European Roulette Guide 2026: Bets Explained, House Edge, and Strategy
European Roulette is the standard casino roulette variant with a single zero (0) and numbers 1-36 — 37 pockets in total. The single zero gives a house edge of 2.70%, compared to 5.26% for American Roulette with its double zero. European Roulette is the best choice for standard roulette play.
European Roulette Bet Types
Inside Bets
- Straight Up — One number. Pays 35:1. Probability: 2.70%.
- Split — Two adjacent numbers. Pays 17:1. Probability: 5.41%.
- Street — Three numbers in a row. Pays 11:1. Probability: 8.11%.
- Corner — Four numbers. Pays 8:1. Probability: 10.81%.
- Six Line — Six numbers (two rows). Pays 5:1. Probability: 16.22%.
Outside Bets
- Red/Black, Odd/Even, 1-18/19-36 — Pays 1:1. Probability: 48.65%.
- Dozens (1-12, 13-24, 25-36) — Pays 2:1. Probability: 32.43%.
- Columns — Pays 2:1. Probability: 32.43%.
European vs French Roulette
French Roulette uses the same wheel as European but adds two rules:
- La Partage — If 0 hits, you get half your even-money bet back. Reduces house edge to 1.35% on outside bets.
- En Prison — If 0 hits, your even-money bet is imprisoned for one round instead of lost. Same effective house edge as La Partage.
French Roulette with La Partage is the best roulette variant for outside bets.
FAQ
- What is the house edge in European Roulette?
- European Roulette has a 2.70% house edge on all bets. French Roulette with La Partage reduces this to 1.35% on even-money bets. American Roulette has a 5.26% house edge — avoid it.
- What is the La Partage rule?
- La Partage is a French Roulette rule where if the ball lands on 0, you receive half of even-money bets back. This halves the house edge on red/black, odd/even, and high/low bets from 2.70% to 1.35%.
- Are inside bets better than outside bets in roulette?
- All bets in European Roulette have the same house edge (2.70%), regardless of whether they are inside or outside bets. Inside bets have lower probability but higher payouts; outside bets hit more often for smaller wins.