Calculate the expected value of any roulette bet. Compare American vs European wheels, factor in La Partage rules, and understand your mathematical expectation over any number of spins.
Expected Value (EV)
-$0
House Edge
2.70%
Win Probability
48.65%
Amount wagered per spin
Calculate EV over multiple spins
| Bet Type | European EV | American EV | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Up | -$0 | -$1 | $0 better |
| Split | -$0 | -$1 | $0 better |
| Street | -$0 | -$1 | $0 better |
| Corner | -$0 | -$1 | $0 better |
| Six Line | -$0 | -$1 | $0 better |
| Column | -$0 | -$1 | $0 better |
| Dozen | -$0 | -$1 | $0 better |
| Red | -$0 | -$1 | $0 better |
* All comparisons based on $10 bet. European wheel always has better EV due to single zero.
A $10 bet on Red at a European wheel has an EV of -$0.27 (2.70% house edge). On an American wheel with double zero, the same bet has EV of -$0.53 (5.26% house edge).
Expected Value (EV) is the mathematical average outcome of a bet over infinite repetitions. In roulette, EV is always negative because payouts are based on 36 numbers while the wheel has 37 (European) or 38 (American) numbers. The zero(s) give the house its edge.
EV = (Probability of Winning × Payout) - (Probability of Losing × Bet Amount)
For a $10 bet on Red at European roulette:
Expected Value is the average amount you can expect to win or lose per bet over the long run. For a $10 bet on Red at European roulette, EV = (18/37 x $10) - (19/37 x $10) = -$0.27. This means you lose $0.27 on average per $10 bet.
Roulette EV is negative because of the zero (and double zero on American wheels). While payouts are calculated as if there were 36 numbers, there are actually 37 or 38. This gap creates the house edge - the casino's mathematical advantage on every bet.
On European roulette, all standard bets have the same -2.70% EV (except La Partage/En Prison even money bets at -1.35%). On American roulette, avoid the 5-number basket bet which has -7.89% EV. The best EV is European with La Partage at -1.35%.
No betting system can overcome negative EV long-term. While systems like Martingale can win short-term, the math is inescapable: over enough spins, total losses approach the expected value. A $1,000 total wagered will average $27 loss on European and $52.60 loss on American roulette.
Expected Loss = Total Wagered x House Edge. If you bet $25 per spin for 100 spins ($2,500 total) on European roulette, expected loss = $2,500 x 2.70% = $67.50. Actual results will vary, but this is the statistical average.
Quick-start with common scenarios
Expected Value (EV)
-$0
House Edge
2.70%
Win Probability
48.65%