single ‘0’ and the American version has a ‘0’ and a ‘00’.
- Pockets: The European wheel has 37 pockets and the American version has 38 pockets.
- House Edge: These factors mean that you get a lower house edge with the European version. The house edge in the American variant is 5.26%, but in the European version, it can be as low as 1.352% (with the En Prison rule).
- Rules: The European variant has the ‘en prison’ rule. This allows you to surrender 50% of your bet or use it to play the next game if a zero appears.
- Chips: The chips used on the American table have different colors, but those on the European table have the same color.
Besides these differences, the position of the wheel and how the losing bets are collected also differ between the two versions of the game. The difference of a single pocket of ‘00’ between the two variations plays a big role in how often you can win. So if you want to increase your odds of winning, you should consider playing on a European table. But if it is all about the thrill of enjoying the game, you can choose any one of these versions.
