For many people, roulette is the quintessential casino game. It is synonymous with the thrills and excitement of a casino and has been endlessly depicted in Hollywood films and other popular media.
However, roulette is more complicated than many people realize. There are various different ways to play the game, each of them offering certain advantages and disadvantages. We’ve listed some of the different types and rules of roulette to help you gain an understanding. Read on to find out more.
European Roulette
European roulette is the oldest form of roulette. The game originated in France during the 1700s and soon became enormously popular across Europe, North America, and the rest of the world.
The European version of the game features the numbers one to 36, as well as a zero. This gives the game a generous house edge of 2.7%, which is one of the reasons why it has remained so popular.
What’s more, European roulette has two special features called En Prison and La Partage. In En Prison, bets on the even money wagers 1-18, 19-36, red, black, even, and odd remain in place if the ball lands on zero.
La Partage can be used instead of En Prison. If the ball lands on zero when La Partage is in play, half of the wagers on even-money bets are returned to the player. With La Partage in use, the house edge of even money bets is reduced to 1.35%.
The generous house edge found in European roulette is one of the main reasons why the game is still so popular today. Players love the frequent wins they see on a European roulette wheel, bringing back to the table again and again.
American Roulette
Roulette arrived in America in the 1880s and was quickly adopted by US casino owners. However, they made a small but incredibly significant change to the game that would set it apart from the traditional European version.
Rather than just one zero, the American roulette wheel has an extra double zero. This addition increases the number of pockets on the wheel to 38, which in turn increases the house edge from 2.7% to 5.26%.
American roulette players can also enjoy a special feature known as the Five Number Bet. This is a bet that covers the zero, double zero, and the numbers one, two, and three. The Five Number Bet pays out at six to one but carries a house edge of 7.9%.
While American roulette’s house edge may be higher than European roulette’s, the game is extremely popular in US casinos.
Other Types of Roulette
While European roulette and American roulette are the most popular forms in the game and the types you’ll most likely come across at a casino, there are a number of additional versions with certain special features.
Auto roulette is a fully automated digital version of the game. Instead of a croupier collecting the bets and spinning the wheel, these processes are all handled automatically, making for far faster and more efficient gameplay. While part of the fun of roulette comes from interacting with the croupier, some players want to just focus on the game, which makes auto roulette the ideal version for them.
Live dealer roulette is a new type of roulette that serves as a hybrid between the traditional game and digital recreations. Live dealers are streamed to a remote audience of players who can bet in real-time .
Live dealer games are offered on both types of roulette tables – European and American roulette. Live Online European Roulette is a popular choice for many online casino players thanks to the game’s traditional rules and a lower house edge.
If you are new to playing roulette online, European Roulette by Royal Panda would be a good place to start. You can watch the gameplay facilitated by a professional live dealer and get to know the rules before joing a real game round.
Conclusion
Roulette is one of the world’s most popular casino games. For a game that is centuries old, it’s no surprise that there are various different forms and rules. Use this guide to learn about the different types of roulette.