Online roulette has grown vastly in popularity thanks to the rise of internet casinos. Rather than venturing out to a physical casino venue, players can now load up an online roulette game right from their home. However, one key choice players face at GameTwist Casino is which type of online roulette to play. The three main variants found across internet casinos include:
- American Roulette
- European Roulette
- French Roulette
At first glance, these online roulette variants may appear nearly identical. However, exploring their subtle differences in rules and odds is key to selecting the best game type for one’s style of play.
Key Online Roulette Game Differences
The starkest difference between the main online roulette game types lies in their wheel formatting and house edge percentages.
Wheel Formats
The wheel format refers to the number pockets built into the roulette wheel itself. Importantly:
- American wheels contain 38 numbered pockets – including numbers 1-36 plus 0 and 00 slots.
- European and French wheels contain 37 pockets – including only a single 0 slot alongside the standard 1-36 numbers.
These format distinctions directly impact the house edge across game types.
House Edge by Game
The roulette house edge represents the statistical advantage retained by the casino or house. Among online game types:
- American roulette carries a relatively higher 5.26% house edge due to its extra 00 pocket.
- European roulette offers a lower 2.7% edge with just a single 0 on the wheel.
- French roulette matches European in terms of wheel format and house edge.
Now that the core differences have been explored, it is worth examining each online roulette variant more closely.
American Online Roulette
As noted above, American roulette is characterized by the inclusion of both 0 and 00 wheel slots in addition to the standard number set of 1-36. This dumps the total pocket count to 38.
Beyond the wheel impact, American roulette follows the standard set of game rules present across all variants:
- Players are tasked with wagering on where they think the ball will land after the wheel spins.
- Various inside bet spaces allow wagering on specific numbers, while outside line bets cover groups of numbers by color, odd/even, column position etc.
- Once all wagers are finalized each round, the dealer spins the wheel and drops the ball to settle into a final pocket, determining all winners and losers for that turn.
The appeal of American online roulette lies largely in the simplicity of adapting standard casino roulette rules into online game form. However, the higher house edge presents a statistical disadvantage for the player to overcome long term.
European Online Roulette
European roulette shares the same standard gameplay format, betting rules and wheel spin mechanics. However, the wheel itself loses the 00 pocket to leave just a single 0 slot alongside the 1-36 numbers.
This slimmed down 37-pocket wheel drops the house edge down to 2.7%. Though still putting casinos at an advantage, this lower edge helps players’ bankrolls endure slightly longer over extended play sessions.
Combined with competitive table betting limits, European rules certainly appeal to roulette fans focused heavily on risk and bankroll management at the tables. Just understand that removing the 00 pocket also means losing one “high risk, high reward” betting space that some players enjoy targeting.
French Online Roulette
French roulette spruces up the European version with a few extra gameplay wrinkles for a unique online gaming experience:
La Partage/En Prison Rules
- If the ball lands in the 0 slot, certain even money wagers remain allowed in play for subsequent spins. Players can accept half their bet returned through the “La Partage” rule, or leave bets “En Prison” to hopefully win it back in full on a future turn.
Call Bets
- French tables allow called or “announced” bets that cover certain wheel sections with a single verbalized wager without needing to manually place dozens of chips across specific numbers. These may include the popular “Jeux Zero” called bet covering the 0 slot with seven surrounding pockets.
While rules may vary across online casinos, these additions help spice up conventional online roulette with some fun, player-friendly touches. Just keep an eye on any table limit or bet variance restrictions when the rules shift.
Roulette Game Comparison
To summarize and compare across the variants in tabular form:
| Roulette Game Type | Wheel Pockets | House Edge | Unique Rules |
| American Roulette | 38 (0, 00 + 1-36) | 5.26% | Standard rules only |
| European Roulette | 37 (0 + 1-36) | 2.70% | Standard rules only |
| French Roulette | 37 (0 + 1-36) | 2.70% | La Partage/En Prison + Called Bets |
As shown for review, American roulette runs higher risk due to pocket totals, while European and French offer some key player advantages like lower edges and special rules across online games.
Key Takeaways
Online roulette gives players an impressive variety of game style choices. And whether opting for the higher risk/reward American spin, lower-edge European version or player-centric French tables, the core mechanics remain thoroughly familiar.
Yet as explored above, grasping these subtle roulette variations remains key to customizing both the experience and odds to one’s personal playing preferences. Just study the format differences, special rules and betting limitations closely before committing funds to any one online roulette game variant or trustly kasinot provider.