All about European roulette: main differences or advantages and disadvantages

You probably know that there are several types of roulette and that each one has its own unique features. In this article, we will introduce you to everything about European roulette. If you want to learn something or are just a fan, here you will learn everything about the fundamental differences between the other types, how the probabilities and payout ratios differ, and why it is one of the most popular.

How to recognize European roulette?

All types of roulette that you can find in online casinos have certain distinguishing features that will immediately tell you that it is this or that roulette. This of course also applies to European roulette, which you can distinguish relatively easily. Its basic characteristics are as follows:

It contains only one field with zero (0)

The playing field contains a total of 37 fields

The house edge of European roulette is 2.7% (RTP 97.3%)

All terms are listed in English (or in the language of the online casino)

These features will help you distinguish European roulette from its French or American version. You simply cannot get confused in this case.

European Roulette vs. Other Roulettes

The differences between roulettes are not that striking and are more about details. However, even these can have a major impact on how you play a given type. For a better overview of the most famous types of roulette, we have attached a clear table below, in which you will find all the biggest differences.

Comparison of roulette types

Other differences in European roulette

In addition to the obvious visual differences that distinguish European roulette from, for example, American roulette, there may also be differences in special rules. European roulette has not adopted any of the rules that we commonly know from French roulette. On the other hand, you do not have to learn rules such as En Prison or La Partage, which adds to its simplicity. However, there are exceptions, when in some casinos these rules may also be available in European roulette. In case you encounter them, let’s briefly explain these rules.

• En Prison Rule-One of the rules that is not found in European roulette and thus distinguishes it from French roulette is En Prison (literally “In prison”). If the ball stops on zero in the case of even bets (with a payout ratio of 1 to 1), the even bets are not returned, but remain “trapped” in their place until the next spin. If the player wins in the next round, their stake is returned without any winnings. If they lose, they lose their stake.
• La Partage Rule-This rule means that if the ball lands on zero in the case of even bets (with a payout ratio of 1 to 1), players betting on this type of bet will be paid half of their stake. Thanks to this rule, the RTP of roulette increases to 98.65%.

Layout of the playing field and wheel

In European roulette, the screen has a total of 37 positions. There are numbers from 1 to 36 on it, which are divided into red and black colors and a green zero. You will also find other squares on it that you can bet on. On the European roulette wheel, you will find numbers, which are again in a different order than in American and French, which can affect betting strategies.

Racetrack European Roulette

In addition to these basics, most offline and online roulette also includes a so-called racetrack. It is designed to visually resemble the arrangement of numbers on a roulette wheel. It is where special bets are made on groups of numbers that are close to each other on the wheel (Tiers, Orphelins, Voisins, Zero).

• Tiers (Tiers du Cylindre)-translated as Third of the Wheel. This bet covers the 12 numbers on the opposite side of the roulette wheel from zero. On the table, the bet would consist of 6 chips on the numbers 5-8 (split), 10-11 (split), 13-16 (split), 23-24 (split), 27-30 (split) and 33-36 (split).
• Voisins (Voisins du Zéro)– translated as Neighbors of Zero. This bet covers a total of 17 numbers around zero on the wheel. On the table, the bet would consist of 9 chips on the numbers 0-2-3 (triples), 4-7 (split), 12-15 (split), 18-21 (split), 19-22 (split), 25-26-28-29 (fours) and 32-35 (split).
• Zero (Jeu Zéro)-translated as Game of Zero. This bet covers the 7 numbers closest to zero on the roulette wheel. On the table, it would consist of 4 chips on the numbers 0-3 (split), 12-15 (split), 32-35 (split) and the number 26 itself.
• Orphelins-translated as Orphans. This bet covers the remaining 8 numbers that do not belong to any of the previous bets. On the table, the bet would consist of 5 chips on the numbers 6-9 (split), 14-17 (split), 17-20 (split), 31-34 (split) and the number 1 itself.

What are the betting combinations?

All betting combinations are basically similar to other roulettes. The basic division is:

• Outside bets – bets on options other than numbers
• Inside bets – bets directly on individual numbers and their combinations
• Combined bets – bets on multiple numbers

However, there are of course more betting opportunities on the screen. You can read about the specific bets in European roulette, along with their probabilities and payout ratios, in the table after this paragraph. If you would like a more detailed explanation with pictures, you can definitely read the article How to play roulette.

Winning Probability and Payout Ratios for Betting Combinations

The payout ratios and the winning probability depend on the bet you place in roulette. It is logical that the probability of hitting a number is different from that of hitting a color. However, the payout ratios always remain the same, even for other types of roulette. You can see the probability for individual bets, including the payout ratios for European roulette, below.

If you would like to see all bets (even those that you won’t find in European roulette) laid out in detail and in a clearer way, check out our detailed article on how to play roulette.

How to bet on European roulette?

Once you have familiarized yourself with the basic layout of European roulette, you can start playing the game itself. The principle is as simple as with all other types of roulette.

European roulette does not contain any special rules that would affect the game. Just be careful with bets on the racetrack, where there are foreign terms, which we have explained above. The whole game is therefore very straightforward and does not offer any other outcomes than winning and losing. However, if you are still afraid of losing, you can try your hand at free online roulette, where you do not play for real money and do not risk anything.

Play European Roulette for Free

However, if you don’t feel like playing for real yet, you can hone your skills and strategies on free online roulettes. You’ll find all types of roulette here, no registration required and no risking your money as you’re playing with virtual currency.

Where is European roulette played the most?

European roulette is currently the most popular type of roulette and you can find it in practically all online and land-based casinos. The exception, however, is casinos in America, where casinos do not have to provide European roulette and, despite the disadvantage, they tend to focus on its American version.

In some casinos, European roulette is starting to give way to more modern and interesting variants, in which, for example, two balls appear, different multipliers or the screen is much smaller. However, for now, this is rather a rare phenomenon and let’s hope that this great traditional game will not just disappear from the gambling market.

Currently, so-called Live casinos have also spread very quickly, which are the perfect combination of an authentic casino experience and the comfort of home. This of course includes Live roulette, which you can read more about in the article below.

History of European Roulette

Let’s also take a brief look at how European roulette actually came about and why it is called European.

The history of roulette dates back to the 18th century, when its invention is associated with the famous physicist Blaise Pascal, who was supposed to have created it in an attempt to develop a perpetual motion machine. Originally, it was supposed to contain only 31 numbers, but unfortunately, this is not clearly verified. It was first played as a gambling game in 1796 in Paris, from where it spread throughout Europe.

However, a fundamental turning point came with the Blanc brothers, who added a zero to it sometime around 1843, thus tilting the advantage in favor of the casino. The original roulette was the French one, but due to its popularity in English-speaking countries, the individual terms were translated into English.

This is why roulette reached the United States, where another field was added: two zeros (00), which made it necessary to distinguish between European and American roulette, i.e. with one or two zeros.

European Roulette – to Play or Not to Play?

European Roulette is simply extremely popular. It does not offer any special rules, as is the case with French Roulette (La Partage, En Prison), but on the other hand, it is much more common in casinos and has a lower House Edge (2.70%) than American Roulette (5.26%). It is extremely easy to understand and is loved by both beginners and experienced players. So if you decide to play roulette, European Roulette is an absolutely ideal choice.