Ah, the age old question eh? Who will win, the Europeans or the Americans? Throughout the 20th Century there have been countless things characterised by this essential bit of competition. Who’s variant of football will prevail, for instance, and who really makes the best burgers? Our transatlantic neighbours like to do things their own way, and so do we – but who will emerge victorious?
Nowhere is this struggle more evident than in the realm of casino, in particular with the incredibly exciting game of Roulette. It is a common misconception that the rules of Roulette are the same wherever you are, because in actuality there is a key difference between European and American Roulette. No surprise there, eh? Everybody likes to be unique! Let’s take a look at some of the main differences between the two games and devise the best roulette strategy for each one.
The History
So, in the mid 1700s there were more and more Italians playing a game called Biribi, and this was actually an incredibly rudimentary form of Roulette, widely acknowledged to have been the catalyst for the modern casino game. This quickly made its way to France, where it was refined into what we now know as Roulette – the game has the French to thank ultimately for its inception.
During the 1800s Roulette got more and more popular due to its intrinsic dynamism, the likes of which had never really been seen before, especially in the realm of gambling and casino. It did not take long for it to cross the Atlantic, and as soon as it did it caused pandemonium in the US too. Over time the Europeans continued to make alterations to the Roulette wheel, improving its play and odds. The Americans, however, kept it the same as it was when it first arrived, and this is why there are two different versions of Roulette in the present day.
Basic Differences
The absolute main difference between American and European Roulette is the fact that the former has one more value on the wheel. This means that the US version actually has two 0 values, whereas the European one only has the one. This may seem like a very small and largely pedantic difference, but as we will see it does have quite a large affect on the game.
Something else that differs is that in the European version you can usually encounter La Partage (the split) or En Prison (in prison), two things that can greatly improves your chances of a win. These are not available in the American version of the game, so keep this in mind.
How Does This Affect Your Gambling Experience?
But what does all this mean, and why should I care? Well, the extra value present on the American Roulette wheel actually has disastrous consequences for the odds. In fact the presence of an extra 0 halves them, meaning that it is a lot less likely you will emerge victorious. The absence of La Partage and En Prison also limits the odds on American Roulette.