If you ever go to a brick-and-mortar casino, you will instantly know where the roulette tables are. They are usually the tables that attract the biggest crowds, offer the best atmosphere, and create the most noise. Just keep an eye out for large groups of people huddled around a table and, in most cases, that will be where you need to go to enjoy one of the most popular casino games around.
Roulette is a game of chance that revolves around a ball landing in one of the numerous segments on a roulette wheel. Players can bet on the ball landing on a number, whether that number is even/odd, red/black, or within a group of numbers, among many other bets.
This classic casino game has transcended generations and is still popular today. That is why you will find live roulette games at the best online casinos around the world. It regularly attracts players due to its engaging gameplay, simplicity, and potential for big payouts.
However, did you know that there are different variations of roulette? There are three in total, each offering slightly different rules and betting layouts. There is the European, French, and American rules roulette variations. In this guide, it is the latter that we will look at in detail.
We will explain the differences between the three roulette versions, take you through how to play live American Roulette, and where you can play live American Roulette online. Plus, we will give you some handy tips that you can use to improve your chances when you are at the American Roulette live tables.
What is Live American Roulette?
Roulette is a casino game that has been around for over 350 years and the American version is one of several variations that players can enjoy at online and land-based casinos. The game was first invented in 1655 by Blaise Pascal, a French physicist that was originally trying to invent a perpetual motion machine. His invention failed, but at the same time was a success as it became the first-ever roulette wheel. That game went unchanged for about 200 years until the mid-1800s when a new roulette wheel was designed, this time with the addition of the ‘Green 0’ segment. There was a reason behind adding that segment, and that was because it would give the casino a higher house edge.
At this point, it was not long before Roulette had made its way across the Atlantic and into America. It was there that the game was altered once more and is the reason why we now have the American rules variation of the game. On top of the single ‘Green 0’ segment came the ‘Green 00’ which increased the house edge even further. The American version was designed to give the casinos a bit more profit over the long term. The wheel now had 38 segments compared to the 37 on the European and French variations of the game. Those segments are the numbers between 1 and 36 which are either black or red, alongside the two green zero segments.
Playing American Roulette involves a live croupier who spins the wheel and then throws a ball around the top of the wheel in the opposite direction. At that point, players had already placed their bets on what they hope will prove to be the result. When the ball lands in a segment, the croupier will pay out to those who won their bets and take the chips of those that didn’t.
As for live American Roulette, this is an online variation of the game that is streamed live. Players can play using their desktop computers or mobile devices. A live croupier operates the game in real-time while players place their bets as if they were at an actual casino. This time, however, rather than physically placing bets on a table, they would use a betting overlay to place virtual chips.
Live American Roulette Rules
American Roulette, just like any of the other variations, is a simple game in principle. Essentially, you are betting on where you think, predict, or hope the ball will land. The round starts with the betting round. You must decide what and how many bets you want to place and place your virtual chips on the virtual felt using your touchscreen device or computer mouse.
Depending on the live American Roulette title you can play, this might involve dragging the chips to their betting positions or simply clicking those positions. You also have to consider the size of your bet and use the corresponding chip value. Once the live croupier declares ‘No More Bets’, he will spin the wheel and add the ball into the mix. Once it comes to a stop, you will quickly learn whether you are a winner.
The real beauty of all variations of roulette comes from the many betting options available. You can place your bets on a single number, or numerous single numbers, use other inside bets such as street bets and split bets, or go for the 50/50 beats such as red/black and odd/even. You can even use a strategy that uses a variety of bets so that you cover several bases.
The most important takeaway is the more bets you place, the more your stake but also the more chance of winning. In comparison, if you place just one single number bet, you are wagering less overall but stand to win a larger profit should that number come in.
American Roulette Rules
- The roulette wheel is comprised of 38 segments (1-36, 0, and 00)
- The RTP is 94.74%
- You have a variety of betting options to choose from
- You can combine numerous bets or place single bets
- The racetrack allows you to place group bets quicker
- Payouts are based on the paytable
- House edge comes from the green 0 and 00 segments
An Explanation of the Live American Roulette Betting Options
As with all variations of roulette, you have many betting options at your disposal when playing American Roulette live. You can place inside bets on individual or groups of numbers or use outside bets to wager on the colour of the number, whether it is odd or even, and more. On American Roulette, it is doubly frustrating as you have two of these segments (European and French Roulette have just the green 0). That means the house edge is 5.26% compared to the 2.7% found on the other versions of online roulette. Any experienced casino player will always avoid American roulette if one of the other two versions is available simply because of that house edge.
However, this
he house edge is 5.26% or the RTP of the game is 94.74% compared to the 2.7% and 97.3%
Inside Bets (Bets on the Numbers)
For those of you playing American Roulette that want to wager on longer odds bets, it is the inside bets that you will want to use. Doing so involves using the section of the betting overlay that contains all the numbers. You can place wagers on one number at a time, numerous numbers, or place bets that cover 2, 3,4, 5, or 6 numbers.
- Straight-Up Bets: A single number bet, or as it is officially known, a straight-up bet involves betting on a number to land. You place your chips on one number from the 0, 00, and between 1 and 36. This is the best-paying bet, but also with the lowest chance of winning. You will receive a payout of 35:1 if your number lands.
- Split Bets: You can split your bet across two numbers by placing your chip on the line between those two numbers. This could be the 7 and 8, for instance. This gives you two chances to win instead of one, so for that reason, the payout is lower at 17:1.
- Street Bets: This increases your chances further as it covers three numbers on the wheel. Called a street bet, this involves placing your chip on the bottom line beneath a row of three numbers. An example is to place it on the line below the 22, 23, and 24. The payout you receive if one of those numbers hits is 11:1.
- Six Line Bet: This involves doing similar to the street bet, but it covers two streets, which means six numbers instead. You place your chips on the line that connects the two streets. Should any of the six numbers come in, you will get paid 5:1.
- Corner Bets: Another option is to cover four numbers of the well. Called a corner bet, this involves placing chips on the cross-section in the middle of four numbers. For instance, you could cover the 26, 27, 29, and 30 for a potential payout of 8:1.
- Five Basket Bet: When you place your chip on the corner of the Green ‘0’ and the 1, it will cover the 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3. That is five numbers in total and carries a payout of 5:1.
Outside Bets (Betting on the Sections Outside of the Numbers)
The bets that have the best chance of coming in, but also pay the least when they do, are called outside bets. You place your bets in the boxes on the outside of the numbers. When you look at the betting area, you will see boxes such as Red, Black, Odd, Even, etc. The great thing about these bets is that you can use them in combination with inside bets to help hedge your bets.
- Red/Black: This is one of the most well-known bets on the game of roulette and involves betting on the number being red or black. Close to a 50/50 shot, you will receive a payout of 1:1 if you guess correctly.
- Odd/Even: This bet also carries a 1:1 payout but is dependent on the number being even or odd.
- High/Low: You also have the option of betting on the number being high (19-36) or low (1-18). Again, you will receive a 1:1 payout when your bet comes in.
- Column Bets: By placing your bet at the end of one of the three columns of 12 numbers, you cover each of those numbers on the wheel. This will payout 2:1 should the ball land on one of those numbers.
- Dozen Bets: This bet is triggered when you place your chips in the 1 to 12, 13 to 24, or 25 to 36 outside betting segments. It will pay 2:1 if one of those numbers comes in.
Tip: Stick to outside bets if you are new to American Roulette as these offer the best chance of regular wins. However, as you gain more experience, you might want to experiment with other playing strategies.
The Surrender Rule
If there are two numbers on American Roulette that are the most frustrating, it is the two green segments (0 and 00). Unless you cover them with your bets, they will nullify any other bet that you have placed. You will lose your red or black bets as they are green, your odd and even bets as they are neither, and they are not included in many of the other outside or inside bets. These segments as what give the casino its house edge. However, if you play at an American Roulette table that offers the ‘Surrender rule’, you can reduce the pain whenever the ball lands on one of those two segments. With this rule in play, you will receive half of your bets back when those two numbers land.
The trouble is, not many American live roulette tables use this rule. You will find some, but they are rare. This rule essentially brings American Roulette back in line with the RTPs offered on European and French roulette variations.
What is the Difference Between European and American Roulette?
When you look at any American or European roulette table and wheel, at first glance, you may not really notice anything different. This is understandable, as they do look very similar. However, on closer inspection, you will notice that they do, in fact, have one big difference. That difference also has a big impact on your chances of success. The European roulette wheel has the single ‘Green 0’ segment, the one segment that nullifies practically all bets placed as it is not odd/even, black/red, and covered by many of the other betting options. In fact, you only win when that number comes in if you placed a bet that does cover it.
That segment is also on the American Roulette wheel, but this variation of roulette also has the double ‘Green 00’ segment. That means the American versions have two segments that will nullify most bets placed. Because of that additional segment, the edge that American Roulette gives the house is double that of European Roulette. There are now 38 segments on the wheel compared to 37 on European roulette. That means the odds of hitting your numbers are greater.
That might not seem a huge deal, but your chance of long-term success takes a bigger hit when playing American Roulette. The house edge is 5.26% or the RTP of the game is 94.74% compared to the 2.7% and 97.3% on European Roulette. That has a knock-on effect for most of the bets that you place. You can see the difference in the accompanying table.
| Roulette Bet | US/American Roulette Odds | European/French Roulette Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Single Number | 2.60% | 2.70% |
| 2 Number Combination | 5.30% | 5.40% |
| 3 Number Combination | 7.90% | 8.10% |
| 4 Number Combination | 10.50% | 10.80% |
| 5 Number Combination | 13.20% | 13.50% |
| 6 Number Combination | 15.80% | 16.20% |
| Column | 31.60% | 32.40% |
| Dozen | 31.60% | 32.40% |
| Even/Odd | 47.40% | 48.60% |
| Red/Black | 47.40% | 48.60% |
| Low/High | 47.40% | 48.60% |
American Roulette Tips, Tricks & Strategies
American Roulette, like most other online casino games, is a game of chance. That means that success requires a large dose of luck and a sensible playing strategy. We have all seen the movies where a down-on-their-luck character decides to lump everything they own on ‘red’ or ‘black’. However, that is not a good strategy long term. You stand an equal chance of winning or losing such a bet, so while it might come off, it may also go the other way and you lose everything. Instead, use good bankroll management to ensure that your bankroll ensures you can play lots of bets during a session rather than just one or two.
As for betting strategies, there are none that can guarantee you will have a successful session each time. There are some well-documented roulette strategies that players use, such as the Martingale, Paroli, or D’Alembert, but again, these still come down to luck at the end of the day. Roulette is a simple game but no matter the strategy you use, you will have good days and bad days depending on luck. Just remember that you could bet on single numbers that pay more but come in less frequently, play lower odds group bets that cover numerous numbers, which means more wins but lower payouts, or a mixture of the two.
Where to play American Roulette live? If you have read through this guide and now want to try out American Roulette for yourself, you will need to know where you can find it. Use our live casino reviews to find an online casino that not only features this game but also accepts players from your country.
Questions and answers about American Roulette live!
What is American Roulette?
American Roulette is one of three different variations of roulette. It differs from the two other variations due to having a ‘Green 00’ segment on top of the original ‘Green 0’. Both French and European roulette only have the latter. This additional segment means that American Roulette also has double the house edge of those two variants. You can find American roulette at many land-based casinos, and as virtual table games or live dealer games at online casinos.
What is the difference between regular online roulette and live dealer roulette?
As touched on in the last FAQ question, American Roulette is a game that you can play in a virtual format. Those titles offer a digital version of the game that uses an RNG (random number generator) to determine the results. Live dealer American Roulette, on the other hand, is streamed live, uses an actual roulette wheel and uses the laws of physics to determine the results. Essentially, it is as if you are playing the game at a land-based casino with actual live croupiers.
How does Online Roulette Live work?
When you play live online roulette, it is similar to playing at a land-based casino. Essentially, you have a croupier and an actual roulette wheel with the action getting streamed to your device via cutting-edge webcam, audio, and streaming technology. Results are determined by the laws of physics rather than an RNG algorithm. You place your bets using the betting overlay on your device and the game’s software adjusts your balance depending on the outcome of each hand.
What is the house edge in American Roulette?
The American double-zero wheel has a house edge of 5.26%, which means that over the long run, 94.74% of all wagers are returned. For comparison, the house edge in single-zero European roulette is 2.70%, which means the RTP is significantly higher at 97.30%.
What does American Roulette Surrender mean?
The surrender bet is similar to the insurance bet you will find in some variations of blackjack. It protects you if the ball lands on the 0 or 00 green segments. When this happens, you will receive half your bets back. This actually reduces the house edge somewhat and makes American Roulette more attractive to play. This only happens on American Roulette tables that offer the Surrender rule, so check if it does first. Many tables will not offer this rule.
What are the differences between American roulette and European roulette?
There is just one major difference, but it makes quite an impact. American roulette has an additional segment on the wheel which increases the house edge. That segment is the double ‘Green 00’. European roulette only has the single ‘Green 0’ while American roulette has both of them.
Which roulette is better?
While American Roulette offers up some great entertainment, you are better off playing the European or French variations of the game. This is because of the house’s edge. The addition of the double ‘Green 00’ means that American roulette has a 5.26% house edge, which is double that of the 2.70% house edge that the other two versions have. That means you have a better chance of long-term success by playing European or French rules roulette games.