European, American & Russian Roulette: Key Rule Differences
“Roulette” covers two genuinely different casino wheel games, plus one unrelated and dangerous act that shares the name by coincidence. This is a detailed, mechanics-first comparison of the wheel layouts, odds and payout structures for European and American roulette, plus a clear explanation of why Russian Roulette doesn’t belong in the same conversation at all.
European Roulette
Wheel layout: 37 pockets, numbered 0-36. Single zero, coloured green; 18 red and 18 black numbers, arranged in a specific non-sequential order around the wheel to balance the colours and number ranges.
House edge: 2.7%. Even-money bet odds: 48.6%.
| Bet Type | Payout |
|---|---|
| Straight-Up | 35:1 |
| Split | 17:1 |
| Street | 11:1 |
| Corner | 8:1 |
| Six Line | 5:1 |
| Red/Black, Odd/Even, High/Low | 1:1 |
European tables sometimes also offer La Partage or En Prison rules, which return half (or carry over) an even-money bet when the ball lands on zero – effectively lowering the edge on those specific bets to around 1.35%.
American Roulette
Wheel layout: 38 pockets, numbered 0-36 plus a double zero (00). Both zeros are green; the sequencing of numbers around the wheel also differs from the European layout.
House edge: 5.26%. Even-money bet odds: 47.4%.
Payouts are identical to the European table across every bet type – the extra pocket doesn’t change what a winning bet pays, only how often you actually win it. The one genuinely unique bet is the Five-Number Bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3), paying 6:1 with a house edge of 7.89% – the single worst-value bet in standard roulette.
Russian Roulette Is Not a Casino Game
Russian Roulette – a revolver, a single cartridge, a spun cylinder – shares its name with casino roulette only because both involve something spinning to produce a random outcome. It has no numbers, no betting, no payouts, and no legal or historical connection to casino gambling. It is a real, dangerous act, not a game, and it has never been offered by any licensed casino.
Side-by-Side Summary
| Feature | European Roulette | American Roulette | Russian Roulette |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zero pockets | Single (0) | Double (0, 00) | Not applicable |
| House edge | 2.7% | 5.26% | Not applicable |
| La Partage available | Sometimes | No | Not applicable |
| Played in casinos | Yes | Yes | No – not a casino game |
For the practical question of which one to actually play, see our quick decision guide.
