What's the difference?
The main distinction to European Roulette is that the table layout (and the corresponding wheel slots) only feature a single zero, while American Roulette features a double zero. Since there’s one less number or slot on the European wheel, the odds of hitting any one number are increased – a 1 in 37 chance, compared to 1 in 38 for the American version.
The difference of one number might not seem like a lot, but it significantly lowers the house edge: 2.7% compared to American Roulette’s 5.26%. Statistically, that’s a better deal for the player side of things over the long term, but the change to the house edge doesn’t impact the outcome of any individual bet.
In European Roulette, the TOP line bet pays 8 to 1, compared to American Roulette’s 6 to 1.
The French Bets
Originating in 18th century France, European Roulette has of course, French bets. While there are several French bets, it may be rare to have them offered at Ontario casinos. Here’s some you might see, depending on the casino’s house rules:
Voisins du Zero
Translating to the “neighbours of zero”, the voisins bet covers the seventeen numbers closest to 0 on the single-0 wheel.
Chips Required: 9
Tiers
Referring to a French phrase meaning “thirds of the wheel”, the tiers bet covers the twelve numbers on the wheel opposite to the voisins bet.
Chips required: 6
Orphelins
Translating literally to “orphans”, this bet covers the two slices of the wheel between the voisins and tiers bets.
Chips required: 5
Neighbours
This bet bookends any chosen number with its two neighbours on each side.
Chips required: 5
