How to Play European Roulette
For the European version, the rules are straightforward if you're aware of the traditional concept of roulette. The only significant difference from other versions is the single zero roulette wheel.
This has become one of the most popular versions of the game due to the lower house advantage and wide range of betting options that are available.
European Roulette Rules
The European roulette table includes different betting options to other versions of the game and the layout is slightly different. Regardless, players still have the choice to select inside and outside bets.
Rules for playing European Roulette are as follows:
- To play, you will first need to select a bet on the table. You can place single bets or a combination of bets.
- Once your bet has been placed and the window for betting has closed, the roulette ball will spin around the wheel.
- Eventually, the ball will slow down, until it comes to a complete stop in one of the segments.
- Successful bets are awarded to players who have correctly predicted the correct segment where the ball will land.
European Roulette Wheel
Within the European game, you will notice that there is only one zero.
Having only one zero, the European version does have a lower house edge compared to other versions, which is one of the reasons why it has become such a popular choice. This is more true when the payout values of the two games are the same.
European Roulette Betting Options
European Inside bets
Inside bet types allow you to bet on the specific numbers on the roulette wheel. In European roulette, this ranges from 0 to 36. The odds of winning with inside bets are much smaller when compared to outside bets.
- Straight-up bet - Bet on a specific number
- Split bet - Covering two numbers that are adjacent to each other
- Street bet - Includes a row of three numbers
- Square or corner - Betting on a total of four numbers
European Outside bets
If you're new to the game of roulette, opting for outside bets could be a good approach as they do offer better odds of winning. With this being the case, the payout odds are typically lower.
- Red or Black - Betting on the colour that will hit
- Odd or even - Selecting whether an odd or even number will hit
- High or low - Here you can bet on the number being either low (1 to 18) or high (19 to 36)
- Dozen bet - From the wheel, the 36 numbers are split into three dozen sets; 1 to 12, 13 to 24 and 25 to 36.
- Column bet - Here, you can select a column of numbers and if one of the numbers within the column hits, you win.
Called bets
Commonly used in games of European and French roulette, Called Bets cover sections of the wheel that players can bet on.
Voisins du Zero (Neighbours of Zero)
Selecting the Voisins du Zero bet covers the 17 numbers that are positioned the closest to zero on the wheel.
Tiers du Cylindre (Thirds of the wheel)
Covering 12 numbers on the wheel, this bet covers roughly a third of the pockets, hence the name.
Jeu Zero (Zero game)
As one of the smaller called bets, the Jeu Zero bet covers the numbers positioned between 12 and 15 on the wheel. It is also recognised as a smaller version of the Voisins du Zero bet as it covers a similar section.
Orphelins (Orphans)
From the Tiers du Cylindre and Voisins du Zero bets, any numbers that have not been covered are included in the Orphelins bet.
European roulette payout odds
With a different house edge and betting types available when compared to other versions, the payout odds can vary slightly.
European payout odds
- Straight-up bet: - 35:1
- Split bet: 17:1
- Street bet: 11:1
- Square bet: 8:1
- Column bet: 2:1
- Dozen bet: 2:1
- Red/Black: 1:1
- Odd/Even: 1:1
- High/Low: 1:1
Many players decide to play the European version over the American as the payout odds remain the same at 35:1 for a straight-up bet, but the house edge is lower in the European game.
House Edge in European Roulette Compared to other Versions
Version | House Edge |
---|---|
European Roulette | 2.70% |
American Roulette | 5.26% |
French Roulette | 2.70% |
Play European Roulette Online
Select from a variety of online European roulette games, coming in the form of live roulette and virtual roulette.
From the collection of Live online casino games, you could try Live Roulette from Evolution. Evolution has provided live chat functionality, allowing you to interact with players and the dealer.
For a slightly different version of European Roulette, there is Live Speed Roulette. Taking all the classical rules from European roulette, this version speeds up the gameplay with less time spent between rounds.
European Roulette FAQs
Is there a strategy for European roulette?
When you go to play roulette, there are no betting strategies that can guarantee you a win. Several strategies have been developed over the years to provide an approach to playing roulette, but none of these can provide a certain outcome.
One popular strategy is the Martingale system, where players select a 50/50 bet type such as red or black. If they lose, they will double their initial bet amount with the idea being that winning bets would cover any previous losses.
What are the European roulette odds?
The European variant has a lower edge than other versions at 2.7% due to the single zero European roulette wheel.
For straight-up bets, (betting on specific numbers) the payout odds stand at 35/1 which is the same odds that are found in the American version. This is one of the reasons why many players tend to opt for the European game.
What is the best number to bet on in European roulette?
The number 17 is the most popular number to bet on in roulette because of its position in the middle of the wheel. However, all 37 pockets on the wheel have an equal chance of landing.
What is the best bet in European roulette?
Every bet type within roulette comes down to random chance.
Even money bets such as red/black or high/low have the best odds with a win percentage of 48.65%.