American Roulette — How It Works
American Roulette features a 38-pocket wheel with both a single zero (0) and a double zero (00), giving it a house edge of 5.26% — nearly double that of European Roulette. Microgaming's version delivers the complete American Roulette experience, including the five-number bet covering 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3, which carries the highest house edge on the table at 7.89%.
The game exists in most casino catalogues primarily for players who associate the double-zero wheel with the physical casino experience of Las Vegas and Atlantic City, where American Roulette has historically been the dominant format on the floor. Microgaming's recreation faithfully replicates that layout — the American-style number sequence, the elongated betting grid, and the proportions of the wheel itself differ visually from the European format.
From a pure mathematical standpoint, the additional 00 pocket generates additional revenue for the house without changing the payout structure. A straight-up bet on a single number still pays 35:1, but the true odds of winning are 1 in 38 rather than 1 in 37. Every bet on the American table carries this additional cost to the player.
Microgaming's presentation is clean and technically accurate. The interface supports all standard bet types and uses the familiar chip-placement system found across their table game catalogue. For players committed to the American format for preference or familiarity reasons, this implementation is technically sound — though players focused on minimising the house edge will always be better served by European or French Roulette variants.
Rules Summary
- ♦ 38 pockets: 0, 00, and 1–36
- ♦ All standard inside and outside bets available
- ♦ Five-number bet (0-00-1-2-3) pays 6:1 with 7.89% house edge
- ♦ House edge of 5.26% on all other bets
Verdict
American Roulette's 5.26% house edge is approximately double that of European Roulette. There is no strategic justification for choosing American over European Roulette — the higher house edge is simply a product of the additional double zero pocket. Microgaming's version is a clean, accurate recreation for players specifically seeking the American format.