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MARCH 2024

How to Play European Roulette - Basic Rules and Betting Options

Tips and tricks to playing european roulette.


European Roulette Rules and How to Play Roulette Online

Tips and tricks to playing european roulette.

Written by: Kim Birch | The review was last updated: 12 August 2022 | Fact-check by: Jasmin Williams

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Kim Birch has won and lost against the best poker pros worldwide. In addition to being an expert in poker and blackjack, Kim has also published 3 books. About Kim Birch

Roulette is easily one of the most played casino games, with the game being played both online and offline. It is one of the oldest casino games that has its origins in the 17th century. Now it is one of the casino games that you will find in almost every casino. It is shown in popular films and TV shows. In short, roulette is here to stay.

With the emergence of online casinos, online roulette was also introduced. Online casinos developed their unique variants of roulette to separate them from others.

European roulette is one of the three main variants of roulette. It might be the most popular variant because of better odds than American roulette and wider availability than French roulette.

In this European roulette guide, we will explore European roulette and clear any doubts that you have.

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Guide To Layout And Wheel When Playing European Roulette

European table layout and betting layout when you play roulette online.

European table layout and betting layout when you play roulette online.

You can easily distinguish the European roulette casino table from the other versions if you know a little about the roulette table. The layout of European and French roulette is the same, but the difference is in the rules.

The pockets on the wheels alternate between red and black so that you can have an equal chance of landing one of the two colours. The exact sequence of the numbers on the wheel clockwise is:

0-32-15-19-4-21-2-25-17-34-6-27-13-36-11-30-8-23-10-5-24-16-33-1-20-14-31-9-22-18-29-7-28-12-35-3-26

You will find the numbers on the table in their usual sequence, like 1, 2, 3, and 4. The numbers will be arranged in 3 rows and 12 columns with the number 0 on the top of the layout. The outside bets can be seen near the number grid, and we will cover them soon enough.

In short, European version of roulette is not complicated at all, and you will get used to it quickly.

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European Payout Rules at the Roulette Table

European versions of the table game or any other form of roulette is popular because of the various betting options that this extraordinary casino game provides. It is fun because of different payout rules and odds of winning that depend on your bet. The flexibility and unpredictability of this casino game are unrivalled.

The various bets in roulette can be grouped into two types, which are inside and outside bets. Let us explain them in detail to make everything crystal clear.

Inside Bets Payout Rules

These are the bets that you place directly on the number grid or the rectangle with all the numbers inside it. Let us explore the different inside bets one by one.

A straight-up bet is the riskiest inside bet where you will bet on just a single number of the number grid. This is the most rewarding bet with a payout of 35 to 1. However, your chances of winning this bet are only 2.70%, so you shouldn’t try this bet if you are low on funds. Like other bets in roulette, you will get your initial bet amount back if you manage to win.

You can see the illustration of this bet below.

An illustration of a straight-up bet in the European version of roulette.

An illustration of a straight-up bet in the European version of roulette.

A split is a bet that you place on two numbers that are right next to each other. A split bet essentially doubles your odds of winning when compared to just betting on a single number. Just like all other bets then the rules for betting is the same as in a real casino. However, this is still a risky bet with a payout of 17 to 1. You need to place the chip between the border of the two numbers to place this bet.

You can see the illustration of a split bet below.

An illustration of two split bets in a European Roulette game.

An illustration of two split bets in a European Roulette game.

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European Street and Corner Bet Rules in Online and Real Casino Roulette

A street bet is placed on three numbers in the same row. The payout of this bet is 11 to 1, and your chances of winning are only 8.10%. To place a street bet, you need to place the chip at the beginning of the line or row that you want to bet on.

An illustration of a street bet on the European roulette table layout.

An illustration of a street bet on the European roulette table layout.

A corner bet allows you to bet on four numbers that are next to each other. The payout of the corner bet is 8 to 1, and the probability of winning is 10.81%. A corner bet is a safer bet where you will have to place the chip at the point where the four squares touch.

You can check out the illustration below for more clarity.

An illustration of correctly placed corner bet in European roulette

An illustration of correctly placed corner bet in European roulette

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Double Street and Trio Bets Payouts

The double street bet is nothing but a combination of two street bets. So you will be placing a bet on 6 numbers in 2 rows in a double street bet. You can place this bet by placing the chip on the corner of the border between the two rows. The payout is 5 to 1, and the probability of winning is 16.51%.

An example of a double street bet in European roulette

An example of a double street bet in European roulette

A trio bet is a bet that involves at least one 0 and two other numbers that are near 0 on the roulette layout. The numbers near 0 are 1, 2, and 3, but you can only bet on either 1 and 2 or 2 and 3 with 0 in the trio bet. You can bet on 0, 1, and 2 by placing your chip on the corner of 1 and 0. Similarly, you can bet on 0, 2, and 3 by placing your chip on the corner of 0 and 3. The payout is 11 to 1, and the probability of winning is 8.10%, just like a street bet.

Illustration of trio bet in European roulette

Illustration of trio bet in European roulette

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Outside Bets Payout Rules in European Roulette

Outside bets include all bets that are placed outside the number grid. These are diverse bets that can be placed based on colour, numbers, or specific patterns. Outside bets are safer than inside bets because of a higher probability of winning. However, the payouts are lower than inside bets, and the number 0 is not included in any outside bets.

High or Low Bet Payout

High or low is a straightforward outside bet that allows you to bet on either the high or low numbers in terms of value. The low numbers are 1 to 18, and the high numbers are 19 to 36. So this bet allows you to bet on half of the numbers except 0. You have a 48.64% chance of winning this bet, and the payout is 1:1.

Like other bets in European roulette, you will get back the money you bet as soon as you win. So if you bet €10, you will get back a total of €20 if you win. Your profit will be €10, and the original bet of €10 will also be returned to you. You can see the illustration of this bet below.

A low bet on numbers 1 to 18 on European roulette

A low bet on numbers 1 to 18 on European roulette

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Rules for odd/even and roulette color bets

Odd or even bet is all about predicting whether the spinning roulette ball will land on an odd or even number on the roulette wheel. Like high or low bet, the probability of winning is 48.64%, and the payout is 1:1.

An example of an odd bet on European roulette

An example of an odd bet on European roulette

In the red or black option, you will bet on the colour of the number that you think the ball will land on. Like odd or even and high or low bets, the probability of winning this bet is also 48.64%, and the payout is 1:1.

You can see an example of a red or black bet in European roulette below.

An example of a bet on red colour in European roulette

An example of a bet on red colour in European roulette

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Column and Dozen Bets Payout Rules

The column bet is a bet on one of the three columns on the roulette layout. If the ball lands on any of the numbers in the column you bet on, you will get a payout of 2 to 1. The probability of winning this bet is 32.43%.

An example of a column bet on the middle column in European roulette

An example of a column bet on the middle column in European roulette

The dozen bet has similar odds to the column bet, but it takes a different approach. In this bet, you will bet on the first, second, and third dozen numbers in their sequence. So you can bet on 1-12, 13-24, and 25-36. The payout is 2 to 1, just like the column bet.

You can see an example of a dozen bet below.

An example of a dozen bet on the second dozen numbers in European roulette

An example of a dozen bet on the second dozen numbers in European roulette

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European Roulette House Edge and RTP

Whenever you are thinking about playing any casino game, you have to first find out the house edge and the return to player percentage of that casino game. These two factors will tell you how risky and profitable that casino game is. Return to player tells you what percentage of your betting money you should get back if you play a casino game for a long duration.

Since the casino has to make a profit to stay in business, the casino games have been designed so that the casino has the edge over the players. House edge is the advantage that the casino has over the players.

The house edge is the opposite of the return to player or RTP because it is how much the casino will make if you play for a long duration. For instance, if the RTP is 90%, the house edge will be 10%.

You will notice that the payouts of bets imply that you have a higher than actual chance of winning. For example, your chances of winning a bet on red or black are 48.64%, but the payout of 1:1 implies that you have a 50:50 chance of winning the bet.

Let us take one more example to show how roulette works. The payout for a dozen bet implies that you have a 1 in 3 chance of winning the bet. However, your actual chances of winning the bet are lower than that because of the presence of 0 on the roulette wheel. Your actual chances of winning the bet are 32.43% instead of 33.33%. This is what gives the house an edge over you and allows the casino to make a profit.

You don’t have to remember the probability of winning each bet because European roulette has a house edge of 2.7% for all bets. If we take out the house edge, we will get the RTP of 97.3%, which is what you should get after playing for a long duration.

In short, European roulette has one of the highest RTPs and lowest house edges, and it is a casino game that you should certainly try.

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Enjoy Online European Roulette

Online casino games have provided users with many options that they wouldn’t find in a traditional casino. So many online casino games providers compete to bring the best and most unique experience to the players.

Live European Roulette (Evolution Gaming)

Read more about European Live Roulette

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Read more about European Live Roulette

Here at BETO, you can learn about various variants of European roulette and find European Casinos that suit you the most. We are committed to bring you the best casino games and expand your knowledge about all casino games.

According to our in-house experts, if you love playing roulette online, you should definitely checkout Evolution Gaming, which offers the best online roulette variants.

Good luck, and we hope that lady luck favours you when you enjoy roulette online.

Video: How to Play European Roulette - Basic Rules and Betting Options

Video gameplay of European roulette from Evolution Gaming

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European Roulette - FAQ

In this section, we will take a look at frequently asked questions about European Roulette.

Who is the person behind European roulette?

blaise pascal is the person credited with the invention of roulette. He wasn’t trying to create a casino game, but it happened by accident.

Does European roulette really have better odds?

Yes, European roulette certainly has better odds when compared to the American roulette version. If you compare European roulette with French roulette, French roulette has the better odds. However, you will hardly find French roulette in most casinos.

Where did roulette get its name from?

Roulette is a game of French origin, so this is how the game got its name. Two other games influenced the design of this game at that time, which were Roly Poly and Even-Odd.

Do casinos in Las Vegas have European roulette tables?

Yes, you can find European roulette tables in casinos like MGM and Bellagio.

What is the total count of numbers on the European roulette wheel?

European roulette has 37 numbers with one green 0 pocket and 18 red and black pockets.

Is European roulette games fair?

Yes, you don’t have to worry about fairness if you are playing at licensed casinos.

Is it possible to win a lot in European roulette?

It is certainly possible to get lucky and get frequent wins. However, it is also possible to be unlucky and suffer many losses. So it depends on your luck, and no strategy can guarantee you wins all the time.