American roulette is a Las Vegas and online casino fixture and has a long and exciting history. Roulette, one of the oldest casino games, has many genesis hypotheses. Roulette, which originated in Ancient China and was played in Roman Empire soldiers' barracks, finally appeared in France in the seventeenth-century courtesy of Blaise Pascal's 36-number wheel.
The game continued to evolve until the end of the 19th century when French brothers François and Louis Blanc removed the "00," from the wheels and retained the single zero. American Roulette kept both zeros, which is the defining characteristic of the variant.
Join us in today's article as we bring you a comprehensive guide on how to play American Roulette; keep on reading to learn more.
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American Roulette Defined
The American roulette wheel has 38 divisions as well as 0, 00, 1 through 36. Green represents the single zero and double zero; red and black alternately colour the digits 1 through 36.
Every player's main objective is to appropriately estimate which numbered pocket the roulette ball will fall in. Each player wagers on a designated number (or numbers) to accomplish this; the dealer spins the roulette wheel in one direction while adding the ball in the opposite. Winning players are those who correctly predict the pocket the ball lands in. Due to the added ‘00’ - the defining feature of the game - American roulette is the variation with the best house edge and lowest RTP.
Rules & How to Play
The basics of how to play roulette are very simple; just follow these steps:
- Players load their selected American Roulette game.
- If playing online, players either click "Spin." after laying their chips on the wager; if playing live roulette, they will have to wait until the dealer calls "no more bets".
- Once called the host or the computer software spins the roulette wheel and drops the pill on it.
- The place where the pill stops determines the winning result. Every player whose wagers span the winning number will win and get paid as per the paytable.
- The next round of American Roulette now starts.
The overall rules of American Roulette are also very straightforward with the most important to bear in mind as follows:
- To be valid bets have to be made by placing chips in the correct section(s).
- Table limitations for Roulette apply and players must meet the minimum to take part.
- Once "no more bets," is called, no more wagers can be made.
- In real-world roulette lost bettors' chips are only touched by the dealer, who also pays winners.
- The paytable dictates the winning wager payouts.
Table & Wheel Layout
American roulette has the same basic layout as other roulette variants; red and black pockets are numbered 1-36, while the green pocket is a zero the difference is the addition of a second green pocket labelled ‘00’.
Roulette has three-bet categories, and the table and wheel reflect them:
- Inside bets are on individual numbers (straight-up) or a series of numbers as seen in split, street, corner, or six-line bets. American roulette also has a wager that uses the 00, which is called the ‘Basket’ bet.
- Outside Bets: These are bets on categories like Red/black, odd/even, high/low, column, or doubles.
- Call Bets: Roulette games have different ‘announced bets’ or ‘special’ bets.
To gamble, you have to lay your chips—real or virtual—in the correct area on the roulette table. By spreading chips in several zones, you can place multiple wagers per round. The inside bets are found furthest from the player while the outside bets are closest. Above the usual betting layout is the "racecourse" used for call bets.
Comparing American and European Roulette
Feature | American Roulette | European Roulette |
Number of pockets | 38 (1-36, 0, 00) | 37 (1-36, 0) |
House Edge | 5.26%: Higher than European Roulette Due to the addition of 00 | 2.70%: Lower than American Roulette due to a singular 0 pocket |
Wheel Layout | The 00 pocket is located opposite the 0 pocket | Only one 0 pocket, no 00 pocket |
Sequence of numbers | Adjacent numbers total 37 (e.g., 1 & 36, 2 & 35) | Adjacent numbers total 37 (e.g., 1 & 36, 2 & 35) |
Betting Options | Features an additional five-number ‘basket’ bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) | Typical betting options including call bets |
Popular in | North America | Europe |
Top Tips for Playing American Roulette
There are a few simple tips we recommend for players learning how to play American Roulette:
- Be Aware of the House Edge: While some players love it for this very reason, there is no getting around the fact that American Roulettes’ house edge is almost double that of European Roulette at 5.26%.
- Make Use of Free Play: Playing in free-play mode lets you learn the ropes, test betting strategies, and adjust to how the game runs without damaging your bankroll. Live roulette games lack a free-play phase as they are played in real-time; instead, you can watch as many matches pass as you want until you feel ready to wager.
- Consider Strategies: There are plenty of American Roulette strategies to experiment with, but these are entirely optional. While they won’t guarantee wins, they can help manage your bankroll.
- Gamble Responsibly: Enjoying American roulette safely is always the best approach. Therefore remember to never chase losses, never take excessive risks, and always set a budget and time limit for your session.
Something to Note About Strategies…
A lot of how-to-play guides will encourage various strategies and some may even present these methods as offering ‘sure-fire’ wins. This simply is not true.
While a strategy may feel empowering, no legal method can predict or guarantee wins. As roulette is a game of chance, there is no way to predict outcomes.
This is exemplified by the house edge. The saying goes that the ‘house always wins’ and this is because the house has an advantage represented as a percentage based on the long term.
Instead, see strategies as an optional tool which you could use to manage your bankroll, or change up how you typically play. Remember above all else to always keep responsible gaming practices in mind.
FAQs on American Roulette
Can I play American Roulette on mobile?
Yes! Most modern online casinos are optimised for mobile play so you can enjoy both live and online American Roulette on your chosen device.
What is the best strategy when playing American Roulette?
No strategy is superior to any other in American Roulette as, due to the nature of chance, no strategy can predict winning outcomes.
Which is better: American Roulette or European Roulette?
In terms of the statistics, European Roulette offers the best return to player. However, many players love the extra challenge of American Roulette as well as the Vegas flair infused into this game type.
Play American Roulette With Spin Genie Ontario
American roulette is a challenging alternative to French and European roulette. While less popular overall due to the higher house edge, there are still plenty of great American Roulette games, including live casino versions to enjoy here at Spin Genie. Sign up and test out a few games today to find your perfect roulette style.
