European vs American vs French Roulette

Three Roulette Wheels

Online roulette comes in three main versions: European, American and French. The wheel decides the house edge, and the table layout and rules decide how comfortable the game is to play. This page sets the three side by side.

European Roulette

The European wheel has 37 pockets: the numbers 1 to 36 and one zero. The mathematical house edge is 2.70%. The grid has outside bets for red or black, odd or even, low or high, plus dozens and columns. It is the standard single-zero game and the one most live lobbies treat as the default.

American Roulette

The American wheel has 38 pockets, because a double zero sits beside the single zero. Payouts are the same as in the European game, but the extra pocket raises the house edge to 5.26%. The same stake therefore tends to last longer on a European wheel.

French Roulette

French roulette uses the single-zero wheel with a layout labelled in French and a racetrack section for announced bets on groups of numbers. Many French tables add La Partage or En Prison, which soften the loss on even-money bets when the ball lands on zero. Under La Partage you lose half of the stake, which brings the edge on those bets to about 1.35%. We cannot confirm which rule any Rexbet table uses, so read the rules panel before you bet.

Side by Side

• European: 37 pockets, one zero, 2.70% house edge.
• American: 38 pockets, a zero and a double zero, 5.26% house edge.
• French: 37 pockets, one zero, 2.70% base edge, with La Partage or En Prison on some tables.

Which Wheel to Choose

If you want the best value and the simplest layout, choose a single-zero wheel. Choose French only if the rules clearly state La Partage or En Prison. Choose American if you prefer it, knowing what the extra zero costs. The same choice exists at a streamed table, so see live dealer roulette for how those rounds run.

Remember that house edge is a long-run average. It does not predict the next spin, and no betting system beats it. For a deeper comparison, read European vs American vs French Roulette on the blog.

Check Before You Bet

Open the table information and look for the number of zeros, the limits and the rule for zero. Then see roulette bets and odds for payouts and roulette table limits for how to read the range. Rexbet is an offshore operator, players must be 19 or older (18 or older in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec), and our responsible gambling page lists Canadian help lines.