European vs American Roulette
Out of the several popular table games, Roulette has been one of the favorites with the people owing to the sheer excitement and the adrenaline rush it provides all through the game. Roulette, a fun game has continued to attract gambling enthusiasts whether young or old and enthralled people from all over the world due to the high stakes and even higher payouts devoid of any requisite skill. Casinos and gambling houses regularly feature European and American roulette. However, there is a major distinction between the two most well liked formats of the game. You can play both European and American Roulette at William Hill.
Both American and European roulette are played in the same way by spinning the white ball around the rotating wheel with numbers. The number of printed figures is the only difference that separates one from another. The numbers are responsible for a change in the odds largely.
The European wheel has thirty-seven numbers in total and the slots are numbered from one to 36 and a single zero. They are alternatively colored red and black. The numbers may seem haphazard to the eye but are actually arranged in sequential manner taking in account the color and the order of the number.
The American roulette wheel is same as the European but with an extra slot, numbered 00, taking the total count to 38 slots. An extra number in the wheel makes all the difference to the odds of the house and chances of winning. The two numbers 0 and 00 are green colored and rest are equally divided into red and black. It’s these green slots on the wheel where the casinos make money.
With this extra 00 in the American roulette, the house has an advantage of 5.26% while for the same wheel without an extra slot, the European roulette, the house as an advantage of meager 2.7%. Therefore, when you have to choose between the two, the latter is preferred simply because of the lower house edge of almost 2.63%. In simple terms, the house is more likely to win against you by this percentage. Lower the percentage, the better are the chances for you to win.
Another reason for European roulette to be preferred is the “En-Prison rule” where in case you bet outside the even bets and the ball lands in 0 slot, then your bet stays on the table and the amount is carried forward to the next spin. If the ball again finds the 0 slot in the following spin then you lose the money else you get the money back if it is other than 0.
The croupier spins the wheel after people place their bets on number of their choice. There is a wide choice in placing the bets. You may choose a single number, two, three, four or six numbers; or bet on high or low; black or red or even and odd. The main thing that you need to keep in mind is that roulette is based entirely on chance and getting a black or a red slot has same individual probability after each spin.
In conclusion, whether you are an amateur or a professional, playing for profit or pleasure, the sole disparity is that the European version offers you better odds than its American counterpart.