American Roulette Table Rules
On American tables only there is a second extra green division marked 00 and it is largely this that makes the American version of Roulette a worse proposition financially than the European game. Prior to rolling the ball, people place bets on what number will come up by laying down chips on a betting mat, the precise location of the chips.
- How to play Roulette game? Rules, Roulette bets & odds. Roulette rules are simple. A croupier spins the casino roulette wheel in one direction, then spins a ball in the opposite direction. The player’s goal is to guess on which number the spinning ball will stop. Bets on the particular number are possible and on combinations too.
- The roulette table usually imposes minimum and maximum bets, and these rules usually apply separately for all of a player's inside and outside bets for each spin. For inside bets at roulette tables, some casinos may use separate roulette table chips of various colors to distinguish players at the table.
- When playing roulette at your local land-based casino, it’s possible to null and void the result of a roulette spin by diving head first onto the table with a pint of beer in hand. However, you might also scupper your wins or even get thrown out for several other infringements that are specific to the rules of roulette.
Things are often done a little bit differently in the good old US of A, and roulette is no different. Everything looks pretty much the same at a glance, but on closer inspection you’ll notice the additional green pocket compared to the French and European versions. So what’s behind this addition to the wheel? Well, stick around and you’ll get all the answers. In the meantime, you can experience the authentic American Roulette game in demo mode below, including the extra thrill of double danger in the form of two zero slots.
- Try the Infamous US Variant!
- Bonuses Available on Sign-Up
Why is this casino the best? We’ve done our research to save you the time, and selected this gambling site because it offers comparably the best welcome bonuses, as well as fantastic American Roulette games, in addition to one of the largest varieties of casino table games around.
American Roulette: Rules and Payout Rates
The rules for American Roulette are the same as in the other standard versions of the game. You place your bets and the wheel is spun. The outcome of where the ball lands will dictate which bets are paid out.
The difference in this version is that it features a double zero which, of course, means that there are 38 pockets instead of the standard 37! You won’t get more bang for your buck with this game, since the addition of an extra zero decreases increases the house edge and worsens a player’s probability of winning.
The wheel features 38 pockets, including 36 numbers, zero and the unique double zero pocket. The double zero increases the overall house edge.
The table is easy to grasp – all 38 numbers from the wheel are featured. Players can also bet on the double zero: this spot is placed right next to the single zero on the table.
Aside from the double zero, the layout of American roulette wheel and table is rather similar to the standard European roulette. This game includes 38 pockets in the wheel, with numbers one through to 36, the single zero and the double zero. The order of numbers on the wheel is unique to this game; 0, 28, 9, 26, 30, 11, 7, 20, 32, 17, 5, 22, 34, 15, 3, 24, 36, 13, 1, 00, 27, 10, 25, 29, 12, 8, 19, 31, 18, 6, 21, 33, 16, 4, 23, 35, 14, 2.
American Roulette Betting Odds and Payouts
American Roulette Table Rules Multiplication
| BetType | Odds | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Chances | 47.40% | 1:01 |
| Dozen, Column | 31.60% | 2:01 |
| Line Bet | 15.80% | 5:01 |
| First Five | 13.20% | 6:01 |
| Corner, FirstFour | 10.50% | 8:01 |
| Street Bet,First Three | 7.90% | 11:01 |
| Split Bet | 5.30% | 17:01 |
| Straight UpBet | 2.60% | 35:01 |
Compared to the French variant, you’ll obviously experience a lot less foreign influence in the American version of roulette. As is to be expected, there aren’t any announcements in French, nor do the bets succumb to a second-language jargon. This might save you a bit of time since bet names are pretty straight forward. Nevertheless, we’ve compiled short descriptions for you to avoid any confusion whatsoever.
| Betting Descriptions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Make your bets, please! | Time to place your bets on the table | |
| No more bets, please! | No more bets can be placed at the table | |
| Chips, Checks | Playing chips | |
| Dolly | This figure shows the winning number | |
| Double Zero or 00 | The double zero, which is a feature exclusive to American roulette | |
| Bets | ||
|---|---|---|
| Straight Up Bet, Straight Bet | Betting on one number | |
| Split Bet | A bet on two contiguous numbers | |
| Corner, First Four | Square, First Four. Bet on four numbers | |
| Dozen & Column | A bet on the first, second or third dozen or one of the three columns | |
| Odd | Betting on the odd numbers | |
| Even | A bet on the even number | |
| Even Money | A bet with payout 1: 1 | |
| Low Bet | A bet on the numbers 1-18 | |
| High Bet | A bet on the numbers 19-36 | |
| Black | Black | |
| Red | Red | |
| Combination Bet | Any bet placed at least on two numbers (with one or more chips) | |
| Five Number Bet, Basket Bet | Bet on the five numbers 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3. This is the bet with the highest house advantage of all roulette games. | |
| Street Bet | Bet on the numbers of a cross-row | |
| Line bet | Betting on 6 numbers in two rows | |
Taking the European and French table as a mean of comparison, these games include a single green zero pocket, and the house edge is therefore lower. The American Roulette game offers a house edge of 5.26%. Compare this to that of the European version, which offers a friendly 2.7% house edge, or the French variant, with a possible edge of as little as 1.35% with La Partage. You’re clearly at a disadvantage with the American variant, as far as the house edge is concerned. For a further breakdown of the rules and a glimpse into the world of roulette etiquette, check out our dedicated roulette rules guide.
Special Characteristics of American Roulette
The reason the American version is so different to its European counterpart is plain and simple: profit. After European casinos phased out the double zero pocket, American casinos held on to this variant, seeing an opportunity to increases their profits and worsen a player’s probability of winning regardless of the type of bet they place. These perilous green pockets are placed on opposite sides of the wheel. You’ll be in no doubt this is an American game through and through, noticing the single zero pocket is often emblazoned with the American eagle.
In online casinos, the differences are not as prominent as in land-based casinos and you won’t find this game often in land-based casinos, either, since the poorer odds don’t go unnoticed with today’s savvy players. Nevertheless, the choice is yours if you want to give this roulette version a spin!
NetEnt American Roulette
The NetEnt version of American Roulette is a typical example of the game as imaginable as can be in an online casino. This is one the of the best incarnations of the game and can be found on many of our top online casino sites. The game looks pretty neat, with an attractive table and billboard. It works like so: select the size of your stake, place your chips and click spin. You’ll notice racetrack style betting, which features the betting options wrapped around the table in a racetrack formation. There’s also comfortable betting options, an intuitive design and nifty voice announcements, all making gameplay easy.
Where to Find American Roulette Online
Enjoy the controversial and unique features of this roulette variant at one of our favourite operators below. You can further familiarise yourself with the American Roulette wheel layout and experience the American eagle take flight as the wheel spins. Try your luck on this patriotic version of the classic game of roulette at their impressive online casino!