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How to Play American Roulette – 2024 Tips & Strategy Update

American roulette is one of the most popular roulette types worldwide, and is a staple of any modern online casino in 2024.

American Roulette Rules & Gameplay

The game of roulette first originated in France. Loosely translated to “little wheel”, it has since spread throughout the world and been adapted into multiple variations, game layouts and styles, each with a distinct set of rules.

Such is the case of American-style roulette. Every casino enthusiast has spun the American roulette wheel at least once in their lifetime. It is not only one of the oldest table games around, but also one of the most played at casinos worldwide.

The American roulette wheel has 38 slots and a double 0, and the player’s objective is to guess which numbers or group of numbers the ball will land on after a spin. The game session starts with all players at the table buying a different coloured set of chips and placing bets on the numbers coloured in red and black.

You can place two types of bets when playing American roulette:

  • Inside bets – Wager on specific numbers or sets of numbers on the betting table (e.g. your lucky number is “6”, you wager that the ball will land on “6”).
  • Outside bets – Wager on broader categories of numbers on the betting table (e.g. the ball will land on a certain kind of number – odd/even, high/low).

You can still bet whilst the wheel is spinning until the dealer signals that no more bets can be placed. You will get a payout not only for every specific number you guessed right, but also if you bet on a group of numbers and only one is a winner.

These are the basic rules of American roulette. To make things easier, we’ve also included an interactive guide below:

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Types of American Roulette

There are two main ways you can experience the thrill and fun of that American roulette spin at online casinos in 2024:

  • Play against the casino
  • Play against a live dealer

The bottom line is that the basic rules and gameplay of American roulette remain the same – all that changes is who you’re up against.

If you opt for real-money American roulette online, you will essentially play against the computer. The results of the game session and each subsequent spin will be decided by RNG technology (Random Number Generator).

Plenty of software providers offer their own versions of American roulette online – e.g. Nucleus Gaming, Rival Gaming, NetEnt, Microgaming or Tom Horn Gaming.

We highly recommend this option if you’re a beginner, as there’s less pressure involved. However, if you’re a casino veteran, you may prefer something a bit more challenging.

Live-dealer American roulette, on the other hand, can be lot more exciting, as you get to interact in real time with a professional croupier that speaks English or even your native language, especially if the casino you’re registering on has multi-lingual support.

Evolution Gaming’s First Person American Roulette, for example, is one of the best choices to go for, as the provider is a market leader in live casino.

Another aspect to mention is that you can try both options from mobile devices as well, since modern versions of American roulette are compatible with both Android and iOS.

If you opt for a live dealer casino that hosts American roulette, all you need is a good internet connection to support live streaming without delays, and you’re good to go.

american-roulette

American Roulette vs. European Roulette

Both types of roulette follow the same rules and gameplay. The only thing that differs is the layout or the number of green pockets/zeroes.

The European Roulette wheel has one green pocket with a single 0, whereas the American roulette wheel has two zeroes and 38 pockets.

American roulette is also harder to win due to its high house edge of 5.26%, whilst European Roulette is more accessible, especially to beginners, since it has a low house edge of only 2.7%.

That is also why the odds of hitting red/black on American roulette are roughly 47.4%, and 48.6% for European. Straight-up bets will give you the best payout ratio of 35:1.

Another key difference is popularity across different geographic areas and demographics. American-style roulette is predictably more popular at land-based and online casinos in the United States, as well as in the UK and some parts of Asia, but less popular with European players.

Some players may also be familiar with the California Roulette variation. However, you cannot usually find the latter at online casinos as it's still only popular in the state of California, due to the local gambling laws.

How to Win at American Roulette

If you’re wondering how to play American roulette strategy and boost your chances of wining, our best advice is to take full advantage of the demo version of the game first.

Once you understand the rules and betting options and gain confidence in your abilities, you can also look into the most popular roulette strategies used by the pros, such as Martingale, Reverse Martingale, Paroli, Fibonacci, Labouchere and D’Alembert.

Each of them are designed to suit a specific budget and player type (e.g. high roller). Furthermore, as much as we’d like to tell you the opposite, strategies can get you closer to success, but ultimately can’t guarantee success.

Lastly, we advise you to play American roulette variations from high-quality software providers like Evolution Gaming or Playtech. Doing so will give you transparent and predictable pay rates, fair odds, HD camera angles and even live interaction, if you play against a real-life dealer.

American Roulette – RTP and House Edge, Explained

There are two key aspects that will determine how much you can win at an American roulette table: RTP scores (or theoretical payrates) and the house edge (the unchangeable advantage the casino holds over you).

These are determined by the layout of the American roulette wheel itself. As it features 38 spaces and a double 00, the house edge is higher – 5.26%. This means the odds are stacked more against the player and in favour of the casino; but, with the right strategy, you can still improve your chances.

Pros & Cons of Playing American Roulette

Should you play American-style roulette or should you stick to the European version? Below is a balanced look at the pros and cons to help you make the right call:

Pros

  • Lots of variations to choose from
  • Hosted by most casinos
  • Can be played both online and against a live dealer
  • Attractive roulette bonuses available (e.g. cashback, reload bonuses)

Cons

  • Higher house edge

Summary

American style roulette is definitely up there with some of the best casino games to play – so much so that it’s often the focus of iconic Hollywood movie scenes, and the first choice of many casino enthusiasts.

Although the higher house edge may deter some beginners, American-style roulette still offers plenty of excitement. It’s a great game of chance that anyone can try without needing any special skills, allows a wide variety of bets, and can be played across many different formats (classic, with a live dealer, etc.).

FAQs

Yes- as long as you wager real money, develop a good strategy and place successful bets.

The American roulette wheel has 38 slots and a double 0.

If they are licensed by a trusted authority like MGA or Curaçao, you should have no safety concerns.

Yes – most modern American roulette variations are optimised for tablets and mobile devices.

Yes. Most casinos will give you access to the demo version of the game after registration, so you can play for free as long as you like.

If you play on a reputable platform and choose a variation by a trusted provider (e.g. American Roulette from NetEnt), the game can’t be rigged, as it has a verifiable RTP and house edge.

Some strategies that are known to work for American roulette are Biarritz, Martingale, D’Alembert and Montante.