Understand how the house edge works in online roulette, compare European and American wheels, and find tables with the best RTP.
Last updated:Every casino game has a built-in mathematical advantage that keeps the house profitable over time. In roulette, that margin is called the house edge, and it dictates your expected return across long sessions. Knowing how wheel layouts and specific table rules change this number helps you pick tables with the best odds.
Key Takeaways: Roulette House Edge
- Wheel Format Dictates Cost: European single-zero wheels feature a 2.70% house edge (97.30% RTP), while standard US American double-zero wheels nearly double that cost to 5.26% (94.74% RTP), making table selection the single biggest factor in long-term return.
- How Zero Creates the Edge: The casino’s mathematical advantage stems from paying 35:1 true odds for a 36-pocket wheel while actual layouts contain 37 or 38 pockets, causing standard outside bets to lose on green zeros.
- The Costly Five-Number Bet: Found exclusively on American double-zero layouts covering 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3, this basket bet pays 6:1 against true odds of 6.6:1, driving the house edge to an unfavorable 7.89%.
- Favorable French Rules & Novelty Traps: Single-zero tables featuring La Partage or En Prison cut the house edge on even-money bets to 1.35%, whereas novelty triple-zero (7.69%) and quadruple-zero (10.00%) wheels severely degrade player return.
What House Edge Means in Roulette
The house edge is the percentage of each bet the casino expects to keep over millions of spins. It comes from the difference between the true odds of winning and the actual payout the game offers.
For example, with a 5.26% house edge, you can expect to lose an average of $5.26 for every $100 you bet over a large number of rounds. In a quick session of 10 or 20 spins, your results will jump around because of short-term variance. Over time, though, player returns always move toward that theoretical average.
Why Zero Pockets Create the Casino’s Advantage
The casino gets its edge because payouts are calculated as if the wheel only had 36 numbers, even though digital and physical wheels have 37 or more pockets. If a wheel had 36 pockets and no zero, a straight up bet paying 35:1 would be completely fair. Winning 1 out of 36 times would give you 35 units in profit plus your 1 unit back, leaving both you and the casino at dead even.
Adding green zero pockets changes the math without increasing the payout. On a European wheel with 37 pockets (0 through 36), the odds of hitting a single number are 1 in 37 (2.70%), but the payout is still 35:1. If you place 37 bets of $1 on the same number, you can expect to win once ($35 profit plus your $1 stake back, for $36 total) and lose 36 times ($36 lost). That works out to a net loss of $1 over 37 spins, for a house edge of 1/37, or 2.70%.
On an American wheel with 38 pockets (0, 00, and 1 through 36), your odds of hitting a single number fall to 1 in 38 (2.63%), while the payout remains 35:1. Across 38 spins of $1, you win once ($35 profit plus your $1 stake back, for $36 total) and lose 37 times ($37 lost). That comes out to a net loss of $2 over 38 spins, giving the casino an edge of 2/38, or 5.26%.
European vs. American Roulette Wheels
Comparing the two standard wheels shows how much a single extra pocket matters. Because American roulette includes both 0 and 00, the casino’s advantage is nearly twice as high as European roulette on standard bets.
| Wheel Format | Total Pockets | Green Zero Pockets | House Edge | Return to Player (RTP) |
| European Roulette | 37 | 1 (0) | 2.70% | 97.30% |
| American Roulette | 38 | 2 (0, 00) | 5.26% | 94.74% |
Playing on a European wheel gives you better value right away. If you wager a total of $1,000 on a single-zero European wheel, your expected loss is $27.00. Wager that same $1,000 on an American wheel, and your expected loss jumps to $52.60. To see how board layouts and interface controls differ between the two formats, check our guide on how to play online roulette.
The Five-Number Bet: The Worst Odds on the American Table
While almost every bet on an American wheel carries a 5.26% house edge, the five-number bet (often called the basket or top line) is an exception. Found only on American tables, this wager covers 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 simultaneously.
The bet hits 5 out of 38 times (13.16%), but it only pays 6:1. If you put $1 on this bet for 38 spins, you can expect to win 5 times ($6 profit each, or $30 in total) and lose 33 times ($33 lost). That leaves you down $3 for every $38 wagered, pushing the house edge up to 7.89%.
Because an edge of 7.89% is much worse than any other standard option, experienced players skip this bet completely. If you want to cover those five numbers, you get better odds by placing separate bets on single numbers or splits. For a breakdown of chip placements and payouts for inside bets, see our roulette bets and payouts guide.
Zero Rules: La Partage and En Prison
Some European and French single-zero tables use special rules for even-money outside bets like red or black, odd or even, and low or high (1-18 or 19-36). These rules soften the blow when the ball lands on zero.
Under La Partage, if you make an even-money bet and the ball lands on zero, the casino returns half your stake and takes the other half. This drops the house edge on even-money bets from 2.70% down to 1.35%, bringing the Return to Player (RTP) up to 98.65%.
Under En Prison, the dealer locks your even-money bet on the board for the next spin instead of splitting it. If your bet wins on the following spin, you get your original stake back without profit; if it loses, the casino takes it.
En Prison also lowers the house edge on even-money bets to around 1.35%. Both rules only appear on single-zero tables and are not found on standard American double-zero games. Make sure to check the table rules before placing your bets.
Triple and Quadruple Zero Wheels
Some casinos offer novelty games with triple-zero or quadruple-zero wheels. A triple-zero wheel has 39 pockets (0, 00, 000, and 1-36), raising the house edge to 7.69%. A quadruple-zero wheel has 40 pockets (0, 00, 000, 0000, and 1-36), pushing the house edge to 10.00%.
These extra zero pockets give the casino a massive advantage without offering higher payouts to balance it out. Since the statistical return is much worse than single-zero or double-zero games, it is best to avoid them whenever standard tables are available.
Return to Player (RTP)
Return to Player (RTP) is simply the flip side of the house edge. It shows the percentage of total wagered money a game returns to players over time. You can figure out the RTP using a basic formula:
RTP = 100% – House Edge
For single-zero European roulette, the 2.70% house edge translates to a theoretical RTP of 97.30%. On double-zero American roulette, the 5.26% house edge gives an RTP of 94.74%. When a single-zero table includes La Partage on even-money bets, the RTP for those wagers rises to 98.65%.
Keep in mind that RTP is a long-term theoretical average across millions of spins, not what will happen in a single session. Over 20 or 50 spins, you could easily walk away up or down due to variance. RTP simply shows how quickly your bankroll will wear down over heavy volume.
How to Choose the Best Wheel and Table Online
Finding the right table comes down to checking the wheel and the game rules before you bet. In any online casino lobby, aim for games with the lowest house edge.
Look at the wheel or betting layout first. If there is only one green zero (0), it is a European game with a 2.70% edge. If it shows both a single zero (0) and a double zero (00), it is an American game with a 5.26% edge.
Open the table information menu (usually marked with an “i”, a gear, or a question mark) before placing your chips. This screen shows the paytable, rules, and stated RTP. Check if rules like La Partage are active, and confirm that single-number bets pay the full 35:1 rather than a reduced rate.
Next Steps
To see why no betting system can overcome the house edge, read our roulette betting systems and myths guide. You can find every roulette guide in our roulette hub. Always treat roulette as paid entertainment, set limits before you play, and visit our responsible gaming page for more help.
❓ Roulette House Edge: Frequently Asked Questions
Does betting more per spin change the house edge?
How many spins does it take for the house edge to catch up with me?
How much will I lose per hour playing roulette?
Is the house edge different in live dealer and RNG roulette?
Author:
Lucas Portela
Owner, BoldGambler • Avanhandava/SP
Oddsmaker, affiliate and content creator in the iGaming industry.