European and American Roulette are often the two variants that catch your eye when you visit a land casino or an online gambling platform. These typically involve the same style of play and appear identical at first glance. But let that not lead you to believe you can use the same strategies to help you predict the outcome. These are different, mostly because of the pocket alignment on the tables.
This comprehensive guide details everything you need to know to maximize your chances of predicting the outcome of both variants correctly. The discussed techniques will be easy to incorporate for all players, from novices to seasoned roulette players.
Understand the Basics First
Before diving into the ins and outs of predicting the outcome of each variant, you need to master the basics.
European Roulette, for starters, features a table with 37 pockets, numbered 0 to 36. The zero on the table sets it apart, giving it a slightly higher Return to Player percentage or lower house edge.
On the other hand, American Roulette features 38 pockets. The extra pocket is labeled “00”, which makes it slightly harder for players to land a win compared to the other variant. That’s all for the basics!
Predicting European Roulette
It might seem as if there’s little you can do to influence where the ball lands on the roulette table after tossing it. This could be true but there would be no roulette pros if that’s the case. There have to be tricks, hacks, or strategies you can use to increase your chance of winning, right? True! So, let’s reveal those that could work for you when playing European Roulette.
1. Take Advantage of the Single Zero
Given the chance, always go for European Roulette over American Roulette because the single zero reduces the house edge significantly, as mentioned earlier. In other words, players who go for the latter variant over the former are likely to lose more money in the long run. Don’t get us wrong, though. Playing European Roulette will still be risky.
2. Leverage the “En Prison” and “La Partage”
The “En Prison” and “La Partage” Rules are super-helpful here. Both help you recover your losses when the ball lands on zero on a straight bet, such as odd/even or black/red. The ball is left on the wheel, with the player recovering the entire and half the stake, respectively, if the next toss is a winner.
3. Be Alert!
Roulette wheels can develop bias over time. In other words, the possibility of getting certain outcomes increases over time. This is especially true in European Roulette, where the pockets are less. It’s up to you to stay focused and identify those outcomes that are more recurrent and back them often.
4. Bet on Adjacent Numbers
European Roulette allows players to place bets on adjacent or neighboring pockets. You can, therefore, manipulate your bet so that it covers a larger section of the wheel.
5. Predicting American Roulette
Although it has a higher house edge, most players still prefer American Roulette over its counterpart. This is purely out of personal preference. The question is, how do you increase your chances of winning?
6. Avoid Straight-up Bets
Straight-up bets are less favorable here because of the extra (00) on the table. Focus on combos or combined bets, which increase your chances of winning by covering a larger section of the table.
7. Avoid this 5-number Bet
Covering five neighboring numbers and usually the default bet when you play online, the 5-number bet allows you to select a central number and the pair of numbers adjacent to it on each side. (0, 00, 1, 2, and 3), for instance, which is unique to American Roulette and should be avoided because it has the highest house edge of 7.89%.
8. The Martingale Betting Strategy
The martingale betting strategy involves doubling your stake after every loss. This can be especially effective in American Roulette if you have a substantial bankroll.
