Roulette is universally recognized as one of the most iconic and popular games in casino history.

European and American roulette may look nearly identical to the untrained eye, but the math differs wildly.

The Difference is in the Zeros

The single most important difference between the two games lies entirely in the number of green zero pockets.

The addition of the 00 pocket effectively doubles the casino's built-in mathematical advantage over the player.

• European wheel has 37 total pockets
• American wheel has 38 total pockets
• Both versions pay 35 to 1 on a single number bet

Why the House Edge Matters

With a house edge of 2.70%, European roulette is relatively fair compared to many other casino games.

This means you will lose money almost twice as fast playing the American version over the long term.

Special European Roulette Rules

The "La Partage" rule dictates that if the ball lands on zero, you only lose half of your even-money bet.

This makes French roulette one of the most mathematically favorable table games on the entire casino floor.

Playing American roulette is a mathematical mistake that unnecessarily drains your bankroll twice as fast.