What is European roulette?
European roulette is the standard version of the game played across most of the world outside North America. It uses a single-zero wheel with 37 pockets (0 through 36), giving the casino a house edge of 2.7%.
Why single zero matters
The difference between European and American roulette is almost entirely down to the number of zero pockets. European has one (0). American has two (0 and 00). All outside bets lose to the zero, so more zero pockets means the casino wins more often on those bets. On a straight-up number bet, European roulette pays 35:1 on a 37-number wheel — that single extra pocket is the casino’s profit margin.
Variations within European roulette
French roulette is technically European (single zero) but includes additional rules like La Partage and En Prison that reduce the house edge on even-money bets to 1.35%. Many online casinos label both as ‘European’ so check the rules tab before playing. If La Partage is available, it’s a better game than standard single-zero roulette without it.