American roulette has a 5.26% house edge, European roulette 2.70%, and French roulette 1.35% on even-money bets thanks to the La Partage rule. The single cause is the zero: the American wheel has two (0 and 00), the European and French wheels have one, and French rules give back half of every even-money stake when it hits.
Everything below is exact. The edges come from the site’s own roulette engine, which is checked against published values, and the “loss per 100 spins” figures are those edges multiplied out. There is no simulation and no estimate on this page.
- European wheel, every bet (1/37)
- 2.70%
- American wheel, every bet but one (2/38)
- 5.26%
- French even-money with La Partage (1/74)
- 1.35%
- American five-number bet (3/38)
- 7.89%
Source: Exact values from the site's roulette engine
One extra pocket, twice the cost
Roulette pays every bet as if the zero did not exist. A single number pays 35 to 1, which would be a fair price on a wheel of 36 pockets. Add the zero and you have 37 pockets; add a double zero and you have 38. The payouts stay the same, so each extra pocket is pure profit for the house.
You can see it by playing one idealised round of every pocket with $1 on red:
- European wheel, 37 spins: 18 wins (+$18), 18 losses on black (-$18), one loss on zero (-$1). Net: -$1 on $37 staked, which is 1/37 or 2.70%.
- American wheel, 38 spins: 18 wins (+$18), 18 losses on black (-$18), two losses on 0 and 00 (-$2). Net: -$2 on $38 staked, which is 2/38 or 5.26%.
The second zero does not make the American game slightly worse. It makes it 1.95 times as expensive per dollar bet, because the house now collects two stakes per cycle instead of one, spread over a cycle only one spin longer.
Myth: the double zero only matters if you bet on zero
The 00 pocket hurts every bet on the layout, not only bets near zero. When the ball lands on 0 or 00, every red, black, dozen, column and number bet that does not cover those pockets loses. That is where the extra 2.56 percentage points come from.
The three wheels side by side
The European and French games are played on the same physical wheel: 37 pockets, numbered 0 to 36, in the same order. What makes a game “French” is the table rule for even-money bets (and, traditionally, French-language names on the layout). The American wheel has 38 pockets and a different number sequence, with 00 placed directly opposite 0.
European single zero
- Pockets
- 37 (0 to 36)
- Edge, every bet
- 2.70% (1/37)
- Even-money on zero
- Lost in full
Clockwise from 0: 0 · 32 · 15 · 19 · 4 · 21 · 2 · 25 · 17 · 34 · 6 · 27 · 13 · 36 · 11 · 30 · 8 · 23 · 10 · 5 · 24 · 16 · 33 · 1 · 20 · 14 · 31 · 9 · 22 · 18 · 29 · 7 · 28 · 12 · 35 · 3 · 26
French single zero + zero rule
- Pockets
- 37, same wheel as European
- Edge, even-money
- 1.35% La Partage, 1.39% En Prison
- Edge, all other bets
- 2.70%
Clockwise from 0: 0 · 32 · 15 · 19 · 4 · 21 · 2 · 25 · 17 · 34 · 6 · 27 · 13 · 36 · 11 · 30 · 8 · 23 · 10 · 5 · 24 · 16 · 33 · 1 · 20 · 14 · 31 · 9 · 22 · 18 · 29 · 7 · 28 · 12 · 35 · 3 · 26
American double zero
- Pockets
- 38 (0, 00, 1 to 36)
- Edge, every bet
- 5.26% (2/38)
- Five-number bet
- 7.89% (3/38)
Clockwise from 0: 0 · 28 · 9 · 26 · 30 · 11 · 7 · 20 · 32 · 17 · 5 · 22 · 34 · 15 · 3 · 24 · 36 · 13 · 1 · 00 · 27 · 10 · 25 · 29 · 12 · 8 · 19 · 31 · 18 · 6 · 21 · 33 · 16 · 4 · 23 · 35 · 14 · 2
Source: pocket order from Wikipedia, "Roulette" (wheel sequences), fetched 9 October 2026; house edges from the site's roulette engine (betEdge).
A few details worth knowing from the diagrams:
- On both wheels red and black alternate, and the zeros are green.
- The two wheel orders are not interchangeable. A call bet such as “neighbours of 17” covers different numbers on each, which is one reason the traditional French call bets are only offered on single-zero tables.
- The number order has no effect on the odds. Each pocket has the same chance, 1 in 37 or 1 in 38, wherever it sits.
The exact house edge of every variant
Here is every version of the game the engine models, ranked from most to least expensive. “Even-money” means red, black, odd, even, 1-18 and 19-36.
Source: Site roulette engine (betEdge), exact
See the numbers as a table
| Value | |
|---|---|
| American, five-number bet | 7.89% |
| American, any other bet | 5.26% |
| European, any bet | 2.70% |
| French, even-money, En Prison (single) | 1.39% |
| French, even-money, En Prison (double) | 1.37% |
| French, even-money, En Prison (unlimited) | 1.37% |
| French, even-money, La Partage | 1.35% |
| Variant and bet | Rule | Exact | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| American, five-number bet | Pays 6:1 on 0, 00, 1, 2, 3 | 3/38 | 7.89% |
| American, any other bet | 38 pockets, 0 and 00 | 2/38 | 5.26% |
| European, any bet | 37 pockets, zero loses all | 1/37 | 2.70% |
| French, even-money, En Prison (single) | Second zero loses the bet | 19/1369 | 1.39% |
| French, even-money, En Prison (double) | Second zero re-imprisons once | numeric | 1.37% |
| French, even-money, En Prison (unlimited) | Re-imprisoned on every zero | numeric | 1.37% |
| French, even-money, La Partage | Half the stake back on zero | 1/74 | 1.35% |
Source: Site roulette engine. En Prison variants with re-imprisonment have no short fraction; the engine solves them numerically.
Two things stand out. First, the three En Prison versions and La Partage sit within 0.04 percentage points of each other, so for practical purposes any French even-money rule halves the European edge. Second, the American five-number bet is in a class of its own.
The five-number bet: the worst bet on the table
On an American layout you can cover 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 with one chip. It pays 6 to 1. To cost the same 5.26% as every other American bet it would have to pay 6.2 to 1, and a zero-edge price would be 6.6 to 1. Over one cycle of 38 spins with $1 on it, you win five times (+$30) and lose 33 times (-$33): a net -$3, or 3/38 = 7.89%. It is the only standard roulette bet whose edge differs from the rest of its own wheel. No single-zero layout offers it; the nearest equivalent there, the first four (0, 1, 2, 3 at 8 to 1), costs the standard 2.70%.
French rules: La Partage and En Prison explained
Both rules apply only to the six even-money bets, and only when the ball lands on zero. Nothing else on a French table changes.
La Partage: the half-back rule
Under La Partage (“the sharing”) you lose only half of an even-money stake when zero hits. A worked example with $10 on red:
- The ball lands on red: you win $10.
- The ball lands on black: you lose $10.
- The ball lands on 0: on a European table you lose $10. With La Partage you get $5 back and lose $5.
Over one idealised cycle of 37 spins at $10, the European player is down exactly $10 (the zero spin). The La Partage player is down $5. Same wheel, same payouts, half the cost: 1/74, or 1.35%.
En Prison: the bet waits one spin
Under En Prison, a zero does not settle your even-money bet. The chips stay on the table, “imprisoned”, and the next spin decides:
- If the next spin wins for your bet, you get the original stake back, with no profit.
- If it loses, the stake is gone.
- If it is another zero, the house rule decides. The engine models three versions.
| En Prison version | What a second zero does | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Single imprisonment | The imprisoned bet loses | 1.39% (19/1369) |
| Double imprisonment | The bet is imprisoned a second level deeper | 1.37% |
| Unlimited | The bet can be re-imprisoned on every zero | 1.37% |
The single version is slightly worse than La Partage because a second zero costs you the whole stake. Wizard of Odds lists the same figures: about 1.39% for single and 1.37% for double, triple or unlimited imprisonment.
Fact: French rules do not lower the edge on number bets
A straight-up number, a split, a corner, a dozen or a column on a French table still costs 2.70%, exactly as on a European wheel. If you only ever play inside bets, the “French” label saves you nothing.
What the difference costs in money
A percentage is easier to judge as dollars. The table multiplies each edge by the amount wagered over 100 spins, at a flat $5 and a flat $25 per spin.
| Variant and bet | Edge | $5 per spin | $25 per spin |
|---|---|---|---|
| American, five-number bet | 7.89% | $197.37 | |
| American, any other bet | 5.26% | $131.58 | |
| European, any bet | 2.70% | $67.57 | |
| French, even-money, En Prison (single) | 1.39% | $34.70 | |
| French, even-money, En Prison (double) | 1.37% | $34.26 | |
| French, even-money, En Prison (unlimited) | 1.37% | $34.25 | |
| French, even-money, La Partage | 1.35% | $33.78 |
Source: Edge x stake x 100 spins. Long-run average; any single session can end far above or below it.
At $25 a spin, 100 spins on an American wheel cost $131.58 on average, against $67.57 on a European wheel and $33.78 on French even-money bets with La Partage. The American five-number bet costs $197.37 for the same 100 spins.
Source: Site roulette engine edges x $25 x spins
See the numbers as a table
| Spins | American (5.26%) | European (2.70%) | French even-money, La Partage (1.35%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 100 | $132 | $68 | $34 |
| 200 | $263 | $135 | $68 |
| 300 | $395 | $203 | $101 |
| 400 | $526 | $270 | $135 |
| 500 | $658 | $338 | $169 |
These are averages. Over 100 spins the actual result is spread widely around them: plenty of sessions finish ahead and many lose more. What the average does tell you is which game costs more over many sessions, and the answer never changes. If you want to see the spread for your own stake, run a session in the bankroll simulator.
Every bet on all three tables
The heatmap shows how uniform roulette is. On a given wheel, every bet costs the same, with two exceptions: the French even-money bets (cheaper) and the American five-number bet at 7.89% (dearer, and left out of the grid because single-zero tables do not offer it).
Source: Site roulette engine (betEdge), exact
See the numbers as a table
| European | French (La Partage) | American | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 2.70% | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| Split | 2.70% | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| Street | 2.70% | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| Corner | 2.70% | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| Six line | 2.70% | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| Dozen / column | 2.70% | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| Even-money | 2.70% | 1.35% | 5.26% |
For the payout, the number of pockets and the exact probability of every bet, see the full payout and probability table.
Where each variant is offered, and what to look for
Availability changes by venue and by country, so this section sticks to general points that hold everywhere.
- Double-zero wheels are mainly a North and South American game. Wikipedia’s summary is that the double-zero wheel is found mainly in the United States, Canada, South America and the Caribbean, while the single-zero wheel predominates elsewhere.
- “French” usually describes a rule, not a table shape. The traditional French table, with the wheel in the middle and a layout on each side, is rare outside Monte Carlo. Most single-zero tables use the American-style layout, and La Partage or En Prison may or may not apply.
- Online and live-dealer lobbies often list several versions side by side. The name on the tile is not enough: some games called “roulette” without a qualifier are double zero.
What to check before you sit down or click in:
- Count the zeros. Look at the wheel or the layout. A 00 box next to the 0 means 5.26%, whatever the game is called.
- Read the game rules or help page for La Partage or En Prison. If neither is mentioned, assume an even-money bet loses in full on zero (2.70%).
- Check which bets the zero rule covers. It should apply to all six even-money bets. If it covers fewer, only those get the lower edge.
- Ignore extra side features when comparing. Multiplier games and side bets have their own pay tables and are not covered by these figures.
Myth: American roulette pays more to make up for the 00
It does not. A straight-up number pays 35 to 1 on all three wheels, a dozen pays 2 to 1 and red pays 1 to 1. The American game has more losing pockets and the same prices.
Decision list: which wheel to play
Use this in order and stop at the first line that applies.
- A single-zero table with La Partage or En Prison, and you bet even-money: the best roulette price available, 1.35% to 1.39%.
- A single-zero table, any bet: 2.70%. If the table has a French rule but you play numbers, this is still your edge.
- Only double-zero tables available: 5.26%. Your money goes about half as far per spin as on a single-zero wheel. Lower the stake if you want the same playing time.
- Never the five-number bet. At 7.89% it costs almost three times the European edge.
- Want the cheapest game in the casino? Roulette is not it. See how roulette ranks against every other casino bet, or compare edges game by game.
No betting pattern changes these numbers. Every bet on a wheel carries its wheel’s edge, and a sequence of bets carries a weighted average of the same edges. If you want to see that tested, we ran nine betting systems through 100,000 simulated sessions each. For how long a fixed budget lasts on a single-zero wheel, see what $20, $50 or $100 buys at the table.
What we could not verify, and our assumptions
- Which casinos offer which version. Availability changes often and differs by country and licence, so we name no venues. The regional pattern above is Wikipedia’s general summary, not a census.
- Exact En Prison house rules at a given table. We model three common versions. Some tables may handle a second zero differently or let you choose between La Partage and En Prison; read the game rules.
- Triple-zero wheels. Searches for them exist, but the engine does not model a 39-pocket wheel and we could not verify where or how they are offered, so they are left out.
- Multiplier and “lightning” style games are not covered. Their providers do not publish the multiplier frequency distribution, so their edges cannot be computed the same way.
- Assumptions: a fair wheel (every pocket equally likely), standard payouts (35, 17, 11, 8, 6, 5, 2 and 1 to 1), flat stakes, and edges expressed per dollar wagered.