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Heather has over 15 years of experience in the casino industry. She is an adjunct professor at UNLV and is the CEO and founder of Vegas Aces.
How to Play European Roulette Online
Learning how to play European roulette online is very simple. It’s one of the most straightforward casino games out there, so all you have to do is follow the step-by-step instructions below:
Choose one of our recommended and trusted real money European roulette casinos to get started. (Visit our free roulette page if you want to practice first).
Register with your chosen online casino.
Deposit funds into your account by selecting a payment method of your choice.
Head to the casino table game lobby and select a game that offers the European roulette variant.
Choose the size of your stake. The colored chips denote different values and are displayed in a row on the game screen.
Place your bet on the desired outcome by dragging and dropping chips onto the graphic table layout.
Click the spin button. The roulette wheel will spin and the ball will land in one of the pockets around the wheel.
Winning bets are announced and paid instantly. Place your bets again or withdraw your money to try another game.
These are just the basic steps to get you playing. If you want to know more about how to play roulette, check out our beginners guide to roulette rules.
European Roulette – Key Differences
Although the rules of European roulette are the same as other variants, there is one key difference that makes the game stand out from the crowd – the wheel only has one zero pocket. This lowers the house edge and increases your chances of winning.
European Roulette Wheel & Table Layout
The European roulette wheel has 37 pockets, including just one single zero. In contrast, an American roulette wheel has 38 pockets with a single and a double zero in play.
The European roulette table is also very similar to its American counterpart. The inside bets are represented in the middle with numbers 1 to 36. In contrast, the outside bets circle the table indicating the red/black, even/odd, low/high, zero, dozen, and column available bets. The only difference is that the American roulette table has an additional field because of the double zero.
Call & Announced Bets
Another characteristic of European roulette (and French roulette) is that you can also bet on sections of the roulette wheel itself. This is more common during live dealer roulette games or in physical casinos as it can ensure quick-paced gameplay, but you can find this feature on real money or free roulette games online.
Essentially, some European roulette tables also display the wheel as a stretched oval where you can place bets that correlate to sections of the roulette wheel. These bets include:
Neighbors of Zero (Voisins du Zero) – This bet, which can payout 17:1, covers the 17 numbers that are closest to the 0 on the roulette wheel, using a combination of split, three-number and corner bets
Zero (Zero Spiel or Jeu zero) – This bet although smaller, is similar to Voisins du zero in that it allows you to wager on the six numbers closest to the green 0. This bet can payout 35:1.
Thirds of the wheel (Tiers) – This bet can payout 17:1 and refers to the 12 numbers on the opposite side of the wheel to the 0.
Orphans (Orphelins) – As the name suggests, this section of numbers are the ones not covered by the Voisins du zero or the Tiers bets. If landed on, this bet can payout 35:1.
In some brick-and-mortar casinos, players can place these as ‘call’ bets meaning that you don’t actually have to place chips on the table and can essentially borrow credit from the casino as long as the croupier acknowledges the bet once it has been called out.
In contrast, ‘announced' bets, more common on online games such as live dealer, require enough money to be placed on the table to cover the cost of the bet before it will be accepted.
European Roulette Variant Rules
Typically, the rules of roulette are the same regardless of the version you prefer to play.
The aim of the game is to predict and bet on the number or color that the ball will land on. In European roulette, you just need to remember that you are betting on only one zero pocket instead of double 00 as found in the American version.
To learn more about the rules of roulette, read our guide on how to play roulette.
European Roulette Payouts & Odds
The actual payout odds in roulette are 35:1, meaning the house edge in European roulette is just 2.7% – half of the 5.26% house edge present in American roulette.
Choose the Right Wheel
When playing real money roulette, we suggest opting for the European game. You’ll instantly improve the house edge, and in this game of chance, reducing the online casino's advantage can only be a benefit to you.
There are wagering options for European roulette that can be categorized as inside and outside bets. Generally, the outside bets pay even money (1:1) while the inside bets pay from 5:1 all the way up to 35:1 and may also vary in odds.
To learn more about different bet types and their range of payouts, make sure to check out our roulette odds & payouts guide.
Real Money Roulette vs Free Play
European roulette is available to play online for real money or for free. The gameplay is identical in both, but no sign-up or registration is needed for free play and none of your hard-earned funds are risked either.
This makes free European roulette an excellent option for beginners looking to learn the game, as well as players who want the fun of spinning the wheel without staking real money.
Why choose real money European roulette?
Real prizes
A wider range of games
Opportunity for rewards and bonuses
What’s great about free European roulette?
No risk
No registration required
Exciting gameplay without wagering requirements
Online vs Offline Play
The rules of European roulette remain the same regardless of whether you are playing online or offline. However, a key distinction between brick-and-mortar casinos and their online counterparts is that online roulette has lower betting limits and multiple bonuses available.
Playing online roulette
Wide variety of variants and games
Convenient
Lower betting limits
Opportunities for bonuses and rewards
Playing at offline casinos
Real-time experience
Higher payout potential
Social atmosphere
Winning Tips for European Roulette
European roulette is an easy game to understand but it can be tough to win consistently. Getting a decent grasp of the rules will stand you in good stead, but there are a couple of tips you can try to improve your roulette strategy and give yourself the edge over the online casinos.
Check out our three key points below, and then head over to our how to win roulette guide for even more top tips:
1. Play for free
Practice playing roulette for free to gain a better understanding of the game before switching to real money roulette.
2. Look for the La Partage rules
European roulette variants, like French roulette, offer the La Partage rule which can reduce the house edge to 1.36%. This rule means that you can get half your wager back if you play an even money bet and a zero hit.
3. Know the house edge
The smaller the house edge, the better. Understanding the house edge for particular variants and bets will allow you to quickly know if a game will be good for you and your bankroll.
4. Know the sign
Humans love patterns and players are more likely to place higher wagers if they think red is about to hit. For this reason, online and physical casinos place signs with past numbers around the table. Bets subsequently increase when these signs are put in. It's important to remember that past numbers do not indicate a trend. Just like flipping a coin, past events do not influence future events.
5. Bankroll management
Money management is crucial for success in any casino game. Always set up a bankroll budget and don’t stray from it whether you win or lose.
FAQs
European & American roulette – what’s the difference?
The key difference between European roulette and American roulette is that the American version has an additional double zero pocket on the wheel. This lowers the house edge from 5.26% to 2.7% in European roulette, greatly improving a player’s chances of winning.
Is European or American roulette better?
The better house edge available in European roulette makes it a more attractive proposition to players than American roulette. We always recommend choosing European roulette when available, thanks to its low house edge of just 2.7%.
What are the odds of European roulette?
There are several types of bets you can make in European roulette which have differing odds. They are:
Straight Up (1 number) 35:1
Split (2 numbers) 17:1
Street (3 numbers) 11:1
Corner (4 numbers) 8:1
Double Street (6 numbers) 5:1
Columns & Dozens 2:1
Even, Odd, High, Low Red, Black 1:1
How do I win at European roulette?
There is no way to guarantee a win since roulette is a game of chance. However, you can always increase your chances of winning roulette by using our recommended tips and strategies.
Are all European roulette wheels the same?
All European roulette wheels are the same, but make sure you confirm which variant you are playing before you place your bets. For example, French roulette is played on a European roulette wheel but has a slightly different table to accommodate the En Prison and La Partage bets.
How many numbers are on a European roulette wheel?
There are a total of 37 numbers on a European roulette wheel ranging from 0 to 36. The single 0 is green while numbers 1 to 36 are either red or black.