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Heather has over 15 years of experience in the casino industry. She is an adjunct professor at UNLV and is the CEO and founder of Vegas Aces.
How to Play American Roulette Online
American roulette is a very simple game to understand, and players can quickly pick up the rules with a little bit of practice. Follow our step-by-step instructions below to get started:
Choose one of our recommended real money American roulette casinos from the list above. You can also play free roulette with no need to register or download if you want to practice first.
Register with your chosen casino by providing the required personal details.
Make a deposit into your online wallet using a payment method of your choice. Online casinos should offer a wide variety of banking options, so you can choose the one that suits you best.
From the casinos game lobby, find a version of American roulette that takes your fancy.
Choose your stakes by selecting the colored chips on the bottom of the screen. These have varying amounts so choose the right ones according to your budget.
You can easily place your bets by dragging and dropping chips onto the table layout.
Click the 'spin' button to activate the wheel and watch the ball whizz around before eventually landing in one of the pockets.
Winning bets are announced and paid instantly. Place your bets again or withdraw your money to try another game.
These are just the basic steps to get you playing. If you want to know more about how to play roulette, check out our beginner's guide to roulette rules.
American Roulette – Key Differences
American roulette may be one of the most popular variants of the classic table game, but it's actually a more recent creation than its European counterpart. There are a few key differences between the two, so it is important to become familiar with their individual characteristics before playing.
American Roulette Wheel & Table Layout
The American roulette wheel has 38 pockets, with both a green single zero and a green double zero (00) pocket in play.
In contrast, a European roulette wheel has 37 pockets with just one single zero in green. Despite the difference in pockets, the standard roulette payout rate for both American and European roulette is 35:1.
However, due to the single 0 in European roulette, the house edge for this version is significantly lower than its American counterpart - 2.7% in fact, against 5.26%
American Roulette Rules
The rules of roulette are fairly similar regardless of the variant you are playing. The aim of any roulette game is to try to predict and bet on the number or color that the ball will land on when spun on the roulette wheel.
Each spin of the roulette wheel offers numerous options for the player. You can choose to bet on a single number, adjacent numbers, or rows of numbers while you can also choose to bet on red or black and even or odd numbers. These bets all pay out differently, with wagers on a single number (including the 00 and 0) paying out 35:1 while bets on black or red pay 1:1 or even money.
When playing American roulette at brick-and-mortar casinos, different players use different colored chips to avoid confusion. The value of a player’s chips is defined by the price they pay for them.
American Roulette Payouts & Odds
There are many different types of bets you can make in American roulette, with varying degrees of payouts. However, the larger the reward, the riskier the bet.
Compared to other roulette variants, the house edge of American roulette is higher and is set at 5.26%. This is down to two factors; the single and the double 00 found on the roulette wheel, and the house only paying out 35:1 on straight bets, despite the true odds of American roulette being 37:1.
Choose the Right Wheel for Real Money Roulette
When playing real money roulette, we suggest opting for the European game. You’ll instantly improve the house edge, and in this game of chance, reducing the online casino's advantage can only be a benefit to you.
Wagering options for American roulette can be categorized as inside and outside bets. Most outside bets pay even money (1:1) while the inside bets pay from 5:1 all the way up to 35:1.
Explore the different roulette bet types and their range of payouts >
Real Money vs Free Play
If you want to play free American roulette online, no registration or download is necessary. You obviously can't win any real money playing for free, but it is a great way to practice as all of the rules and gameplay are identical to playing for real money online or in a physical casino.
Why choose real money American roulette?
Real money and real prizes.
Opportunity for rewards and bonuses.
Benefit from your chosen casino's promotions.
A wider range of games.
Take part in tournaments.
What’s great about free American roulette?
Practice without risk.
No registration or download needed.
Exciting gameplay without wagering requirements.
Chance to experiment with new strategies.
Online vs Offline Play
Choosing offline or online roulette depends on your personal preference. Apart from the obvious travel commitments, the main difference is that online roulette is cheaper with lower minimum bets. Offline play, on the other hand, offers higher limits on bets.
American roulette rules remain the same regardless of whether you are playing online or offline. However, it should be noted that while online roulette has lower betting limits, multiple bonus opportunities exist that are not available at brick-and-mortar casinos.
Playing online roulette
Wide variety of games available.
Playing online is convenient.
Lower betting limits.
Great bonus opportunities.
Cost-effective due to lack of travel.
Playing at offline casinos
Experience the casino atmosphere.
Excellent perks and rewards.
Higher payout potential.
Winning Tips for American Roulette
American roulette is incredibly popular due to its simplicity, but winning regularly is tough. Understanding the rules will give you an advantage, but there are some tips you can try to improve your roulette strategy and give yourself the edge over the online casinos.
We've picked out three key points below, but make sure you head to our How To Win Roulette guide for even more top tips:
1. Know the different payouts
There are a large number of bets available in American roulette, with various payouts. The most practical bet is the odd/even or red/black bet, which pays 1:1. It's the safest bet if you want to experience less volatility while betting on roulette.
2. Know the house edge
The smaller the house edge, the better. Understanding the house edge for particular variants and bets will allow you to quickly know if a game will be good for you and your bankroll.
3. Know the sign
Humans love patterns and players are more likely to place higher wagers if they think red is about to hit. For this reason, online and physical casinos place signs with past numbers around the table. Bets subsequently increase when these signs are put in. It's important to remember that past numbers do not indicate a trend. Just like flipping a coin, past events do not influence future events.
We recommend playing free games in order to find a strategy that suits you and your bankroll. If you're interested in roulette strategies, check out our strategy page full of guidance as well as the top five things you need to consider when using strategies.
FAQs
What are the odds of American roulette?
There are several types of bets you can make in American roulette which have differing odds. They are:
Straight Up (1 number) 35:1
Split (2 numbers) 17:1
Street (3 numbers) 11:1
Corner (4 numbers) 8:1
Basket (5 numbers) 6:1
Double Street (6 numbers) 5:1
Columns & Dozens 2:1
Even, Odd, High, Low Red, Black 1:1
European & American roulette – what’s the difference?
American roulette has an extra green pocket on the wheel in the form of the double zero slot. This increases the casino's house edge to 5.26%, which is significantly larger than the 2.7% house edge found in European roulette. We recommend always playing European roulette when available.
Is European or American roulette better?
If looking purely at odds, the European roulette game is better than the American with a 2.7% house edge over 5.26%. However, American roulette is a classic for a reason and ultimately, it does all come down to your taste and preference.
How do I win at American roulette?
While there is no sure-fire way to win consistently in this ultimate game of chance, you can increase your odds of winning roulette by learning the basic rules, practicing with free play, and implementing a firm budget. Leaving while you're ahead can also ensure that you leave with money in your pocket and not the casinos.
Are all American roulette wheels the same?
Yes, all American roulette wheels are the same. The wheels will only be different when the variant of the game changes (i.e., French or European roulette).
How many numbers are on an American roulette wheel?
The American roulette wheel has 38 pockets ranging from 0 to 36 with an extra 00. 18 of these pockets are black, 18 are red, and the 0 and 00 are green.
What’s the house advantage of American roulette?
The house edge in American roulette is 5.26%, which means the casino has a significant edge over players compared to those trying their luck on the European (2.7%) or French versions (La Partage only 1.35%).
