Roulette is a French word that means “small wheel”. Originally, the game was called “French Roulette” and it became extremely popular in Europe’s gambling arena during the early 18th century. Nowadays, virtually all the French roulette tables across the world have been replaced by the European version of the American roulette. There are several differences between the European roulette and the American roulette versions.
Layout
The European roulette and the American roulette table layouts are basically similar. However, there are certain distinct features that distinguish the two versions that can be seen mainly in terms of the table layouts. The primary difference of the European roulette table compared to the American is that it has only one zero position (0). The American version has two zero positions (0, and 00). The other major distinction between the two versions of roulette is in the sequence of the digits on the roulette wheel. They are completely different.
Game Play
The European roulette is often referred to as the French Roulette. It has only one zero and the table layout is a little different as well as being wider. In the European version, there are no individual coloured playing chips, with cash chips being used instead. Additionally, the dealer and stickman use a stick to announce the winning digits and to collect the playing chips from the table, as well as to pay the winner. This makes the European roulette a lot slower when compared to the American version.
Differences in Odds
Since the American roulette has an additional double zero (00) slot, this version of the game has slightly different odds compared to the European. In the French or European roulette, the spinning wheel only has one zero and this makes it a more favourable choice for players that want to offset the effects of variance. In this version of the game, the edge that the house holds is significantly minimized. Furthermore, the players can win significantly more often, or at least minimize their losses in the long run.
Types of Bets
In the European roulette, there are some particular bets that refer to this version’s wheel layout. A dealer places these bets after the players order him or her to do so, and pass over the chips. The dealer will then announce the bet again in order to avoid any sort of misunderstandings. The bets are:
- Zero play
- Neighbours of zero
- Orphans
- Tiers
- Neighbours
To sum up, the term European roulette is mostly used in the U.S., and it refers to roulette with one zero irrespective of the table layout. It could therefore refer to both American roulette with one zero or to the French version, because both versions use a similar kind of roulette wheel. In the U.S., American roulette is known as European roulette with two zeros or double zeros. In non-U.S. as well as non-French casinos, such as in the U.K., European roulette is known as American roulette with one zero.