You might already be a fan of that red and black spinning wheel, but have you ever stopped to think about American vs European roulette?
These are the two dominant types of roulette available to play in casinos throughout the world and, to be honest, they’re pretty similar. But there are a few differences that you should definitely be aware of. Especially if you have a trip in mind to a different part of the world…
Alright, so we’re going to cut right to the chase. The big difference in American vs European roulette is the fact that European roulette has one zero, whereas American roulette has two zeros? To some people, that might not seem like the biggest deal in the world, but to others, this American vs European roulette split is pretty important and we’re going to tell you why…
The reason why there are two main different types of roulette played around the world all comes down to the history of the game. We just told you that the American vs European roulette difference all comes down to the zero.
However, when the game was first invented in 1655, there wasn’t actually any zeros at all. In fact, inventor Blaise Pascal didn’t intend for the wheel to become the gambling icon it is today. The physicist was simply (or maybe not so simply) trying to invent a perpetual motion machine.
He didn’t succeed in that, but he did succeed in creating one of the most iconic, and easiest, casino games.
The success of roulette as a game spread and in 1842, entrepreneurial Monaco-based brothers Francois and Lois Blanc introduced the single zero roulette wheel. That single zero introduced a bigger house edge, thus making it a more attractive game to have in your casino.
A little after that, people started introducing roulette across the Atlantic to the Americas. And the big difference there was they decided to add not only just a single zero, but a double zero to the wheel.
Why the American vs European roulette difference? Well, it’s a tale as old as time…
So as you might’ve guessed, the big difference in American vs European roulette on a practical level for the player is that the odds are a less favourable for you when you play American vs European roulette. The house has a little more of an advantage with American games.
In American games, the house edge is 5.26%, compared to 2.7% for European roulette. Not the kind of thing that would necessarily stop you playing a game if you only had American roulette on the table. But something to be aware of if you have the choice.
However, it’s not stopping at a double zero… There have been reports from some corners of casinos in Vegas having triple zero tables, bumping up the house edge to a substantial 7.69%.
In some casinos, they give you the option to play different types of roulette wheels. Meanwhile in others, you just get what you’re given.
It should come as no surprise that American roulette is most popular in the United States and Canada, however some Australian casinos have also introduced it as their favoured wheel.
Meanwhile, European roulette is more popular pretty much everywhere else. So from Monaco to Macau, you’re less likely to find American vs European roulette.
So when it comes to choosing between American vs European roulette, it’s kind of a no brainer. European roulette is pretty much always going to be better for the player. But of course, there’s a lot of factors that come into it when you’re choosing what games to play on your casino session.
A lot of online casinos give you the choice between the two. And choice is always a good thing, especially when you know the difference between American vs European roulette.
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