Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
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All posts by Andrew MorganOur American roulette online guide is ideal if you want to learn more about playing roulette at an online casino.
While there are several roulette variations, we will focus on American roulette. We will offer insight into how to play and the game odds you’ll find for different bets. We will also cover how the American roulette wheel and rules differ from other game variations.
We will also introduce you to several key strategies and tips for boosting your gameplay and chances of winning when you play roulette online.
How to Play American Roulette – The Basics
Before you can begin wagering, you’ll need to know how to play American roulette. Luckily, American roulette rules are straightforward. Here is a basic breakdown:
- The aim of American roulette: To accurately predict which number the ball will land on when the roulette wheel comes to a stop.
- The bet: Place your chips on the number or group of numbers on the roulette table representing the numbers on the roulette wheel.
- American roulette payouts: You can win between 1x and 35x your original stake.
In other words, when playing American roulette online, you need to guess which number the ball will land on. To make your bet, you place your chips on the corresponding number(s) on the roulette board or table. If your guess is correct, you win your bet.
Now that we know the basics of how to play roulette, let’s examine the game in more detail.
Roulette games all follow the same premise. There is a roulette wheel with numbered pockets along its circumference. These are either black or red. These pockets correspond with the numbered squares on the roulette table. If you want to bet on a number on the wheel, you place your chips on that number on the roulette table.
When betting on American roulette, you can place low-risk bets, where you can bet on several numbers with one chip for lesser payouts. Conversely, you can place high-risk wagers with more substantial payouts that focus on single numbers or outside bets. This variation of betting options is what makes American roulette one of the most popular casino games in online gambling.
Once you have placed your bets, the croupier spins the roulette wheel in one direction. They then introduce a small white ball in the opposite direction. All you need to do now is wait and see whether the ball lands on your chosen number.
The American Roulette Wheel
The American roulette wheel differs from European and French ones as it has an additional pocket (00).
In American roulette, the wheel has 38 pockets along its circumference. There are alternating red and black pockets numbered 1-36 and two green pockets labeled 0 and 00. These two green numbers sit at opposite ends of the wheel and set the odds for the game.
The numbers on the American roulette wheel sit in the following sequence: 0, 2, 14, 35, 23, 4, 16, 33, 21, 6, 18, 31, 19, 8, 12, 29, 25, 10, 27, 00, 1, 13, 36, 24, 3, 15, 34, 22, 5, 17, 32, 20, 11, 30, 26, 9, and 28.
American Roulette Bet Types, Odds & Payouts
American roulette odds and payouts are fairly straightforward to understand. The house edge for American roulette is 5.26%, which determines the payout odds for each wager.
When betting on American roulette at online casinos, you can place several types of bet. These are divided into outside and inside bets. These varying bets differ in the odds and thus the payouts they provide.
Inside Bets/Specific Picks
Inside bets sit in the center of the roulette table. They allow you to place wagers on certain numbers or number combinations. The numbers you can wager on here include 0, 00, and 1-36.
These wagers are high risk and have less chance of being successful. However, your payout is higher if you win an inside bet. This is attributed to the higher odds, which start at 37 to 1 for a straight-up bet on one number and go to 5.33 to 1 on six numbers. For this reason, most players begin with outside bets to boost their bankrolls and then move on to inside bets.
The key inside bets when you play online roulette are:
Inside Bet Example Payout Odds Straight Up (one number) 27 35:1 2.63% Split (two neighboring numbers) 10/13 17:1 5.26% Street (three numbers in a line) 4,5,6 11:1 7.9% Corners (four connected numbers) 20,21,23,24 8:1 10.5% Six-Line Bet 1,2,3 + 4,5,6 5:1 15.8% 
Outside Bets/General Picks
Outside bets offer a higher chance of winning. This ranges from 31.58% for a column or dozens bet to 47.37% for an odds/evens or red/black wager (i.e. almost even money bets). However, these lower odds typically mean lower payouts, with most outside bets offering payouts of 1:1.
Here is a list of the outside bets you can place when playing American roulette online:
Outside Bet Example Payout Odds Column 12 numbers in a column 2:1 31.58% Dozen 12 numbers on a third of the board 2:1 31.58% Odd All the odd numbers 1:1 47.37% Even All the even numbers 1:1 47.37% Red All the red numbers 1:1 47.37% Black All the black numbers 1:1 47.37% 1-18 All the numbers from 1-18 1:1 47.37% 19-36 All the numbers from 19-36 1:1 47.37% 
Placing a Bet in American Roulette
We have now reached the point in our American roulette online guide where we introduce you to placing bets. Now that you have a background on how the game works and the bets available, let’s look at how to place your wagers.
First, let’s look again at the table and wheel of this casino game. The wheel has 38 numbers: 0, 00, and 1-36. The numbers are either red or black, while the single and double zeros are green.
A roulette board provides a set of numbers corresponding to those on the wheel. You must place your chips on the number, or combination of numbers, where you think the ball will rest.
Once you have placed your chips, the croupier will stop taking further bets. They will then spin the wheel in one direction and introduce the ball in the opposite direction. All you need to do now is wait for the outcome.
If you want to start playing roulette online, you’ll need to sign up with one of the best live roulette casinos. Here is how to get started:
- You can claim a bonus and deposit funds by visiting the site’s cashier page.
- Once you’ve made your deposit, you can head to the casino’s games lobby and search for American roulette.
- Double click on your chosen game to launch it and select a chip value or denomination.
- Click on the numbers on the roulette table you think the ball will land on. Remember, you can click in the center of four numbers to place a corners bet, etc.
- Click “Spin/Deal” and wait to see the outcome.
American Roulette House Edge
This wouldn’t be a complete American roulette guide if we didn’t examine the game’s house edge and how it compares to other roulette variations.
Since European roulette only has 37 numbers on its wheel and has payout odds of 35:1, it has a much lower house edge (the percentage the casino makes off each game played) of 2.7%. In comparison, American roulette has a higher house edge of 5.26%.
This value is higher as a result of the additional double zero pocket on the wheel. This keeps the payout odds at 35:1 but decreases your chances of winning.
American Roulette vs European Roulette vs French Roulette
American roulette differs from alternate variations like French and European roulette in a few ways. The key difference is the American roulette wheel layout compared to that of the European roulette wheel.
European roulette has a wheel with one fewer pocket (there is no double zero pocket) and winning odds of 1-in-37. However, the table looks identical to that for American roulette, minus the 00 square, and offers the same maximum payout odds of 35:1. In comparison, American roulette odds for winning are lower at 1-in-38 thanks to the additional pocket (00) but increase the number of ways you have to win a straight-up bet. But European roulette has a much lower house edge of 2.7%.
Another variation is French roulette, with a minimal house edge of 1.35%. This more minor fee results from the La Partage rule, which is unique to French roulette. The rule stipulates that you receive half your losing wagers back if the ball lands on the zero pocket. With the exception of this rule, European roulette is identical to French roulette. However, the table is laid out in French instead of English.
Unlike American roulette, the French variation only has a single zero pocket. The following table compares the differences between these three game variations.
American roulette European roulette French roulette Pockets 38 37 37 Zeros Single 0 & Double 0 Single 0 Single 0 House edge 5.26% 2.7% 1.35% American Roulette – Basic Strategies
Playing American roulette online is great, but playing the game well is even better. Below are some top tips when playing American roulette at an online casino.
Balance Risk and Reward
Some American roulette bets have a much higher risk attached to them and, in turn, higher rewards if you win. While it may be tempting to wager a high-risk straight-up bet that pays at 35:1, your chances of winning are a mere 2.6%.
In contrast, an odds or evens bet only pays at 1:1, but you have a greater chance of winning at 47.37%. This is something you’ll need to weigh up when deciding which bets to place. Continual high-risk bets may not be beneficial to you and your budget.
Practice Playing Roulette
The more you practice playing, the quicker you get a feel for which wagers pay out better in the long run. You will also get an idea of how to extend your budget without the need to deposit additional funds. Practicing also makes it easier to know offhand which bets are which and what their odds and payout values are. This makes it simpler to place bets quickly and effectively.
Understand the Bets and Pay Charts
Knowing which bets are available, how they work, and what they payout makes it easier to place bets seamlessly. This also helps you place more thoughtful and lucrative bets.
Utilize Bonus Features
The great thing about playing American roulette online is that these games often come with bonus features like multipliers. These can help you double your payouts. Additionally, many of these top roulette casinos provide a great selection of new player promotions and ongoing bonuses that offer you additional funds for your roulette betting.
Never Bet Beyond Your Limits
While playing American roulette is a lot of fun, it is essential to always practice responsible gambling. The best way to do this is to set a budget and stick to it to ensure you don’t bet beyond your means.
American Roulette – Advanced Strategies
While the tips above are handy, we can also offer several top strategies implemented by pro players. Here are some which work for both American and European roulette.
Martingale Strategy
The Martingale System is the most straightforward American roulette strategy. It focuses on outside bets like odd or even and red or black as it works best with even-money payouts. The objective of this strategy is to double your stake after each loss while betting on the same option until you win. The aim is to recoup all of your losses when your bet finally wins. Once your bet has won, you begin again at your original stake.
However, it is essential to have a limit in place to avoid incurring extensive losses. Additionally, this method is a better option for players with extensive bankrolls.
D’Alembert Betting System
While similar to the Martingale System in that it only applies to even-money payouts, the D’Alembert system is more complex. Your first step is to determine a betting unit based on your budget, for example, 1% of your bankroll.
For your first bet, you put down five units. If you win, you subtract one unit. If you lose, you add one unit. This is less harsh on your bankroll and allows you to play for longer by making it easier to survive a losing streak.
The Fibonacci Maneuver
Another popular American roulette strategy is the Fibonacci Maneuver, which is based on the Fibonacci sequence. This is a series of numbers where each new number is equal to the sum of the two numbers preceding it. However, this strategy typically only uses the first 10 numbers in this sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and 55.
Here, you also only focus on even-money outside bets and set a betting unit and limit. For instance, your unit can be $1, and your limit can be $150. You begin by wagering one unit ($1). If you lose, you move on to the next number in the sequence, increasing your bet accordingly. If you win, you reset your bet amount.
Other Roulette Strategies
When playing American roulette online, there are several other roulette strategies you can apply, including the following:
- Andrucci Strategy
- Paroli Strategy
- Double Street Quad
- Parlay Strategy
- James Bond Strategy
Conclusion
American roulette offers an online roulette experience featuring unique elements like a double zero pocket, an increased house edge, and unique bets like call bets that you won’t find in European roulette. We hope that our American roulette online guide has made it easier to understand the opportunities the game presents and how to play. We also hope that the strategies offered here get you playing like a pro in no time.
American Roulette FAQs
How many numbers are on the American roulette wheel?
What are the main differences between American roulette and other forms of roulette?
Is American roulette better than European roulette?
How popular is American roulette?
What’s the best American roulette strategy?
