The Impact of Wheel Types on House Edge
The physical layout of the roulette wheel determines the house edge. A standard European wheel has 37 pockets, containing numbers 1 through 36 and a single green zero. This layout creates a 2.70% house edge. The American wheel adds a double-zero pocket, making 38 total pockets. This small addition increases the house edge to 5.26%, making it much harder to win over time.
- European Wheel: Features 37 pockets, a 2.70% house edge, and a theoretical RTP of 97.30%.
- American Wheel: Features 38 pockets, a 5.26% house edge, and a theoretical RTP of 94.74%.