Roulette house edge is the casino’s built-in mathematical advantage. European roulette has a standard house edge of 2.70%. American roulette has a standard house edge of 5.26%. French roulette with La Partage or En Prison can cut the effective edge on even-money bets to about 1.35%.
Quick Facts
- European roulette has 37 pockets: 1 zero and 36 numbered pockets.
- American roulette has 38 pockets: zero, double zero, and 36 numbered pockets.
- Standard European house edge: 1/37 = 2.7027%, usually rounded to 2.70%.
- Standard American house edge: 2/38 = 5.2632%, usually rounded to 5.26%.
- La Partage and En Prison can reduce even-money bet cost on a single-zero wheel.
- Most roulette bets on the same wheel carry the same house edge.
- The edge applies to total money wagered, not just the first buy-in.
Plain Talk
Roulette looks fair because the payouts look close to the risk.
A straight-up number pays 35 to 1. There are 36 losing numbers besides the one you picked on the numbered part of the wheel. That seems logical until you remember the zero. On an American wheel, you also have double zero.
Those green pockets are the price of the game.
The casino pays you as if the wheel were cleaner than it really is. That gap between true odds and casino payout is the house edge.
For the wheel and bet basics, start with the roulette guide and roulette odds. This page is about the long-run cost behind those odds.
How It Works
The easiest way to see the edge is with an even-money bet.
On European roulette, a red bet has:
| Result type | Pockets | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Red wins | 18 | You win 1 unit |
| Black loses | 18 | You lose 1 unit |
| Zero loses | 1 | You lose 1 unit |
| Total | 37 | One extra losing pocket creates the edge |
On American roulette, the same red bet has:
| Result type | Pockets | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Red wins | 18 | You win 1 unit |
| Black loses | 18 | You lose 1 unit |
| Zero loses | 1 | You lose 1 unit |
| Double zero loses | 1 | You lose 1 unit |
| Total | 38 | Two extra losing pockets create the edge |
The Wizard of Odds roulette basics lists the standard roulette payouts and house edges. Official rules such as the Nevada roulette rules of play and Massachusetts roulette rules show the approved game structure and procedures that keep settlement consistent.
The main house edge comparison
| Roulette version | Pockets | Green pockets | Standard edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| European roulette | 37 | 1 | 2.70% |
| American roulette | 38 | 2 | 5.26% |
| French roulette with La Partage | 37 | 1 | About 1.35% on even-money bets |
| French roulette with En Prison | 37 | 1 | About 1.35% on even-money bets if rule is favorable |
The key word is standard. Some unusual side bets, promotional games, or rule variations can change the math. But for normal roulette bets, this table is the core.
Roulette Table Example
You play roulette for one hour and bet $20 per spin. The table averages 45 resolved spins.
Your total action is:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bet per spin | $20 |
| Spins | 45 |
| Total wagered | $900 |
Now compare the expected loss:
| Wheel | House edge | Expected loss on $900 action |
|---|---|---|
| European | 2.70% | $24.30 |
| American | 5.26% | $47.34 |
| French La Partage even-money only | 1.35% | $12.15 |
This does not mean you will lose exactly that amount in one hour. Roulette variance is too noisy for that. You might win, lose more, or hover near even. Expected loss is the long-run average bill.
Use the expected loss calculator to test your own bet size, spin speed, and wheel choice.
From the Casino Side:
House edge is not a slogan in a casino. It is the pricing model.
The casino does not need the next spin. It needs total action over many spins, many tables, many players, many days. Roulette is attractive because the game is easy to understand, the pace is steady, and players often recycle winnings into more action.
A floor manager watches hold, drop, pace, disputes, ratings, and staffing. Surveillance watches procedure and game protection. Accounting cares about theoretical win versus actual win.
The zero is doing silent work through all of it.
A player sees a near miss. The casino sees handle. Handle multiplied by edge is the basic theoretical value of the game.
Common Mistakes
- Thinking house edge means you lose that percentage of your buy-in.
- Ignoring total action across repeated spins.
- Choosing American roulette when European roulette is available.
- Believing outside bets have a lower house edge because they hit more often.
- Treating a short winning session as proof the edge does not matter.
- Using betting systems to hide the same negative expectation.
- Forgetting that La Partage usually affects only even-money bets.
Hard Truth
Roulette does not beat players because the next spin is predictable. It beats players because the payout table is slightly wrong in the casino’s favor every time money goes on the felt.
FAQ
What is the house edge in roulette?
It is the casino’s long-run average advantage on the money wagered. Standard European roulette is 2.70%; standard American roulette is 5.26%.
Why is American roulette worse?
American roulette has double zero. That second green pocket nearly doubles the standard house edge compared with European roulette.
Do all roulette bets have the same house edge?
Most standard bets on the same wheel do. The hit frequency changes, but the long-run cost is usually the same. Read why most roulette bets have the same house edge.
Does red or black have a better edge than a single number?
Not on a standard wheel. Red or black hits more often, but pays less. A single number hits rarely, but pays more. The standard edge balances out.
What is the lowest house edge in common roulette?
French roulette with La Partage or a favorable En Prison rule can reduce the effective edge on even-money bets to about 1.35%.
Can a roulette system overcome the house edge?
No normal progression system changes expected value. See why roulette systems fail.
Is house edge the same as variance?
No. House edge is the average cost. Variance is the size of the swings around that average. Read roulette variance.
Deeper Insight
House edge becomes clearer when you stop thinking spin by spin and start thinking in total action.
A player may buy in for $200 and say, “I only risked $200.” But if that player bets $20 per spin for 100 spins, the real amount exposed to the house edge is $2,000. The chips may move back and forth. The mathematical meter keeps running.
This is why roulette can feel harmless when you play small chips. A few $1 inside bets look tiny. Across 80 spins, they become serious action. The same edge applies again and again.
The wheel type is the cleanest decision a player can control. You cannot control the next number. You can often control whether you play a single-zero or double-zero wheel. If you choose American roulette while European roulette is available, you are choosing to pay almost double for the same entertainment.
Formula / Calculation
Basic probability:
$$P(event) = \frac{favorable\ pockets}{total\ pockets}$$
Expected value:
$$Expected\ Value = (Probability\ of\ Win \times Net\ Win) - (Probability\ of\ Loss \times Stake)$$
European even-money EV for a 1-unit bet:
$$EV = \left(\frac{18}{37} \times 1\right) - \left(\frac{19}{37} \times 1\right) = -\frac{1}{37} = -2.7027%$$
American even-money EV for a 1-unit bet:
$$EV = \left(\frac{18}{38} \times 1\right) - \left(\frac{20}{38} \times 1\right) = -\frac{2}{38} = -5.2632%$$
Expected loss:
$$Expected\ Loss = Total\ Amount\ Wagered \times House\ Edge$$
House edge:
$$House\ Edge = \frac{-Player\ EV}{Initial\ Stake}$$
Formula Explanation in Plain English
The formula compares what you win when you are right with what you lose when the zero pockets beat you. The payout does not fully compensate for the green pockets. That small shortage becomes the house edge.
Expected loss then turns the edge into money. If you wager $1,000 total on a 2.70% game, the long-run average cost is about $27. On a 5.26% game, it is about $52.60.
Related Reading
Use the roulette guide for the full course path and roulette odds for bet-by-bet probability. Compare European roulette house edge with American roulette house edge before choosing a wheel. For formula practice, use the house edge calculator and expected loss calculator. For the myth side, read why roulette systems fail and why roulette is easy to understand but hard to beat.