The distinctive shape of the Roulette wheel is a familiar fixture in casinos around the world. It’s a true gaming staple, dating back to an attempt to create a perpetual motion machine in 1655.
At its core, the game is extremely simple, all players have to do is guess where the ball will land when spun around the rotating wheel. That’s it!
Of course, the real meat of the game is in the rules and types of bets that a player can make. It’s here that Roulette variations flourish, putting their own unique spins on the game.
That said, almost every variety of Roulette on offer today has its roots in one of three main variants. No matter whether you’re playing Lightning Roulette or Multi Wheel Roulette, they’ll still be based on one of these classic formats.
European Roulette
In terms of pedigree, European Roulette is the closest to the game’s original form. It’s this version that has been played in the casinos of Monte Carlo since their earliest gaming days.
This is generally considered to be the most dominant version of Roulette, with the European format drawing in players from around the world. While it got its start in Europe, this form of Roulette is truly global in popularity now.
The instantly recognisable wheel features 36 numbered black and red pockets, as well as the green zero. Players can wager on whether the ball will land in a particular pocket (an inside bet) or on the characteristics of the pocket it lands in (an outside bet).
American Roulette
The main thing that sets American Roulette apart from its continental sibling is the addition of a 38th pocket to the wheel layout.
When Roulette first made its way to the US, arriving in New Orleans, casinos felt the need to change things up a little and improve their built-in house edge. This led to the creation of the double zero pocket, which raises the odds of the ball landing in a green pocket.
That higher house edge is why players largely tend to prefer the European format, but American Roulette is still pretty popular in its own right.
French Roulette
Surely French Roulette just means European, no? Well, not exactly.
Both French and European Roulette use the same single-zero wheel and play very similarly. It’s in the table layout that you’ll find the real difference between these two.
Unsurprisingly, all of the bet names on the table are written in French for this version. Rather than odd or even, you’ll see impair and pair.
The difference isn’t just a matter of style, though. A rule unique to the French format known as La Partage is what really sets this version apart.
This rule sees a player refunded half of their bet if the ball lands in the zero slot after they wagered on either a black/red or even/odd outcome.
Whenever you’re looking for a game of Roulette, you’ll now be able to recognise just which classic format it’s using.
It doesn’t matter if you prefer the higher risk of the American wheel or the additional mechanics of the French variety, there are plenty of games on offer out there to suit your tastes.