Comparison of roulette types: American vs. European vs. French

Don't want to spend a long time reading through all the roulette types in detail and trying to find the differences? Then you've come to the right place! In this article, we will summarize all the main differences and compare the individual roulette types so that you have a clear idea.

Roulette Types

Basic types of roulette

You’ve probably noticed that there are basically three variations of roulette. The differences between them are not striking, but they are nevertheless significant. They are mainly in the layout of the wheel and table, in the specific rules, and in the probability of winning.

American Flag

American Roulette

It differs from the others in that it uses the 00 field (two zeros), which gives the casino a bigger advantage, by approximately 5.26%. Otherwise, the rules are unchanged.

European Flag

European Roulette

It is considered the standard form of roulette and is very popular all over the world. Here we no longer find two zeros, but only one zero, which is a little more player-friendly, specifically the house edge is approximately 2.70%.

French Flag

French Roulette

It is essentially the same as the European version, but it is usually in French. In addition, it uses specific rules such as La Partage and En Prison, which again is more advantageous for the player, specifically the house edge is 1.35%.

Comparison of roulette types

Roulette type American Roulette European Roulette French Roulette
Number of digits (including zeros) 38 37 37
Number of zeros Two zeros (00) One zero (0) One zero (0)
Probability of winning 1:38 1:37 1:37
House Edge (casino advantage) 5,26 % 2,70 % 1,35 %
Rules ❌ ❌ La Partage a En Prison(more below)
Racetrack ❌ Possibility to bet on groups of numbers (Tiers, Orphelins, Voisins, Zero)

Additional rules for La Partage and En Prison

If you have ever played French roulette, you are probably familiar with the additional rules of La Partage and En Prison. Thanks to them, the house edge of French roulette drops to 1.35%, making it the most advantageous type of roulette for players. You will not find these rules in any other type of roulette, and even with French roulette, you sometimes have to search a bit to find a casino that has the rules in place.

  • Rule of En Prison

    One of the rules found in French roulette is En Prison (literally “In Prison”). If, in the case of straight bets (with a payout ratio of 1 to 1), the ball stops on zero, the straight bets are not returned, but remain “trapped” in their place until the next spin. If the player wins in the next round, his stake is returned without winnings. If he loses, he loses his stake.

  • Rule of La Partage

    This rule means that if the ball lands on zero on a straight bet (with a payout of 1 to 1), players who bet on this type of bet will be paid half of their stake. This rule raises the RTP to 98.65%.

Comparison of types: Differences in canvases and wheel

At first glance, you can see several main differences between all types. The number of zeros, the order of the numbers, or the French language. However, it is not as complicated as it seems.

Comparison types

 

American Roulette

The main and absolutely reliable feature of American roulette is the two zeros (0, 00) located both on the wheel and on the canvas itself. Another, but at first glance less noticeable feature is the distribution of numbers on the roulette wheel, which differs from the other two types.

European Roulette

In this one, we can already notice only one zero (0) both on the wheel and again on the canvas. At the same time, with the missing box on the wheel, all the numbers are distributed differently. In other respects, it is identical to American roulette.

French Roulette

Here, at first glance, the French language will confuse you. But don’t worry, the boxes are the same as in all types and are often translated into English. If not, there is nothing easier than learning a few French words. The wheel remains the same as in European roulette.

Racetrack of different types of roulette

The racetrack is designed to resemble the arrangement of numbers on a roulette wheel. In European and French roulette, the numbers are arranged so that special strategic bets can be made on groups of numbers that are close to each other on the wheel (Tiers, Orphelins, Voisins, Zero).
The racetrack of American roulette has a different arrangement of numbers due to the added zero, so it is not possible to bet on the same groups of numbers.

Comparison types

 

  • Tiers (Tiers du Cylindre) – translated as Third of the Wheel. This bet covers 12 numbers located on the opposite side of the roulette wheel from zero. On the table, the bet would consist of 6 chips on the numbers 5-8 (split), 10-11 (split), 13-16 (split), 23-24 (split), 27-30 (split) and 33-36 (split).
  • Voisins (Voisins du ZĂ©ro) – translated as Neighbors of Zero. This bet covers a total of 17 numbers located around zero on the wheel. On the table, the bet would consist of 9 chips on the numbers 0-2-3 (triple), 4-7 (split), 12-15 (split), 18-21 (split), 19-22 (split), 25-26-28-29 (four) and 32-35 (split).
  • Zero (Jeu ZĂ©ro) – translated as Game of Zero. This bet covers the 7 numbers closest to zero on the roulette wheel. On the table, it would consist of 4 chips on the numbers 0-3 (split), 12-15 (split), 32-35 (split) and the number 26 itself.
  • Orphelins – translated as Orphans. This bet covers the remaining 8 numbers that do not belong to any of the previous bets. On the table, a bet would consist of 5 chips on the numbers 6-9 (split), 14-17 (split), 17-20 (split), 31-34 (split) and the number 1 itself.do žádnĂ© z pĹ™edchozĂ­ch sázek. Na stole by se sázka skládala z 5 ĹľetonĹŻ na ÄŤĂ­slech 6-9 (split), 14-17 (split), 17-20 (split), 31-34 (split) a samotnĂ© ÄŤĂ­slo 1.

Winning Probability and Payout Ratios of Betting Combinations

The most important thing for players of any game is undoubtedly the winning probability. Each type of roulette affects the winning probability differently. In American roulette, the winning probability is clearly lower due to one extra zero (00). In French roulette, on the other hand, special additional rules may be available that increase the winning probability.

What doesn’t change, however, is the payout ratio of all bets. This is what all types have in common. Below in the table you can compare all percentages and clarify the advantages of a given roulette type.

Bet Probability of winning Probability of winning Probability of winning Payout ratio Winnings on a bet of ÂŁ10
One number 2,63 % 2,7 % 2,7 % 35 to 1  £350
Two numbers (split) 5,26 % 5,4 % 5,4 % 17 to 1  £170
Polite bet (Split) 5,4 % / 5,26 % ❌ ❌ 17 to 1  £170
Three numbers (Street) 7,89 % 8,1 % 8,1 % 11 to 1  £110
Four numbers (Corner bet) 10,52 % 10,8 % 10,8 % 8 to 1  £80
Five number bet / Basket 13,15 % 13,51 % 13,51 % 6 to 1  £60
Six numbersl (Six line) 15,72 % 16,2 % 16,22 % 5 to 1  £50
Column 31,58 % 32,4 % 32,4 % 2 to 1  £20
Dozen 31,58 % 32,4 % 32,4 % 2 to 1  £20
Red/Black 47,37 % 48,6 % 48,6 % 1 to 1  £10
Even/Odds 47,37 % 48,6 % 48,6 % 1 to 1  £10
Low/High Bet 47,37 % 48,6 % 48,6 % 1 to 1  £10

Which type of roulette is the most popular?

The answer to this question is quite simple. The most played type of roulette is definitely European roulette, followed by French roulette. The house edge is what determines its popularity among players, which of course makes sense, because every player wants to have a higher chance of winning.

However, American roulette has its plus in the variety of bets and suits players who like to take risks. Special roulettes offering even more modern features and interesting design are also becoming increasingly popular. However, there are not that many of them yet, and many casinos do not include them in their portfolio at all.

If you would like to see all the information in more detail, be sure to check out the article How to play roulette, where you will learn all the details.

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