The House Edge
The house edge in roulette is the built-in mathematical advantage that produces casino profit over time. It is small per spin and large over thousands of them and it is the core reason no betting system beats roulette in the long run. This page covers how it works, how it is calculated, and which variants give players the lowest figure available.
What Is the House Edge?
The house edge is the average percentage of every bet the casino mathematically expects to retain over a large number of spins. It is not a guarantee on a single round any individual spin can win or lose. It is a long-run statistical average that becomes increasingly accurate as the spin count grows.
A 2.70% edge means that for every €100 wagered across thousands of spins, the casino expects to keep €2.70. The remaining €97.30 is returned to players on average. That puts roulette among the lower-edge casino games — and explains why variant choice carries so much weight.
How Is It Calculated?
The edge comes from one source: payouts are priced as if there are 36 numbers on the wheel, but the wheel actually holds 37 (European) or 38 (American). The extra zero pocket — paying 35:1 like any other number, but causing every outside bet to lose — is where the casino’s mathematical advantage lives.
European (straight-up): (37 − 35 − 1) ÷ 37 × 100 = 2.70%
American (straight-up): (38 − 35 − 1) ÷ 38 × 100 = 5.26%
The same calculation for any bet type on European roulette always returns 2.70% — payout scales exactly with the number of pockets covered.
La Partage changes this for even-money bets only: when zero lands, half the stake comes back. That effectively halves the edge from 2.70% to 1.35% — zero costs only half a bet on even-money positions instead of a full one.
House Edge by Variant
| Variant | Zero pockets | Total pockets | House edge | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Roulette + La Partage | 1 | 37 | 1.35% | Even-money bets only |
| European Roulette | 1 | 37 | 2.70% | All bets |
| American Roulette | 2 (0 + 00) | 38 | 5.26% | All bets |
| American — Five Number Bet | 2 | 38 | 7.89% | This specific bet only |
| Triple Zero / Mexican | 3 | 39 | 7.69% | All bets |
| No Zero Roulette | 0 | 36 | 0.00% (theoretical) | Promotional — rare, usually compensated elsewhere |
Does the Edge Change Per Bet Type?
No. On a European wheel, every standard bet carries exactly the same 2.70% edge. A straight-up at 35:1 and a red/black at 1:1 have identical expected value per euro staked. This is one of the most misunderstood facts in roulette.
| Bet type | Payout | Win % (EU) | House edge (EU) | Expected loss per €100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Up | 35:1 | 2.70% | 2.70% | €2.70 |
| Split | 17:1 | 5.41% | 2.70% | €2.70 |
| Street | 11:1 | 8.11% | 2.70% | €2.70 |
| Corner | 8:1 | 10.81% | 2.70% | €2.70 |
| Six Line | 5:1 | 16.22% | 2.70% | €2.70 |
| Dozen / Column | 2:1 | 32.43% | 2.70% | €2.70 |
| Even Money (EU) | 1:1 | 48.65% | 2.70% | €2.70 |
| Even Money (FR + La Partage) | 1:1 | 48.65% | 1.35% | €1.35 |
The only exception on a European wheel is La Partage on even-money bets — which genuinely halves the expected loss.
How to Reduce the House Edge
The edge in standard roulette can be minimised but not eliminated. Five actions have a direct mathematical impact:
More information about the betting options.
Comparison with Other Casino Games
Roulette’s edge holds up well against most casino games — particularly on a French table with La Partage. The table below puts it next to popular alternatives:
| Game | House edge | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| French Roulette + La Partage | 1.35% | Lowest in roulette — even-money bets only |
| Blackjack (optimal strategy) | 0.5% | Best overall edge — requires memorised correct play |
| Craps (Pass Line bet) | 1.41% | Comparable to French Roulette |
| European Roulette | 2.70% | Standard — every bet equal edge |
| Baccarat (Banker bet) | 1.06% | Low edge but 5% commission on wins reduces appeal |
| American Roulette | 5.26% | Avoid — double zero nearly doubles the edge |
| Slots | 4–10% | Varies widely by machine and operator |
| Keno | 25–40% | Very high edge — lottery-style |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the house edge the same on every roulette bet?
Yes — on a European wheel, every standard bet carries exactly 2.70% house edge. A straight-up number at 35:1 and a red/black bet at 1:1 have identical expected value per euro staked. The single exception is even-money bets on French Roulette with La Partage, where the edge drops to 1.35%.
Can I beat the house edge with a betting system?
No. Betting systems — Martingale, Fibonacci, D’Alembert, Labouchere — rearrange when and how much you win or lose per session, but they cannot change the underlying edge. Across a large enough sample, the casino always retains its 2.70% per euro wagered regardless of how stakes are structured. The full risk analysis for each system sits in the strategy index.
How much does the house edge cost per hour?
At €10/spin on a standard live table (~45 spins/hour): expected loss per hour = 45 × €10 × 2.70% = €12.15. On French Roulette with La Partage (even-money bets): 45 × €10 × 1.35% = €6.08. On American Roulette: 45 × €10 × 5.26% = €23.67. Variant choice saves or costs real money every hour at the table.
Does playing online vs land-based change the house edge?
No — the edge is the same online and land-based for the same variant. European Roulette is 2.70% whether played at a physical casino or an online live dealer table. What changes online is the spin rate: RNG roulette can process 200+ spins per hour versus 40–50 at a live table. A higher spin rate compresses the same edge into a shorter time frame. The deeper comparison sits in the online vs land-based breakdown.
What happens when zero lands without La Partage?
Every outside bet loses — red/black, odd/even, high/low, dozens, columns. Inside bets placed directly on zero pay 35:1 like any other number. Without La Partage or En Prison there is no partial refund. This is precisely what produces the 2.70% edge on a European wheel and the 5.26% edge on American.