American Roulette: Quick guide to playing
Deciding on your favourite online casino game can be hard enough, without adding in the fact that are numerous variations or each one, including roulette.
At Roulette.ca we don't want anyone to feel lost or confused, because online gambling should be easy and most importantly, fun!
That's why we've put together this straightforward guide on one of the most popular roulette variations, American Roulette.
We aim to provide you with:
- A how to play guide
- Information on how it varies to standard roulette
- The history behind the game
- The game's availability
- And answer any questions you may have
TOP AMERICAN SITES FOR CANADIAN PLAYERS
How to play American Roulette
American Roulette is the version of the game that Canadian players are most likely to recognise from TV and movies, as it is used in all the big Las Vegas casinos and consequently appears in most Vegas-based shows where roulette features. If you have watched a movie that centres around a casino in Las Vegas, chances are you've seen an American Roulette wheel at some stage.
While certain features of the game make it less profitable in the long run for players, American Roulette is one of the most readily available variants at online casinos as well as mobile and tablet roulette sites, and its familiarity makes it endearing to many online roulette fans. However most online casinos will also give players the opportunity to play different roulette variants if they prefer.
The basics of the American Roulette variation
An American Roulette wheel has 38 slots on it, one for each of the numbers 1-36, half red and half black as well as the zero (0) and double zero (00), both of which are green. Players can bet on individual numbers, groups of numbers or fifty-fifty shots like red/black or odd/even, and place their bets by putting their chips in the betting area which has squares numbered to correspond with the numbers on the wheel. Among the more popular bets are:
- 'Straight Up': A bet on a single number, pays out 35:1
- 'Split': Two numbers pays out 17:1
- 'Street': a row of three adjacent numbers: pays out 11:1
- 'Corner bet': four numbers, pays out 8:1
- 'Five-number bet': unique to American Roulette due to the presence of the double zero, this covers 1, 2, 3, 0 and 00 and pays out 6:1
- 'Six-line': six numbers, pays out 5:1
- 'Column': 12 numbers, either 1,4,7,10,13,etc., 2,5,8,11,14,etc. or 3,6,9,12,15,18,etc. This pays out 2:1
- 'Dozen': A specific set of 12 numbers, either1-12, 13-24 or 25-36. This also pays out 2:1
- 'Even-money bet': Either red, black, odd, even, 1-18 or 19-36. This pays out 1:1.
History of American Roulette
It is widely believed that, after French settlers brought roulette in its original form to the United States, the American version was developed some time in the 19th century. The French population of New Orleans has been linked to the growth of roulette in American casinos and in American society in general.
If you think the double zero wheel gives the house a significant edge, this is nothing compared to the original version which had numbers 1-28, a zero, a double-zero and an American Eagle. Players seemed to wise up to this pretty quickly though, and the version you see today has been in existence for more than 100 years.
Availability online vs offline
American Roulette is popular at land-based casinos across Canada, with many of the largest venues in the country offering this particular variant. You can go to many land-based venues and find more than one American Roulette wheel, offering a variety of betting limits.
The game can also be found at pretty much any Canadian online casino, and many offer a wide selection of betting limits at their American Roulette tables. You can generally bet for lower amounts online than offline, and fit in more hands per hour as the speed of play is significantly quicker. Online roulette sites will also often allow players to try American Roulette for free before graduating to real money play.
American Roulette FAQ
Knowing how American Roulette works is very important to Canadian players due to the popularity of this particular variety throughout North America. American Roulette is similar to European in that it has the same general bets. Where it differs is that it has 38 number slots as opposed to 37, and that is due to a double zero in addition to a single zero as found with European Roulette. The odds of winning are lower in American Roulette due to that single number. But many find betting on the double zero through the five number bet with 6:1 odds to be invigorating.
When it comes to American Roulette players, will find that, aside from the double zero position on the table, it is exactly the same. Players will find the standard Straight Up paying 35:1. Even money bets such as red/black or odd/even pay 1:1. The one primary difference is the double zero. Players will have fun winning 6:1 payouts with the Five-number bet, which includes zero, double zero, one, two, and three.
American Roulette is very popular online throughout the US and Canada. It is readily available, especially at land-based casinos. But despite its popularity, European online Roulette is actually more popular with internationally based casinos.
The primary difference between European Roulette and American Roulette is the double zero. That double zero increases up the house edge from 2.7% to 5.26%. In other words, it decreases the chance of winning at American Roulette by about 2.55%. But no worries, because you will also have one more bet opportunity with American Roulette when playing the Five-number bet.
The odds with American Roulette differ in that whereas European Roulette has a house edge of 2.7%, American Roulette sees a house edge of 5.26%. That is a great deterrence to fans of the European game. So instead of having a 1 in 37 number chance of winning a single number bet, you have a 1 in 38 number chance of winning a single number bet.
Using a Roulette system to win at Roulette is a hit or miss. Many swear they can count the numbers and pay attention enough to frequency of hits. However, others say the randomization of online Roulette play makes that impossible. Playing online is different from land due to possible biases in the table structure itself. The implementation of RNG - random number generation - limits a player's ability of guesstimating number frequency.
The best system is to play in accordance with your bankroll. Experts say that you should never place more than 3% of your total bankroll on a wager at a time. There are many systems out there that suggest that you increase your bet when you lose until you regain your losses. Others suggest that you separate your winnings from your losses, and when you win, you only play that which you have won.
There are a wide variety of online casinos available to Canadian players. We have selected some outstanding Roulette games that are focused on the American version of play. Canadian as well as American online Roulette players love a good game of American Roulette, and we have recommended only the best.
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