Game Education · 2026-07-26 · 11 min read
Roulette House Edge Explained: American, European and French (2026)
Updated July 2026
The roulette house edge is the mathematical percentage of every dollar wagered that the casino expects to keep over time. American roulette carries a house edge of 5.26 percent. European roulette runs at 2.70 percent. French roulette played with the La Partage rule on even-money bets drops as low as 1.35 percent. The variant you choose matters more than anything else you do at the table.
- American roulette house edge: 5.26% on all standard bets (source: Wizard of Odds, verified 2026)
- European roulette house edge: 2.70%, nearly half the American rate
- French roulette with La Partage: 1.35% on even-money bets, the lowest roulette edge available
What Is the House Edge in Roulette?
The house edge is the ratio of the average expected loss to the amount initially wagered. In roulette, it comes from the zero pocket (or pockets) that are not covered by the standard red, black, odd, or even bets. When the ball lands on zero, those bets lose. The casino does not need luck: the edge is built into the wheel layout and the payout structure.
A bet on a single number in roulette pays 35 to 1. In a fair game with no zeros, the true odds would require a 36 to 1 payout. The shortfall between the casino payout and the true mathematical odds is where the house edge lives. The zero pocket is the entire source of the casino's advantage at roulette.
Roulette House Edge by Variant
The number of zero pockets on the wheel is the single variable that drives the house edge across all three standard roulette variants. Here is how they compare side by side.
| Variant | Zero Pockets | House Edge | Expected Loss per $100 Wagered | Special Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Roulette | 2 (0 and 00) | 5.26% | $5.26 | None standard; Five Number Bet = 7.89% |
| European Roulette | 1 (single zero) | 2.70% | $2.70 | En Prison (optional): halves edge to 1.35% on even-money bets |
| French Roulette | 1 (single zero) | 2.70% standard; 1.35% with La Partage on even-money bets | $2.70 standard; $1.35 with La Partage | La Partage: half stake returned when zero hits on even-money bets |
American Roulette: 5.26 Percent
American roulette wheels have 38 pockets: numbers 1 through 36, a single zero, and a double zero. The extra pocket nearly doubles the house advantage compared to European play. For every $100 cycled through the table, the casino expects to retain $5.26 on average over a large number of bets.
One bet carries an even higher edge: the Five Number Bet (also called the Basket Bet) covers 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. It pays 6 to 1 but carries a house edge of 7.89 percent, the highest of any standard roulette bet. Avoid it.
European Roulette: 2.70 Percent
The European wheel drops the double zero and runs 37 pockets. The payout structure for every bet stays identical to American roulette, but with only one zero the house retains $2.70 per $100 wagered. If you have a choice between American and European at the same table limits, European is the mathematically correct pick every time.
Some European tables offer the En Prison rule: when zero hits on an even-money bet, your stake is held in prison for one more spin. If that spin wins, your original bet is returned with no profit. This rule effectively halves the house edge on even-money bets to 1.35 percent, matching French La Partage in practical result.
French Roulette: 1.35 Percent on Even-Money Bets
French roulette uses a single-zero wheel and standard payout table, so its base house edge is 2.70 percent. The difference is the La Partage rule. When zero hits, half of every even-money bet stake (red or black, odd or even, high or low) is returned to the player immediately. This cuts the effective house edge to 1.35 percent on those bet types only. Inside bets (single numbers, splits, streets, corners) remain at 2.70 percent.
French roulette is the rarest variant at US regulated online casinos. When available with La Partage active, it represents the best house-edge position in roulette.
How the House Edge Is Calculated
The formula is exact. For a bet on a single number in American roulette:
- Probability of winning: 1 in 38
- Net payout if you win: $35 on a $1 bet (you also get your $1 stake back)
- Probability of losing: 37 in 38
- Net loss if you lose: $1
Expected value per $1 bet: (1/38) x $35 minus (37/38) x $1 equals $0.9211 minus $0.9737, which equals negative $0.0526. The house retains 5.26 cents of every dollar bet, on average. This ratio is identical for every standard bet on the American wheel because the payouts are scaled to produce the same edge, with the sole exception of the Five Number Bet at 7.89 percent.
For European roulette, the same single number bet calculates as: (1/37) x $35 minus (36/37) x $1 equals $0.9459 minus $0.9730, which equals negative $0.0270. House edge: 2.70 percent.
House Edge Across Casino Games: Where Roulette Fits
Roulette is neither the worst nor the best bet in the casino. The table below places all three roulette variants in context against common games. All figures assume optimal or standard play where applicable, sourced from Wizard of Odds and published game-provider documentation.
| Game and Bet | House Edge | Expected Loss per $100 Wagered |
|---|---|---|
| Baccarat, Tie Bet | 14.36% | $14.36 |
| American Roulette, Five Number Bet | 7.89% | $7.89 |
| Slots (typical US regulated range) | 2% to 15% | $2.00 to $15.00 |
| American Roulette (all standard bets) | 5.26% | $5.26 |
| European Roulette | 2.70% | $2.70 |
| French Roulette (standard inside and outside bets) | 2.70% | $2.70 |
| Craps, Pass or Come Bet | 1.41% | $1.41 |
| French Roulette with La Partage (even-money bets only) | 1.35% | $1.35 |
| Baccarat, Banker Bet | 1.06% | $1.06 |
| Video Poker, Jacks or Better (full-pay paytable) | 0.46% | $0.46 |
| Blackjack (liberal rules, optimal basic strategy) | 0.28% | $0.28 |
Slots are the only category with a range rather than a fixed figure because RTP (return to player) varies by individual game title and is set by the game provider. Most US-regulated online slots publish their RTP in the game information panel or paytable. A slot with a stated RTP of 96% carries a house edge of 4%.
What the House Edge Means in a Real Session
The house edge is a long-run mathematical average, not a guarantee on any individual session. In a short session, outcomes can swing well above or below the expected loss. As the number of spins grows, your actual results converge toward the mathematical expectation.
Consider two players each wagering $10 per spin for 200 spins, a typical two-hour session at a moderate pace:
- Total action: $2,000
- Expected loss on American roulette (5.26%): $105.20
- Expected loss on European roulette (2.70%): $54.00
- Expected loss on French roulette with La Partage on even-money bets (1.35%): $27.00
Over that one session, the variant choice alone is worth roughly $78 in expected outcome. The house edge is always operating; the question is the speed at which it extracts its share.
"The house edge in roulette is not a mystery or a gimmick. It is a documented mathematical certainty, set by the wheel design and the payout schedule. Players who understand it play with realistic expectations. Players who ignore it often chase losses that the math has already assigned."
Michael Shackleford, gaming mathematician and founder of Wizard of Odds (wizardofodds.com)
Finding Roulette at Regulated US Online Casinos
Legal, state-regulated online casinos in the US typically offer European roulette alongside American. French roulette with La Partage is available at a smaller number of regulated operators. For a full breakdown of which regulated US casinos pay out reliably and how their banking processes actually work, see our guide to the fastest-paying US online casinos.
When choosing where to play roulette online in the US, confirm the operator holds a current license from your state's gaming regulator. For a step-by-step guide on verifying a site is properly licensed and safe to use, read our online casino safety guide. Never play roulette at offshore or unlicensed sites: your deposits carry no regulatory protection if anything goes wrong.
For a documented look at how individual operators handle withdrawals, including the methods, timeframes, and fees for licensed casinos that offer roulette, see our DraftKings Casino review and FanDuel Casino review, both of which include full Cashout Reports.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the house edge on American roulette?
American roulette has a house edge of 5.26 percent on every standard bet. The sole exception is the Five Number Bet covering 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3, which carries a house edge of 7.89 percent. Every other bet on the American wheel, whether a single number, red or black, or a dozen bet, carries the same 5.26 percent edge.
What is the house edge on European roulette?
European roulette has a house edge of 2.70 percent. The single-zero wheel cuts the expected loss nearly in half compared to the American double-zero version. When both variants are available at the same table limits, European roulette is the better mathematical choice for the player on every bet type.
What is the lowest house edge available in roulette?
French roulette with the La Partage rule applied to even-money bets carries a house edge of 1.35 percent, the lowest in roulette. La Partage returns half your stake when zero hits on red, black, odd, even, high, or low bets. Inside bets on French roulette remain at 2.70 percent.
Does the type of bet change the house edge in roulette?
In American and European roulette, almost every bet carries the same house edge regardless of whether you back one number or twelve. The one exception in American roulette is the Five Number Bet at 7.89 percent. In French roulette, the La Partage rule applies only to even-money outside bets, leaving inside bets at 2.70 percent.
Can any betting system overcome the roulette house edge?
No. The Martingale, Fibonacci, D'Alembert, and every other betting progression leave the house edge unchanged. They alter the pattern of when wins and losses occur but do not change the mathematical expectation per dollar wagered. Doubling bets after losses also carries serious table-limit and bankroll risks that can produce catastrophic single-session losses. The house edge is a property of the game itself, not of the bet size pattern.
How does the roulette house edge compare to slot machines?
Slots at US-regulated online casinos typically carry a house edge between 2 percent and 15 percent, depending on the individual game title and its published RTP. American roulette at 5.26 percent sits in the middle of that slot range. European roulette at 2.70 percent is competitive with the low end of typical slot RTPs. Unlike slots, roulette publishes its edge through the visible wheel design and fixed payout schedule, so it is transparent and verifiable before you place a bet.
Responsible Gambling: This content is intended for adults aged 21 and older in states where online casino gambling is legal. Gambling is entertainment with a built-in house edge: the casino has a mathematical advantage on every bet, and losses over time are the expected outcome. Never wager more than you can afford to lose. If gambling is causing financial or personal problems, contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.