VERSIONS

The first thing you must know about roulette is that there are two variations of the game, and one of them is clearly superior. There are spinoffs within each type that have modified rules, but there are basically just two types, which are American Roulette, and European Roulette.

The American wheel and table layout

The winner in this competition is European Roulette, which has half the house edge of the American counterparts, and, with a certain rule in effect, that (lower) edge can be cut in half yet again. But we are not without hope, for many of the online casinos offer the European version, although the ones with the wagering options printed in French may take some getting used to. And, there are some casinos in the U.S. which offer European Roulette, but these usually have very high bet minimums. One exception to this is the Monte Carlo casino in Las Vegas, which offers European Roulette with $10 minimums during non-peak periods.

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, for it compels players to react faster, to the benefit of the house. But the American versions are not beyond redemption; I just want to stress the importance of seeking out the European version when circumstances allow.

Terminology of European roulette
French-style (European) Roulette, is the version played on many cruise ships, in most casinos in Europe, and in a small but growing number of gaming establishments in the United States. If you find yourself playing at one of these tables, expect to find French terms on the table layout and French words being spoken by the croupiers. French terms for roulette bets and other common expressions in this game are found below.

Carré	Corner bet
Colonne	Column bet
Cheval	Split bet
Duzaine	Dozen bet
Impair	Odd bet
Manque	Low bet
Noire	Black bet
Pair	Even bet
Passe	High bet
Plain	Straight-up bet
Rouge	Red bet
Transversal Plain	Street bet
Tansversal Simple	Double-street bet
Croupier instructions:
"Faites vos jeux"	"Place your bets"
"Rien ne vas plus"	"No more bets"

Other differences
American dealers collect losing chips from the layout with their hands. European croupiers use a long stick called a rake to gather the chips.

At American tables, each player is issued chips of a specific colour, making it easy to differentiate between the player's wagers. In European games, standard casino chips are used, which often causes confusion when there are many bets on the layout.