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Learn to Play Roulette
American Roulette
European Roulette, where available is a far better version of Roulette to play (from the players perspective at least!) It has half the house edge of it’s American counterpart and with a certain rule in effect, that (lower) edge can be cut in half yet again.
The house advantage for American Roulette is 5.26%; for the European version 2.70%, and if the latter has the En Prison rule, that edge is reduced to a very respectable 1.35%. This rule allows you either to surrender half your wager, or leave it there for the next spin. (Your wager is in fact held captive).
European Roulette, with En Prison is very popular in Europe with systems players, for its leisurely pace and low edge are very appealing. The American version generally moves faster, which is another drawback that compounds the penalty of the higher edge, as it compels players to react faster, to the benefit of the house.
The American version is obviously still very playable if you are in a casino that has no alternative, but when playing roulette online, selecting the games with the smallest house edge is a no-brainer.
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House Edge
Roulette Bets