If you live in the United States, you may not be familiar with European Roulette. Most Roulette tables in the United States are, as you might well imagine, American Roulette tables. However with the explosion of online casinos, you now have a variety of gaming options that you have never had before, and it will help you to know the different variations of the games you might like to play. European Roulette offers a considerable advantage over its American counterpart, so if you are considering Roulette as your game of choice, what follows is definitely for you.

A European Roulette (also called French Roulette, especially when the La Partage or En Prison rules are in force-see below) table consists of a board with 36 numbers laid out on a grid. Half of these numbers are red and half are black. There is also a Zero at the top of the grid. Players have the option of placing chips on an individual number (En Plein), two numbers (Cheval), three numbers (Transversale), four (Carre), or six (Sixainne) with a single bet. With multiple bets players can of course bet as many numbers as they like.

On the sides of the board are side bets you can make to wager on different outcomes. You can bet Black or Red (Noir ou Rouge), Even or Odd (Pair or Impair), the first half of the numbers or the second half (Manque ou Passe), the first, second or third 12 (Douzaine), or the first, second or third column (Colonne). Once all of the bets have been made, the Croupier spins the wheel, spins a small ball in the opposite direction in a rut underneath the top of the wheel, and announces Rien ne va plus (no more bets) after which any chip placed on the table does not count as a bet. Once the ball comes to rest in one of the numbered grooves, bets are paid according to the number selected.

Bets in European Roulette are paid at what their true odds would be if there were only 36 numbers. The presence of the Zero is what gives the casino their House edge, a modest one at 2.63 percent. What distinguishes this game from the American version (other than the French table markings), is the presence of only one Zero, as opposed to an additional square for Double Zero. This extra square gives American casinos twice the edge, so if you have the option, you should always play at a single Zero table.

In addition, French Roulette tables may offer the La Partage rule. This rule states that if a Zero is rolled, you may retrieve half of any even money bet (such as Noir/Rouge or Pair/Impair). With the En Prison rule, you may either retrieve half the bet, or let it ride (keep it in prison) on one more spin. If you win this spin, you get your full bet returned to you, if not you lose the entire bet. Both rules cut the House edge in half again, though you may prefer the variety that the En Prison rule allows.

Part of the advantage of online gaming is that you can shop around for the most favorable odds for you, the player. Now that you know what they are in Roulette, use this guide to enhance your gaming experience.