Despite a nod to the continent, European roulette isn’t necessarily the ruleset played in Europe. That’s because people in Europe may also play French roulette, a variant of the game that’s more complex, even exotic, without straying too far from the classic formula.
In this guide, we shed some light on what European roulette is about. Let’s get started!
European Roulette: The Basics
The European roulette wheel has arguably the most basic rules of all roulete casino games. It doesn’t have the extra zero – “00” – of the American game, and lacks the strange rules (e.g. En Prison and La Partage) of the French variant. It may or may not have the Call plays of the French game, something we’ll discuss later. Also, it doesn’t have the ill-advised Five Number or Basket play of American roulette.
Don’t let all that confuse you. Roulette is one of the easiest casino games to play regardless of the variant.
So, let’s summarise: European roulette has 37 pockets for the ball to fall in, including a single zero. Pick as many numbers to make a play on as you like and watch the ball find a new home somewhere on the wheel. That’s about all you need to know.
Types of Play Available
Of course, just like in blackjack and poker, it’s possible to dive deep into the mathematics of it all. Roulette is a game of chance, but there are odds for every outcome (note that it’s not possible to manipulate these numbers one way or another).
Let’s take a quick look at some of the more common plays:
- Outside Plays
- Inside Plays
The concept is the same regardless of it being an European or French roulette. You can find more about it on our roulette chart guide.
The Call Plays
Call plays are a useful thing to know about, even if they’re not available at your current table. While they’re rare, especially in European roulette online, they’re similar to Inside plays:
- Les Voisins du Zero
- Tiers du Cylindre
- Jeu Zero
- Les Orphelins
They’re common in French roulette wheels, though – read more about in in our guide.
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