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There are two types
of roulette wheels, the French and the
American. The French wheel is the original
roulette wheel that is used in casinos
throughout Europe, so it is often referred
to as the European wheel. The difference
between the European and the American
roulette wheels is the inclusion of the
“00” space on the American wheel.
The European version
has 36 numbers plus a “0” space,
making 37 total numbered slots on the
wheel, while the American version has both
the “0” and the “00,” so there are
38 slots. Bets are paid based on odds that
only consider the 36 numbers and not the
extra spaces; therefore, the “0” and
the “00” create the house advantage.
Having said that, you may have realized
that the house has a greater advantage
when the American roulette wheel is being
used.
Players of American
roulette have a house edge of 5.26% on
every bet except one, which yields a 7.89%
house edge. European players must only
face a 2.7% edge, which is lowered to 1.4%
on even-money bets, which is defined by
the rule “en prison.” This
rule will apply when the roulette wheel
lands on zero and permits players to
choose between taking half their bets back
or leaving their bets on the table, or
“en prison” (in prison), for the
following spin. With a 1.4% house
advantage, roulette is a winnable game,
but a 5.26% house advantage becomes very
difficult for a player to beat, and
frankly, turns a lot of casino players
off.
You
can find a few European roulette wheels
used in casinos throughout the US, but
these are mainly only located in
high-limit areas. The minimum bet
requirements are typically very high,
though.
Despite
the higher house advantage, though,
American casino gamblers do play roulette.
Some find it relaxing and enjoy the
entertainment value of the game. The
dealer (referred to as croupiers in
French), generally allows players plenty
of time to pick between the dozens of
possible wagering options, so it’s can
be a very amusing game to play just for
the fun of it. And the hope of winning is
exciting, much like the feeling you get
when you’ve bought a lottery ticket and
the numbers are being drawn live on TV as
you check your ticket.
Compared
to other casino games, the pace of
roulette is somewhat slower. If you were a
craps player, you’d be able to
participate in roughly 100 rolls per hour.
Blackjack yields around 60 hands per hour.
But roulette only allows for about 45
spins per hour. So there are fewer
decisions to be made per hours, which
means a roulette player who wagers $5 per
spin, can expect a loss of a little higher
per hour than the average blackjack player
who doesn’t know basic blackjack
strategy.
An
American wheel has 38 numbered slots. Each
slot is colored with red or black,
alternating, and corresponding with the
numbers that are printed on the roulette
table betting layout. In land-based
casinos, a small, hard ball is used. This
ball was once made out of ivory, but
today, it is typically made of plastic.
The dealer must state that no more bets
will be allowed before spinning the wheel
in one direction. At the same time, the
ball is spun in the opposite direction
along a recessed track that lies on the
bowl that holds the roulette wheel. As the
ball slows down, it falls off the track
inward toward the wheel, bouncing around
on the wheel until it finally stops and
settles in the winning numbered slot.
Most
online casinos offer European roulette, as
well as American roulette.
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