American

The most widely played roulette game in US casinos is the American Roulette. Yet on the Internet, European Roulette is the most successful. This shows that online players and players in land-based casinos are not the same. But whether online or not, American Roulette remains a flagship wheel game in casinos.

Introducing American Roulette

  • The wheel has 38 pockets: numbers 1 to 36, the Zero [0] and the double Zero [00]. No other casino roulette has a double Zero [00].
  • It is one of the most liked table games in the USA just after Blackjack, but before Baccarat and Craps.
  • The house edge is 5.26%, which is higher than the European Roulette (2.7%), yet it does not prevent US players from betting on it.
American Roulette in a casino

American Roulette rules

The aim of the game is to guess in which pocket the ball will land. Two types of bets exist: inside and outside bets. Inside bets are the most exciting because they pay more. Betting on a single number pays 35 times the stake, which is the biggest bet possible. Outside bets are the safest. Each roulette game has its betting limits. Whether online or in a land-based casino, these limits are displayed at each table. Usually, the lowest bet is limited at £1, and the highest is set at £10,000.

Where to play online American Roulette?

Several casino sites are recommended. American Roulette has the lowest return rate compared to its peers, so it is advisable to choose a real money online casino offering big welcome bonuses. This helps to reduce the casino’s advantage. According to our research, the Casino Action site has the best offers in this area.
 

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How to play American Roulette?

  1. Coloured chips are used to place a bet. Every colour has its own value.
  2. Chips are placed either on full numbers or on a series of numbers.
  3. Before betting, the dealer announces: “Place your bets!” and the game begins.
  4. Then the dealer turns the wheel in one direction and throws the ball in the opposite direction.
  5. Players have one minute to place their chips on the layout, sometimes more depending on the level of activity.
  6. During this time you can place your chips as you wish.
  7. As soon as the dealer says: “No more bets!”, it is no longer possible to bet.
  8. When the ball stops in one of the pockets, the dealer calls out the pocket number.
  9. Losing bets are removed from the layout, and winning bets are paid off.
  10. A new game can immediately start again.

The American Roulette layout, and its 38 numbers

The Roulette Wheel

As you can see in the picture above, American Roulette has 38 pockets.

Pockets are numbered as follows:

  • From 1 to 36,
  • Zero [0],
  • And double Zero [00].
On the wheel, pockets 1 to 36 are alternately red and black. Both Zero pockets are green and situated face to face. The numbers on the wheel are not in order.

American Roulette bets

Inside bets pay the most. It is possible to place a bet on one or several numbers using a single chip. A winning outside bet can double or triple the gains.

Inside bets

Payout Odds
Straight-up 35/1 2.63%
Split 17/1 5.26%
Street 11/1 7.89%
Square (or corner) 8/1 10.53%
Basket bet 6/1 13.16%
Six line 5/1 15.79%

  1. Straight-up: the winning bet pays 35 to 1.
  2. Two adjacent numbers. The winning payout is 17 to 1.
  3. Street: an entire horizontal line. The payout is 11 to 1.
  4. Square: four meeting numbers at a corner. The payout is 8 to 1.
  5. Basket: a risky bet. Bet on 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3.
  6. Six line: a six-number bet. The payout is 5 to 1.

Outside bets

Payout Odds
Column 2/1 31.58%
Dozen 2/1 31.58%
Red / Black 1/1 47.37%
Odd / Even 1/1 47.37%
Low / High 1/1 47.37%

  1. Column: bet on a 12-number at section [2:1] at the bottom of the layout.
  2. Dozen: numbers 1 to 12, or 13 to 24, or 25 to 36.
  3. Red / Black: the most popular played bet. The payout is 1 to 1.
  4. Odd / Even : bet on even or odd numbers. The payout is 1 to 1.
  5. Low / High: Bet on numbers 1 to 18, or 19 to 36.

American Roulette history

American Roulette appeared in the USA in the 19th century. When American casino managers were looking for a more local Roulette game, they changed the original name of the game and added a new pocket, the Double Zero. The additional pocket gave the gambling houses a considerable advantage. Yet this didn’t bother the players! In fact, American Roulette instantly became more successful than its original version, the French Roulette. Patriotism obviously has not always been a good advisor!