Calculate the house edge and expected loss for roulette
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European roulette has 2.70% house edge, American has 5.26%. At $25/spin for 100 spins/hour, you expect to lose $67.50/hour (European) vs $131.50/hour (American). That's nearly double! The five-number bet on American wheels is the worst bet in roulette at 7.89% edge. Always choose European wheels when available.
Important information
Common questions about roulette house edge
House edge is the casino's mathematical advantage. In European roulette, the single zero gives a 2.70% edge (1/37). In American roulette, the double zero increases it to 5.26% (2/38). This means for every $100 you bet, you expect to lose $2.70 (European) or $5.26 (American) on average.
American wheels have an extra pocket (00) that doesn't change the payouts. A straight bet still pays 35:1, but now covers 1/38 instead of 1/37. This extra zero nearly doubles the house edge from 2.70% to 5.26%. Over thousands of spins, this difference adds up significantly.
These are special rules on some European tables. La partage returns half your even-money bet when zero hits. En prison holds your even-money bet for another spin. Both reduce the house edge on red/black, odd/even, high/low bets to just 1.35% - the best odds in roulette.
On European wheels, yes - all bets have 2.70% edge. On American wheels, all bets have 5.26% edge EXCEPT the five-number bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) which has 7.89% edge. This is the worst bet in roulette and should always be avoided.