Roulette House Edge: European vs American Wheels
European roulette runs a 2.70% house edge and American runs 5.26%. See exactly why one extra pocket nearly doubles what the game costs you.
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Roulette House Edge: European vs American Wheels
The short answer
European roulette wheels carry a 2.70% house edge. American wheels carry 5.26%, almost double (Wizard of Odds, Roulette Basics, retrieved 2026-07-24). The entire gap comes from one extra pocket: the American wheel's 00. Same payouts, same bets, nearly twice the long-run cost.
Key takeaways: European (37 pockets) runs 2.70%. American (38 pockets) runs 5.26%. Triple-zero (39 pockets) runs 7.69% — the worst standard variant. La partage/en prison rules cut the effective edge on even-money bets to about 1.35%. Always pick the European wheel when a casino offers both.
Wheel type | Pockets | House edge | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
European (single zero) | 37 | 2.70% | Best standard option |
European w/ la partage or en prison | 37 | ~1.35% (even-money bets only) | Ask if the table offers it |
American (double zero) | 38 | 5.26% | Most common in US casinos |
American "top line" bet (0-00-1-2-3) | 38 | ~7.89% | Worst standard American bet |
Triple-zero | 39 | 7.69% | Avoid — worst standard wheel |
Why does one extra pocket change so much?
A European wheel has 37 pockets: numbers 1 through 36 plus a single 0. An American wheel adds a second green pocket, 00, for 38 total. Payouts across both wheels are identical, straight up still pays 35:1, red/black still pays 1:1. What changes is how often you lose.
Bet $1 on a single number for 37 spins on a European wheel, and average luck gives you one win. You collect $35 in profit and lose $1 on each of the other 36 spins, for minus $36. Net: down $1 across $37 wagered, or 1/37, which is 2.70%.
Run the same exercise on an American wheel with 38 spins. You still win once, collecting $35, but now lose 37 times for minus $37. Net: down $2 across $38 wagered, or 2/38, which is 5.26% (Wizard of Odds, retrieved 2026-07-24). One extra losing pocket, nearly double the cost.
Does the house edge differ by bet type?
No, on a given wheel it's the same across the board. Straight, split, street, corner, six line, dozen, column, red/black, odd/even, and high/low all carry 2.70% on European wheels and 5.26% on American wheels (Wizard of Odds, retrieved 2026-07-24). The full payout table breaks down every bet's exact odds.
The one common exception is the American "top line" bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3), which pays 6:1 but carries a steeper house edge, around 7.89%, because it's underpaid relative to its true odds by more than the rest of the layout (Wizard of Odds, retrieved 2026-07-24).
What is triple-zero roulette, and is it worse?
Some casinos run a 39-pocket wheel with three green pockets (0, 00, 000), often marketed as "Sands Roulette." Following the same math, that pushes the edge to about 3/39, or 7.69%, well above even the American wheel (Pokerology, Triple Zero Roulette, retrieved 2026-07-24). It's the worst standard roulette variant available, and it's worth checking the pocket count before you sit down at an unfamiliar table. When we've spot-checked wheel layouts on casino floors, the extra green pocket is easy to miss at a glance — it's worth a second look at the felt before you bet.
If a casino spreads more than one wheel type, the European wheel is the highest-value seat every time. Same game, same payouts, less than half the long-run cost of an American or triple-zero wheel.
Can any rule lower the house edge further?
Yes. Some European tables offer "la partage" or "en prison" on even-money bets only (red/black, odd/even, high/low). La partage returns half your stake when zero hits; en prison lets your bet ride for another spin instead. Both cut the effective house edge on those specific bets to about 1.35%, roughly half the standard European rate (Wikipedia, En Prison, retrieved 2026-07-24).
These rules apply only to even-money bets, not to inside bets or dozens/columns, and they're not offered everywhere. Look for a rules card at the table or ask the dealer before you assume it's in play.
How much does wheel choice really cost over a session?
The gap compounds with volume. Betting $10 a spin for 100 spins, a European wheel's expected cost is roughly $27 in the long run, while an American wheel's expected cost is roughly $53 (Wizard of Odds, retrieved 2026-07-24, figures derived from the published edges). Any single session can land far from that average in either direction, but the expected cost is what compounds if you play regularly.
See worked payout examples for a fuller walk-through of specific bets over repeated spins, including how variance differs from expected cost.
Making the choice at the table
Wheel choice is the single highest-value decision in roulette, and it happens before any chip touches the felt. Look at the wheel: a single green 0 means European rules; a green 0 and 00 means American. If both are available, take the European wheel.
Set a budget before you play, and remember every wheel still has a real house edge working against you over time. Wild.io's responsible gambling tools let you set limits ahead of your session. Browse table games at Wild.io, or read roulette explained for the full rules first.
Frequently asked questions
What is the house edge on European roulette?
2.70%, which comes from the wheel having 37 pockets, only one of which (the single 0) is unfavorable to standard bets in a structural sense (Wizard of Odds, retrieved 2026-07-24).
What is the house edge on American roulette?
5.26%, nearly double the European rate, because the American wheel has 38 pockets: the standard 36 plus both 0 and 00 (Wizard of Odds, retrieved 2026-07-24).
Why does one extra pocket nearly double the house edge?
Because the payout stays the same while the odds against winning get slightly worse. Going from 37 to 38 pockets adds one more losing outcome to every bet without adding anything to the payout, so the cost roughly doubles from 2.70% to 5.26%.
Is triple-zero roulette worse than American roulette?
Yes. A 39-pocket triple-zero wheel carries roughly a 7.69% house edge, higher than both European (2.70%) and American (5.26%) wheels (Pokerology, retrieved 2026-07-24).
Can la partage or en prison lower my house edge?
Yes, but only on even-money bets (red/black, odd/even, high/low). Where offered, these rules cut that specific house edge to about 1.35% (Wikipedia, retrieved 2026-07-24). They don't apply to inside bets, dozens, or columns.
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About the author
Trust & Responsible Play Writer
Marcus focuses on judging casinos before you deposit — licensing checks, red flags, scam patterns — and the bankroll habits and limit tools that keep play under control.
