Roulette is a super simple game to grasp, and most people know the fundamental dynamics. There is a wheel with numbers (0 through 37), a metal ball, and a betting table. Players make a bet by predicting which number/s they think the ball will land on. The dealer then spins the wheel and drops the ball. Once the wheel stops spinning, where the ball lands will determine if the player wins. Simple and effective!
However, despite this core structure, there are multiple variants of online roulette available. None of these stray too far away from the standard game, but each does put its own unique twist on roulette:
American Roulette
American roulette is based on the European variant but adds an extra pocket to the wheel. European games have a single zero (“0”) pocket, whereas American roulette has a “0” and a double-zero (“00”) pocket. Sure, this is a small change, but it makes the house edge on American games 5.26%. It also gives this variant a smaller buy-in price.
European Roulette
This variant is perfect for new online roulette players who want to mix simplicity with better odds. European roulette has a house edge of just 2.7%, making it a better option than American tables if you want more frequent payouts. However, you will often have to pay a higher minimum bet to play European roulette games.
French Roulette
One for experienced players, French roulette is not as common but can be found at some US online casinos. The big difference from European roulette is the French variant adds the “en prison” and “la partage” bets. Elsewhere, the game wheel and house edge (2.7%) are the same as European roulette.
100/1 Roulette
100/1 roulette is an XXL variant where wheels are merged together to create a super roulette wheel. There are 105 numbers on the “wheel”, including five green zero sections. You get three times as many chances to win but also higher odds of losing. The house edge is a not-too-favorable 7.14%, making this a variant for fun instead of chasing big wins.
Live Roulette
Online roulette is very convenient and has tons of advantages. Even so, all roulette players speak fondly of playing in a real casino setting. So, what if you could combine the convenience of online roulette with the authenticity of a land-based casino? Well, you can with live dealer roulette. These online live casino games stream from a casino studio with a real table, wheel, and, importantly, a real dealer.
Auto Roulette
Auto roulette is a live casino European variant that removes the human dealer but keeps the live stream of the table and wheel. The idea is to give players a faster-paced live game. Auto roulette is designed for high rollers who want to bet big limits and move from spin to spin with minimum fuss, all while retaining some realism from the live casino setting.
Double Bonus Spin Roulette
A popular online roulette variant from renowned developer IGT, Double Bonus Spin adds excitement to the classic game. Here you will see a unique bonus space on the wheel that is 50% wider than any other pocket. You have more of a chance of landing this bonus, and your bet will be a winner when you do. You can also choose to bet directly on the bonus pocket.
Multi-Wheel Roulette
If thrills and excitement are what you want, multi-wheel roulette is hard to beat. This variant features up to 8 different roulette wheels, all in play simultaneously. That means you have more chances to win on each spin, depending on the number of wheels. However, you’ll also need to bet across all wheels, which means having a higher wager outlay each spin.