One of the main versions of roulette, American roulette is a popular version at casino sites in South Africa. In this guide, we’ll take a look at the how this version of roulette is played how it differs to the other two variants, European and French roulette.
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How to Play American Roulette
With American roulette, the roulette wheel has 38 pockets: 0 and 00 pockets, and pockets numbered 1 to 36. While the numbers alternate between red and black, the 0 pockets are green. Just like other variations of roulette, the point of American roulette is to guess in which pocket the ball will land in. So, players place bets on the number, and the dealer spins the wheel and drops the ball. There are different types of bets in American roulette you can make.
Bet Types
| Inside Bets | Payout | Winning Odds | |
| Straight | Bet on a single number | 35:1 | 2.63% |
| Split | Bet on two numbers | 17:1 | 5.26% |
| Street | Bet on a row of three numbers | 11:1 | 7.89% |
| Corner | Bet on four numbers that make a square | 8:1 | 10.53% |
| Five Line | Bet on five numbers | 6:1 | 13.16% |
| Line | Bet on two gathering streets | 5:1 | 15.79% |
| Outside Bets | Payout | Winning Odds | |
| Column | Bet on all 12 numbers in the left/middle/right section | 2:1 | 31.58% |
| Dozen | Bet on 12 numbers in three consecutive rows | 2:1 | 31.58% |
| Bet on Low/High | Bet on numbers 1 – 18 or 19 – 36 | 1:1 | 47.37% |
| Bet on Colour | Bet on all red or black numbers | 1:1 | 47.37% |
| Odd or Even | Bet on all odd or even numbers | 1:1 | 47.37% |
| Payout | ||
| Basket Bet | Bet on 0, 00, one, two, and 3 | 6:1 |
| Double Street Bet | Bet on two adjacent lines of three numbers | 5:1 |
Strategy
There is a certain way of playing American roulette that can increase your chances of winning rounds. Let’s take a look at the key things to keep in mind when playing American roulette.
- You may want to consider playing another game. American Roulette is known to have a high house edge at 5.26%. You’ll lose your money faster than at games like blackjack or craps.
- If you must play, go for outside bets as these are a better option when weighing risk and reward. When making outside bets, go for the even-money bet. Outside bets have a higher probability of winning even if they have lower payouts.
- However, if you want to place inside bets, avoid making single number bets and bet on adjacent numbers like a split bet, street bet, or corner bet.
- Because the game is a slow game, players may want to place big bets to make it exciting. However, don’t be fooled and stick to minimum bets.
- You can make as many bets as you like and win them. But remember, you will likely lose money faster the more bets you make because of the higher house edge.
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American Roulette Compared to European and French Roulette
The most significant difference between the two is that the American roulette wheel has the double zero pocket. Alternatively, the French and European roulette wheels only have one zero pocket. This makes quite a difference on the house edge at the game.
| Roulette Version | Zeros | Number of Pockets | House Edge |
| American | Double | 38 | 5.25% |
| European | Single | 37 | 2.70% |
| French | Single | 37 | 1.35% |
As you can tell, French roulette has the lowest house edge out of all three variations. It has unique rules which lower it, like the La Partage or En Prison rule. The la Partage rule, coupled with the single zero, make it the best game in terms of odds.
Most players prefer the American version because it’s entertaining and straightforward. Stop by our top casinos and give your favourite version a try.