American Roulette
Roulette is an extremely popular casino game that has grown in stature over the past decade. In popular culture, it is often considered to be a favorite game of high rollers, but the introduction of online casinos has opened the market up to every style of gamer.
There are two very distinct versions of roulette: American and European. Both can be found at most online casinos, but it is advised that you understand the rules of both before you decide which one to play; although they look very similar, there are certain table variations and rule changes that make them entirely different gaming experiences.
What is American Roulette?
The aim of American Roulette is to select the correct number, colour, or group of numbers that the white roulette ball will land in. There are several different wagers that can be made, and you may make more than one bet at a time.
The house edge for American Roulette is 5.26%
The house edge for American Roulette is quite high (5.26%), but there are great payouts for players who make the correct choice.
| Bet | Payout |
|---|---|
| Black | 1 to 1 |
| Red | 1 to 1 |
| Odd | 1 to 1 |
| Even | 1 to 1 |
| 1 to 18 | 1 to 1 |
| 19 to 36 | 1 to 1 |
| 1 to 12 | 2 to 1 |
| 13 to 24 | 2 to 1 |
| 25 to 36 | 2 to 1 |
| Sixline (6 number combination) | 5 to 1 |
| First Five (5 number combination) | 6 to 1 |
| Corner (4 number combination) | 8 to 1 |
| Street (3 number combination) | 11 to 1 |
| Split (2 number combination) | 17 to 1 |
| Any one number | 35 to 1 |
The table is set out in much the same way as European Roulette, except that American Roulette contains both a 0 and 00 slot, whereas European only has 0. While this opens up an extra wagering option for American gamers, it also increases the house edge dramatically.
How to play American Roulette
A game of American Roulette begins with an initial round of betting. Depending on the online casino you are playing at, the minimum and maximum bets will differ. However, the most popular online casinos often implement a minimum of $1 and maximum of $250 on each spin.
Once you have made your selections, a ball will be spun around the rim of the roulette wheel, in the opposite direction to the spinning wheel. No bets may be made once you have selected to spin the ball.
The ball will then land in one of the numbered slots and, depending on your initial wagering choices, you may be eligible for a payout.
And that’s all there is to a game of American Roulette! There are no extra rules like European Roulette’s en prison; simply bet and win. There is no start or finish to a game of roulette, you can play for as long as you like without having to worry about time restrictions such as in a game of stud poker.
If you would like to know more about the other popular version of roulette, European Rules, take a look at our section dedicated entirely to European Roulette.
