European Roulette is played much like American roulette, involving a spinning wheel, a ball that will land in numbered pockets, and players placing bets on which pocket the ball will end up in. It is a popular game at most online casinos, drawing many players on a regular basis. This is not only because of the flashy presentation and that the odds of winning are fairly high, but because the rules are very easy to grasp, allowing a total newcomer instant access into the action.

Basic Rules of Roulette

The pockets on the spinning wheel are numbered one to thirty six, and divided into red and black. A player may bet simply on if the ball will land in a red or black pocket, or may also bet on if the ball will land on a specific pocket.

A number of other bets are possible, such as betting on the first, middle, or last twelve numbers, with payouts varying per bet. Generally payouts are based on the risk taken by the player per pet. Note that there is also a zero pocket, which is not assigned a colour, and it is here that European Roulette differs from its American counterpart.

Difference Between European and American Roulette

In American Roulette there is an extra zero pocket, marked with a double zero. Both zero pockets, single and double, are not assigned a colour, which means that they are excluded from the red or black betting option.

The addition of this extra zero pocket gives the house an enormous advantage in the American version, being that the zero pockets must be specifically bet on in order to win. The zero pockets represent the house edge in roulette, or statistical number by which the house always wins. That is to say, the extra zero pocket simply makes it harder for the player to win.

En-Prison Rule and its Significance

In addition to there not being the double zero pocket, European roulette also offers a rule referred to as the en-prison rule. This rule means that if the zero pocket is hit, and the player has bet on the even-money option, he or she may choose to lose half the bet and place another bet, or leave the bet where it stands for another spin.

These two differences in European Roulette, both the missing double zero pocket and en-prison rule, mean that the player has a significantly higher chance of winning if playing this version of Roulette.

Choosing your Roulette Game

If playing the game of roulette, it is clearly advantageous to play the European Roulette version. Whether a casino offers this version, online or real world, is not definite, but a player should certainly take this option if it is available. Some casinos avoid the European version completely for obvious reasons, and some others may even offer the two versions side by side. This is one of those cases where knowing is the key to victory, and choosing the right option an enormous advantage.