European Roulette, as it’s known today, originated in France in the 18th century. It is played on a 37-number wheel with one zero only. The game was popularized by the Blanc brothers, who refined it by removing the double zero pocket.
Today, the roulette wheel is a prominent feature at many casinos worldwide. It is not only one of the easiest games to play, but with every wheel spin, players enjoy a heightened sense of theater, excitement, and anticipation.
For newcomers, however, it’s important to grasp the basic rules before diving in. Here are the gameplay rules, betting options, and payout structure of the European variant of roulette.
The European Roulette Wheel
The European Roulette provides a classic European-style roulette gaming experience. The wheel layout consists of a spinning disk with 37 numbered pockets on the edge. The pockets are numbered from 0 to 36 in a random, alternate red and black pattern.
Each number on the wheel pays out 35 to 1 for successful bets. The house edge for European roulette is 2.7%, which means the return to player rate is 97.3%.
Basic Betting Options
Roulette is quite popular because of the vast betting options. All variants of roulette have the same basic bets. You can place a bet on any number, a range of numbers, or colors (red/black).
There are two main categories of betting options covered in European Roulette. These include inside and outside bets. Below is a summary of these bet types.
Inside Bets
Inside bets are bet types that relate to the “inside” numbers on a roulette table. These include single numbers or lines between them, and covers a range of bets, including:
- Straight up bets: a bet placed on a single number.
- Splits bets: a bet placed on two adjoining numbers.
- Three line (street) bets: a bet on a row of three numbers.
- Corner bets: a bet on 4 numbers made by placing a chip on the intersecting corner of those numbers.
- Six line bets: a bet on 6 numbers (2 rows of 3 numbers, excluding 0) made by placing a chip at the start of the line between the 2 rows.
Outside Bets
Outside bets are the special, non numerical bets separately marked on the “outside” of the roulette table layout. They include:
- Dozen bets: a bet on 12 numbers defined by 4 rows of 3 numbers.
- Column bets: a bet on 1 column of 12 numbers.
- Red or Black bets: a bet on 18 numbers marked either red or black.
- Odd or Even bets: a bet on 18 numbers; either all even (excluding 0) or all odd.
- High or Low bets: a bet on either low numbers (1 – 18) or high numbers (19 – 36).
Special Betting Rules
European Roulette has two distinct betting rules that distinguishes it from the American variant. These include “La Partage” and “En Prison”. Both rules effectively halve the house edge from 2.7% to 1.35% on even-money bets only.
- La Partage: If the ball lands on zero, half of even-money bets (odd/even, red/black, or high/low) are returned to the player.
- En Prison: When a zero turns up on the roulette wheel, a player has two options: reclaim half the bet, or leave the bet (in prison) and go all-or-nothing in the next wheel spin.
Game Play Procedure
European Roulette is a casino classic that’s also one of the simplest to play. The wheel has 37 pockets, and a player’s goal is to predict which slot the ball will land in when the wheel is spun. Here’s how the gameplay works.
- Bets are placed using colored chips to distinguish each player.
- The croupier halts betting and spins the wheel.
- The ball rolls in the opposite direction and comes to a halt on one of the pockets.
- The croupier announces the result, collects losing bets, and pays out profits to the winners.
Payout Structure
In European Roulette, the theoretical RTP through 1 billion simulated game plays is 97.3%. The payout structure is made according to the pay-table below.
| Bet Type | Bet Probability | Payout (Odds) |
| Straight | 2.7% | 35:1 |
| Split | 5.41% | 17:1 |
| Three Line | 8.11% | 11:1 |
| Corner | 10.81% | 8:1 |
| Six Line | 16.2% | 5:1 |
| Dozen | 32.4% | 2:1 |
| Column | 32.4% | 2:1 |
| Red/Black | 48.64% | 1:1 |
| Odd/Even | 48.64% | 1:1 |
| High/Low | 48.64% | 1:1 |
Special Rules
In addition to La Partage and En Prison, some casinos impose special in-house rules that manage play. However, those are optional, and can include:
- La Dernière Chance (Last Chance): This is a variation of the En Prison rule that applies in some casinos. Here, a player is given a final chance to win if their even-money bet in the next spin lands on zero.
- Impasse: If an even-money bet is placed “en prison” and the next spin lands on zero, a player’s bet is held indefinitely until the restart of the next game.
Strategy and Etiquette
Roulette is a trivially simple game to play, whether online or in a land-based casino. Regardless of the variant, all inside bets offer higher payouts than outside bets, but have lower chances of winning. As a pro tip:
- Observe and note the numbers the ball is hitting more frequently.
- Stake on even-money bets for a better chance of winning.
- Set limits, manage your bankroll, and avoid aggressive betting strategies.
Conclusion
European Roulette is a mainstay in casinos around the world, and it helps to have a solid understanding of its rules. Unlike its American variant, the single zero and the inclusion of La Partage option offer a much-welcome insurance policy for players. It is therefore easier to level up playing European Roulette.