Roulette is a classic casino game you can find in any casino. Many sportsbooks like íþróttaveðmál combine betting options with casino games and also provide gamblers the opportunity to enjoy online Roulette. But what are the differences between classic variations of Roulette and how to choose the right one?

European roulette

European roulette is a single zero roulette (Single zero roulette). There are 37 numbers on its wheel, from 0 to 36 inclusive. If on the American roulette wheel all the squares, not counting the zero, are usually colored in red or black, corresponding to their numbers, then on the European roulette squares are green, and the numbers inside them are written in white. In addition, the European table is equipped with a “track” – a field for oral bets.

Special markings are carried only on fields for betting on a dozen. This marking goes back to that adopted in the French version of the game. Each of these fields is marked with the number 12 and a letter. If there is a letter “p”, it means premiere douzaine, i.e. in French – “first dozen” (numbers 1 -12). The letter “m” is taken from the phrase “milieu douzaine”, which translates as the middle dozen and denotes, respectively, numbers between 13 and 24.

The names of some bets and their values differ from those in American roulette. The split in this game is not 18 to 1, but 17 to 1. A square, meaning a bet on 4 numbers, is called a quarter bet, or a corner. In English roulette, there is a rule “En Prison” (literally translated from French as “in prison”), which applies to the game of “equal chances”. According to this rule, in the case of zero, the player’s bet does not go to the casino income, but remains on the table, as it is commonly said, “in prison”. After the next spin, it is returned to the player in the original amount, although the winnings on it are not paid. But if the zero falls out again, the bet is burned. The advantage of the casino in compliance with this rule is only 1.35%!

American Roulette

This version of roulette still has the same 36 numbered sectors on the wheel. But it differs in the presence of two zeros: “0” and “00”. Accordingly, on the field of American roulette is located an additional section under the double zero. Also, this variation of gambling has no oral bets and a special track on the field for them, unlike the above-mentioned variations of roulette. Oral bets are combination bets that cover a range of numbers. Sometimes casinos practice the Surrender rule in American roulette, which means that only half of the bet will be lost after a zero on an even odds bet. With Surrender, the casino has a 2.63% advantage over the player. Without “surrender” it increases to 5.26%. 

French roulette

Both in French and European roulette wheel consists of 37 cells-sections, 36 of which are numbers from 1 to 36 and zero. The numbers on the wheel are arranged in strict order (not sequential), and all sections are colored in red and black, except for the zero – this cell is traditionally green. Unlike American roulette, French roulette gives players more chances to win, the casino winning percentage is 2.6%, while in American roulette – 5.26%. This is why beginners are always advised to choose either French or European roulette.

Several features markedly distinguish French roulette from other types of roulette. First of all, the game uses exclusively French terms. Also, in this game, there is a special rule “La partage”. If a player bets on the outer field (or “equal odds”, in other words) and the zero falls out, the casino returns half of the bet. This rule is otherwise known as the “jail” rule because when betting and losing on a zero, the player cannot pick up bets from the field that remain until the next spin).