European Roulette

European Roulette is the original roulette, harkening back to the 18^th Century when French physicist Blaise Pascal tried to create a perpetual motion machine but ended up with the first ever roulette wheel. But let's fast forward three centuries. The game as we know it now, is a staple in casinos all over the world and considered one of the best online table games.

It's no wonder the game lends itself to cinema: Film directors are crazy about all that suspense. You'll typically see characters bet on a lucky number, such as the 1998 German thriller Run Lola Run, where Lola marches straight to the roulette table and puts 100 marks on 20 – only to win her bet and go on to repeat it right after.

How to Play European Roulette

Difference Between American and European Roulette

The first step to cashing in on roulette is knowing the difference between an American and European wheel. It's a piece of cake when you're playing online as the casinos label the games. But you should still be able to spot the difference because that knowledge will add 2.56% to your casino roulette returns.

Both wheels have the numbers 0 to 36, but the American wheel has a double zero (00), whereas the European version has just the single zero (0), which is why it's often referred to as Single Zero Roulette. That's why American Roulette has a house edge of 5.26% compared to European Roulette's 2.70% house edge.

In short, it pays to play European Roulette.

Odds of European Roulette

European Roulette has 14 standard bets, and the odds of winning these bets range from 2.7% to 48.6%, with the house edge (2.70%) staying the same for each bet. Later, we'll show you how the win probability odds are lower with the inside bets and higher with outside bets.

Outside Bet Odds for European Roulette

Black:  48.6%

Red:     48.6%

Odd:    48.6%

Even:   48.6%

1-18:    48.6%

19-36:  48.6%

1-12:    32.4%

13-24:  32.4%

25-36:  32.4%

Inside Bet Odds for European Roulette

Line: 16.2%

Corner: 10.8%

Street: 8.1%

Split:    5.4%

Straight: 2.7%

Some versions of European Roulette offer exotic bets, like the Voisins du Zéro, Tiers du Cylindre, and Orphans. To access these bets at Slots.lv, play our Classic version of European Roulette in the Table Games section. Our new version of European Roulette doesn't include them.

Exotic Bet Odds for European Roulette

Voisins du Zéro: 45.9%

Tiers du Cylindre: 32.4%

Orphans: 24.3%

The Importance of Zero

Some people may wonder how important a zero vs. double zero is when playing roulette. To show you  how important the single zero is, here's what the odds would change to with the addition of the extra (double) zero. It might look like pennies at first , but every little bit helps when building your bankroll.

Possible Bets in European Roulette

European Roulette has 14 standard bets plus the French bets if you're playing the Classic version in our casino. While they may not all be obvious when looking at the layout, to see the different bets, hover your cursor around the edges and corners of the betting squares.

• Single bets involve betting on one number.
• Split bets involve betting on two numbers that are beside each other.
• Street bets involve betting on all three numbers that form a row on the layout.
• Corner bets involve betting on four numbers that form a square on the layout.
• Line bets involve betting on two Street bets that are side by side on the layout.
• 1^st 12 bets involve betting on numbers 1 to 12.
• 2^nd 12 bets involve betting on numbers 13 to 24.
• 3^rd 12 bets involve betting on numbers 27 to 36.
• 1-18 bets involve betting on numbers 1 to 18.
• 19-36 bets involve betting on numbers 19 to 36.
• Betting the Red Diamond covers all 18 red numbers.
• Betting the Black Diamond covers all 18 black numbers.
• Even bets on all even numbers.
• Odd bets on all odd numbers.

French Bets in Classic European Roulette

Our Classic European Roulette has four French bets in a betting oval called the “Racetrack,” which is beside the betting rectangle. These bets include the Voisins du Zéro, Orphans, Tiers du Cylindre, and Neighbor bet.

• Voisins du Zéro involves betting on 17 numbers that surround the zero on the wheel. (22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25)
• Tiers du Cylindre involves betting on 12 numbers that make up a third of the wheel. (27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33)
• Orphans involves betting on the two spaces (total of 8 numbers) on the wheel left behind by the Voisins du Zéro and Tiers du Cylindre. (17, 34, 6, 1, 20, 14, 31, 9)
• The Neighbor bet isn't obvious when you look at the table. Numbers 1 to 36 are on the oval Racetrack. To see the Neighbor bet, place your chips on a single number in the oval, and five numbers will be highlighted on the main betting layout – the number you selected plus the two numbers to its left and right on the wheel.

European Roulette Rules

Unless you go to high roller sections of the casino, where betting minimums start at $100, the rules between European and American Roulette are the same. At Slots.lv, the betting minimum is $1 and maximum is $500.

To play, just place your casino chips on a bet on the layout, and tap “Spin” if you're playing online, or wait for the croupier to spin the ball counterclockwise if you're playing in a brick and mortar casino. After a winning round, your bet will be paid and will remain on the layout. You can remove it and bet on something else, or try to repeat the win.

Inside Bets / Outside Bets

Except exotic French bets, all bets in European Roulette are either inside or outside bets. The easiest way to remember what's what is to look at the layout. Numbers 0 to 36 are inside the betting rectangle. There are also bets outside of the betting rectangle – the outside bets.

Your gambling style will likely help determine your preference of inside vs. outside bets. Inside bets come with more risk and higher payouts. If you like the rush of a big win and are comfortable with risk, focus on inside bets. Keep in mind there is a range in risk and payout within the inside bets, so you don't necessarily need to put it all on one number.

Alternatively, outside bets come with lower risk and more modest payouts. These bets are suited for players who have a conservative gambling style or a smaller bankroll. The lower volatility of outside bets mean you win more frequently and can stretch your bankroll into a longer session.

Outside Bet Roulette Payouts

In the chart below, you'll see the payout awarded for each outside bet, including how much you'd make with a $5 wager.

Black:  1:1 ($5)

Red:     1:1 ($5)

Odd:    1:1 ($5)

Even:   1:1 ($5)

1-18:    1:1 ($5)

19-36:  1:1 ($5)

1-12:    2:1 ($10)

13-24:  2:1 ($10)

25-36:  2:1 ($10)

Inside Bet Roulette Payouts

In the chart below, you'll see the payout awarded for each inside bet, including how much you'd make with a $5 wager. It shows just how much higher the payouts are for inside bets vs. outside bets.

Line:    5:1 ($25)

Street: 7:1 ($35)

Corner: 8:1 ($40)

Split:    17:1 ($85)

Single:  35:1 ($175)

As you can see, roulette is  more complex than it may seem at first. First off, you get the option of choosing between the American and European style – a choice you can make with confidence now that you know the differences between the two and the ramifications of the American double zero. There's also a rich selection of wagers that were designed to suit different gambling styles, with inside bets appealing to thrill-seekers and outside bets appealing to conservative gamblers. If you're unsure what gambling style resonates most with you, you can always follow Lola's example and put it on 20 Black – hopefully you'll be just as lucky.