American Roulette
38 numbers · 0 and 00 · 5.26% house edge
History
When roulette reached the United States in the 19th century, casinos kept the older double-zero wheel (0 and 00) to increase the house edge. This became "American roulette", while the single-zero version stayed in Europe. The order of numbers around the wheel is also different from the European one.
The order of numbers on the American wheel is designed separately from the European: opposite numbers are often consecutive even-odd pairs. Some American casinos historically even had a third green pocket, the American eagle, which pushed the house edge to nearly 13% — fortunately it fell out of use back in the 19th century.
Where it is played today
American roulette is the standard in United States casinos from Las Vegas to Atlantic City, and it also appears in some Caribbean and South American casinos. Online it is offered alongside the European version — you can recognise it by the double zero.
Rules
The rules are the same as European roulette, but the wheel has 38 pockets: 1–36 plus 0 and 00. You can bet on numbers or on outside bets such as red/black and the dozens. Both 0 and 00 are green and belong to no outside bet.
Odds & the maths
A single number still pays 35:1 (a 36× return), but now there are 38 winning numbers. The true odds would be 37:1 — because of the two zeros the house edge rises to 5.26%, almost double the European version. The practical lesson: same game, different wheel, nearly twice the long-run loss. If you can choose, the European wheel is always better for the player.
The comparison is the most instructive part: if you bet 100 credits over a hundred rounds, in European roulette the expected loss is about 270 credits, in American about 526. Same game, same stake, nearly double the loss — purely because of one extra pocket. This is a concrete lesson in why the details of the rules are always worth checking before you play.
| Bet | Pays | Win chance | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single number | 35:1 | 2.63% | 5.26% |
| Red / Black | 1:1 | 47.37% | 5.26% |
| Even / Odd | 1:1 | 47.37% | 5.26% |
| 1–18 / 19–36 | 1:1 | 47.37% | 5.26% |
| Dozen (12 numbers) | 2:1 | 31.58% | 5.26% |
Two zeros (0 and 00) almost double the house edge versus the European wheel — same payouts, worse probability.
Beginner’s guide
Play it like the European version: pick a chip value, click the table, press Spin. The key lesson in this version is the comparison — notice that adding the 00 does not change how wins are paid but doubles the house edge. This is a concrete example of how a small rule difference decides a game’s mathematics.