The single-zero wheel is the one you are looking for
Walk onto a casino floor and you will usually see roulette before you hear it. The question is not really whether the building has a roulette table, but which layout is spinning. European roulette means one specific thing: a wheel with 37 pockets, numbered 0 through 36, where the zero is the only green pocket. If the wheel in front of you has a second green pocket marked 00, you are looking at the American layout, which carries 38 pockets and a larger built-in advantage for the house on most bets.
Most casinos that offer roulette offer at least one of these layouts, and many offer both. The European version is common in venues that want to advertise a lower-edge table game, and it is the standard layout in many parts of the world. But nothing guarantees that a given casino has it, and the only reliable way to know is to look at the wheel itself or ask the dealer which layout the table uses before you put money down.
Why the extra pocket changes the arithmetic
The difference between the two wheels is not cosmetic. On a European wheel, the house edge on a straight-up bet comes from the single zero. On an American wheel, the double zero adds a second pocket that pays nothing on bets that do not cover it, which raises the house edge on the same wager. The relationship is structural: house edge and return to player sum to 100% for the same bet under the same rule set, so a higher edge means a lower long-run return.
That does not make the European wheel a winning bet. It makes it a bet with a slower expected rate of loss than its American counterpart. Over a short session, anything can happen; the wheel has no memory, and no pocket is ever due. But if you are choosing between two tables in the same casino, the layout is one of the few things on the floor that is genuinely under your control.
| Feature | European wheel | American wheel |
|---|---|---|
| Pockets | 37 | 38 |
| Zero pockets | One (0) | Two (0 and 00) |
| Number range | 0-36 | 0-36 plus 00 |
| House edge on a straight-up bet | Lower | Higher |
| Common call bets | Often available | Rarely offered |
Where the European wheel tends to appear
There is no universal rule about which venues carry which wheel, but some patterns hold. Casinos in Europe and many other international markets default to the single-zero layout. In places where the American layout is common, the European wheel often appears as a higher-limit table, a dedicated single-zero pit, or an electronic terminal alongside the live tables. Some venues run only one layout, and some switch layouts between tables in the same pit.
If you are looking for a European wheel specifically, check the table signage before sitting down. The layout printed on the felt shows the same information as the wheel: a single zero means European, a zero and a double zero means American. The dealer can also tell you directly, and asking costs nothing. Do not assume that a table is European because it is in a certain part of the floor or because the casino advertises roulette generally.
The round, from buy-in to settlement
Roulette is a comparing game only in the loosest sense; you are not playing against the dealer's hand, but against the wheel's outcome. A round moves through a fixed sequence. You buy in by placing cash on the table, never into the dealer's hand; the dealer exchanges it for roulette chips, which are colour-coded to you at that table. Those chips have no value away from the wheel, so you cash them in at the same table before leaving.
Once the dealer opens betting, you place chips on the layout. You may bet on individual numbers, groups of numbers, colours, odd or even, or ranges. When the dealer calls no more bets, the wheel is spun and the ball is released in the opposite direction. The ball falls into a pocket, the dealer marks the winning number, losing bets are cleared, and winning bets are paid according to the posted odds. The sequence repeats.
The main bet types and how their edges differ
Roulette offers a wide range of bets, and they do not all carry the same house edge. On a European wheel, most bets share the same edge because they all lose to the single zero. The exception is the group of bets known as call bets or announced bets, which are available on many European tables and cover sections of the wheel rather than sections of the layout. Their edges can differ from the standard bets because they are built from combinations of straight-up bets.
The table below compares the main bet categories. Payouts are fixed multiples of the stake and are printed on the layout, so you do not need to memorise them; you do need to know that a higher payout generally means a lower probability of hitting, not a better deal.
| Bet type | What it covers | Payout structure | Edge relative to other bets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight-up | One number | Highest fixed payout | Baseline edge from the zero |
| Split | Two adjacent numbers | Half the straight-up payout | Same baseline edge |
| Street | Three numbers in a row | Lower fixed payout | Same baseline edge |
| Red/black or odd/even | 18 numbers | Even-money payout | Same baseline edge on European wheel |
| Call bets | Wheel sections | Varies by combination | Can differ from baseline |
What the zero does to your even-money bets
One of the most misunderstood parts of roulette is what happens when the ball lands on zero. On a European wheel, an even-money bet on red, black, odd, even, high or low loses outright when the zero appears. Some tables offer a rule variation called la partage or en prison, which changes that outcome by returning half the stake or holding the bet for the next spin. Not every European table offers these rules, and they are not part of the basic 37-pocket layout.
Because these variations reduce the house edge on even-money bets specifically, they change the arithmetic of the table. The only way to know whether a rule is in force is to read the table signage or ask the dealer. A single-zero wheel with la partage is a different proposition from a single-zero wheel without it, even though both are called European.
Three procedural mistakes that cost new players
The first mistake is buying in with the wrong chips. Roulette tables use special chips that are not interchangeable with the chips at other games and are not redeemable at the cashier cage. If you walk away from the table with them, you are carrying plastic with no value until you return to that exact wheel. Cash them out before you stand up.
The second mistake is betting after the dealer has called no more bets. Late bets are void, and a chip placed as the ball drops will be returned or pushed back, which can confuse a new player about what is in play. Watch the dealer's call and keep your hands off the layout once the wheel is spinning.
The third mistake is assuming that a strategy chart or a progressive betting system changes the edge. Roulette has no decision points after the bet is placed, so there is no strategy chart for the game itself. Betting systems that double after losses simply redistribute outcomes; they do not remove the zero from the wheel or change the expected loss on any spin.
FAQ
How can I tell if a table is European roulette before I sit down?
Look at the wheel and the printed layout. A single zero pocket and a layout showing only 0 through 36 means European. A second green pocket marked 00 means American. The table signage usually states the layout, and the dealer can confirm it in one sentence.
Do online casinos offer European roulette?
Many do, and the same identification rule applies: check the game information panel or the help screen for the wheel type before you play. The panel states the number of pockets and the rule set, which is the online equivalent of reading the felt.
Is European roulette a better bet than American roulette?
On the same wager under the same rule set, the European layout carries a lower house edge because it has one fewer zero pocket. That means a slower expected rate of loss, not a winning bet. The wheel has no memory, and no layout turns a negative-expectation game into a positive one.
If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling, help is available. Contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline at the helpline printed in the footer below for free, confidential support, any day, any time. You can also visit the National Council on Problem Gambling website for resources and information on responsible gambling practices. Please gamble responsibly and know your limits.
Play responsibly
Gambling should be treated as paid entertainment, never as a way to earn income or recover losses. 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738)
18+ or 21+ depending on where you are; follow the minimum age that applies to you.
This article is general information about how these mechanics work. It is not legal advice and not a recommendation to gamble or to use any particular operator. Availability and legality differ by jurisdiction — check the rules that apply where you are.