Support UkraineRoulette is a casino game with many variants, and it is possible to divide them into two groups: basic and exotic. The Basic category includes the classic options, which are European, American, and French roulette. In the Exotic category, there are games that are based on these basic options but include additional features. These may include differences such as multiplier payouts, side bets, and unique rules. Here, we will talk about both the basic and exotic variants of roulette, allowing you to understand what they offer players.
Guide to Roulette Variations
Last updated:
11.06.2023 by Andrew Shepard
Basic roulette variations
Below you can see a table with these basic types of roulette. The information in this table will allow you to understand how the main variants of this game differ from each other and you will be able to easily see the distinguishing features of each. To learn more about all these variants, read on.
| Type | RTP | Zeros |
|---|---|---|
| European | 97.30% | 1 |
| American | 94.64% | 2 |
| French | 98.65% | 1 |
European Roulette
RTP: 97.3%
Number sequence: 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
Zeros: 1
It is the most popular type of roulette in both land-based and online casinos, and most of the existing variants are based on it. European roulette emerged in the Monte Carlo casino in the mid-19th century and spread around the world in a short time. It has 37 numbers on its wheel (36 + 0) and is also known as “single zero roulette” for the same reason. It is the purest form of roulette and does not involve any side bets: you try your luck on a specific number, a sequence of numbers, a color, or odd/even numbers, that's all. RTP rate is 97.30%, the house edge is 2.70%. It is the most suitable type of roulette for beginners and is also the choice of professional gamblers thanks to its ideal house edge.
| Bet | Payout | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 35:1 | 2,70% |
| Split | 17:1 | 5,40% |
| Street | 11:1 | 8,10% |
| Corner | 8:1 | 10,80% |
| Six Line | 5:1 | 16,20% |
| Column | 2:1 | 32,40% |
| Dozen | 2:1 | 32,40% |
| Even/Odd | 1:1 | 48,60% |
| Red/Black | 1:1 | 48,60% |
| High/Low | 1:1 | 48,60% |
American Roulette
RTP: 94.64%
Number sequence: 0-28-9-26-30-11-7-20-32-17-5-22-34-15-3-24-36-13-1-00-27-10-25-29-12-8-19-31-18-6-21-33-16-4-23-35-14-2
Zeros: 2
This type of roulette became widespread in the United States in the 19th century. Today, it is mostly found in USA casinos. It has two important distinguishing features:
- There is not one but two 0 pockets on the wheel (0 and 00). These both belong to the casino and bring the total number of numbers to 38 (36 + 0 + 00). For the same reason, they raise the house edge and lower the RTP. The RTP of the American variant is 94.74% and the house edge is 5.26%.
- A type of bet called “basket” is found only in American roulette. This bet covers a total of 5 numbers (0, 00, 1, 2, 3), pays 6:1, and the chance of winning it is 13.60%.
Other than that, there is no difference in terms of gameplay, payouts, and basic betting options. It contains more 0s, offers an additional betting option, and is the variant with the lowest RTP among the basic types of roulette.
| Bet | Payout | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 35:1 | 2,60% |
| Split | 17:1 | 5,30% |
| Street | 11:1 | 7,90% |
| Corner | 8:1 | 10,50% |
| Basket | 6:1 | 13.20% |
| Six Line | 5:1 | 15,80% |
| Column | 2:1 | 31,60% |
| Dozen | 2:1 | 31,60% |
| Even/Odd | 1:1 | 47,40% |
| Red/Black | 1:1 | 47,40% |
| High/Low | 1:1 | 47,40% |
French Roulette
RTP: 98.65%
Number sequence: 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
Zeros: 1
The table design of authentic French roulette is slightly different: even money bets are placed on a single corner of the table and the bet names are written in French. However, this mostly applies to French roulette played in land-based casinos. The online version is similar to European roulette at first glance, it is played with a wheel with a single zero (36 + 0), and the basic betting options are the same. This variant also mostly includes racetrack bets. However, its main distinguishing feature is that it uses one of two systems that change the betting rules:
- La Partage: If the player tries his luck on one of the even money bets paying 1:1 and loses because the ball lands at 0, he gets half of his wager back.
- En Prison: If the player tries his luck at one of the even money bets that pay 1:1 and loses because the ball lands at 0, the dealer “jails” his wager and makes sure it can be used on the next spin. In other words, the player can try his luck once again for the same bet without placing a new wager.
These rules lower the house edge and raise the RTP, allowing the player to recover more of their investment in the long run. The house edge of the French variant is 1.35%.
Other types of roulette
While these make up the three basic types of roulette, you'll see many more when you visit any online casino. In fact, almost all roulette games on casino sites seem to have their own names. This is because game developers who want to offer variety have created several additional variants for the basic roulette types we have listed above. For example, multiplier payouts are added to European roulette or American roulette is played with multiple balls. Such variants are very popular among players and due to their large number, it is not possible to list them all here. However, we can briefly mention some player favorites.
Double Ball Roulette
You can find land based, RNG, and live versions of this game. Its distinctive feature is that two balls are dropped onto the wheel at the same time. To prevent them from hitting each other, they are thrown using a special mechanism. The basic betting options are the same, but there are some additional rules:
- If you place an outside bet on both balls, they must both win.
- If you place an inside bet on both balls, only one of them needs to win.
- You can place a special bet that both balls will land in the same pocket. The payout on such a bet can be as large as 1,300:1.
The RTP of single zero variants is 2.78%, while the RTP of double zero variants is 5.33% – not bad.
Mini Roulette
Almost all game developers have a roulette title published with this name. This is almost always a unique variant designed to fit into the small screens of smartphones. While the wheel mostly contains 13 numbers and offers the basic types of bets, their contents are not the same. For example, when you bet on red, you are only taking a chance on 6 numbers. Payout values are also lower than usual for the same reason. RTP rates, on the other hand, usually do not differ: most mini roulettes have a rate of 97%.
Roulettes with Multipliers
This category usually includes live roulette titles, with the most popular examples being Lightning roulette, Quantum roulette, and Mega Fire Blaze roulette. Although they are quite numerous, they each have one thing in common: multiplier payouts. These games pay multipliers of up to 500x for certain numbers, and sometimes even much more. The system simply works like this:
- After players place their bets, but before the spin starts, random numbers are selected.
- These numbers are assigned random multiplier values (for example, between 50x and 500x).
- Round begins. If the result is one of those selected numbers, players who placed a straight bet on that number will be paid with that multiplier.
Another common feature of games that work this way is that the payout for a straight bet is usually 29:1, not 35:1. This causes the RTP value to decrease in the long run. Despite this, multiplier roulette variants are among player favorites – the chance to win up to hundreds of times the bet makes them more popular than regular roulette.
