European Roulette vs American Roulette at Joe Fortune

It’s such a breeze to get online and play Joe Fortune Roulette these days that if I told you the game started off as a complex pursuit in mathematics, you’d claim I was pulling your leg. Blaise Pascal was a French inventor who tried to make a perpetual motion machine, meaning that the mechanics wouldn’t require outside energy in order to function and instead would generate its own (and failed, obviously, since it’s physically impossible). Now, that ambitious 17th Century contraption from 1655 is considered the first ever Roulette wheel. So far from an unmitigated failure by 1796, the Parisians had caught wind of the design, and Roulette was soaring in popularity.

It was also close to this time that French migrants transported their wheels to New Orleans in the US of A. With only 31 pockets (instead of today’s 38) and a big ‘Merican Eagle, you mightn’t have even recognised it. The Eagle was soon set free, and considered synonymous with the house edge as it crept up to over 12%, and who’d work with those numbers? 

Once the internet got itself rolling with online casinos all the way back in 1996 (which was just a few weeks ago to someone of my vintage), Roulette may have been slower to arrive in its digital shoes than its slots and Blackjack cousins, but once it got there, the game would never again spin on quite the same axis.

As I strive to deliver to you the best gaming experience you’ve ever had, and because your standards of modern technology are rightfully high, As you know from all types of Joe Fortune table games, I bring you the Joe Fortune Roulette that provides just as much comfort and satisfaction as your own well-loved recliner. Plus, unlike the folks from the 1700-1900s who had no say in the matter, I’ve given you all of today’s conveniences and flavours; European or American; desktop or mobile; optimised and beautifully interfaced, and so on. It’s a pretty good time for punters to be alive, right? 

Now that I’ve piqued your interest with European vs. American Roulette, you’ll be wondering just what the difference is between the two versions, and most importantly, if one version has better payday potential than the other. 

Needless to say, I’m something of an expert at my own games, particularly our star of the evening: Joe Fortune Roulette. And as your humble host with the Vegemite toast, I’m stoked to guide you through these two little beauties that shine among my Joe Fortune table games. You’ll be right at ease when you join and deposit now to play the version that most pumps you up.  

House Edge for European Roulette

I’ll tell you straight up that the house edge in European Roulette is the better of the two at only 2.7%. That’s the house edge you can expect for any bet you make on the table, including on one number, multiple numbers, or any even money bets.

The house edge comes down to the number of pockets on the table. When looking at a European Roulette wheel, you’ll notice there is one green zero (0). The rest of the wheel has 36 numbers that are alternating red and black, for a total of 37 pockets.  

By way of example only (as in, this is NOT a recommended betting strategy), let’s say you throw down a $5 bet on red and a $5 bet on black. That covers most of the wheel, and you’ll get your money back 36 out of 37 times. The one time you’ll lose all $10 is the 1 out of 37 chance it lands on the green zero. Let’s call that 1/37. 

Keep that number in mind (don’t worry, I’ll remind you), and take a look at American Roulette. 

House Edge for American Roulette

For Joe Fortune Roulette American style, the same 36 red and black pockets are there, but this time there are two green pockets with a zero (0) and a double zero (00), making a total of 38 pockets. 

Now take that same $10 bet on both red and black, and you’ll get your money back 36 out of 38 times. It’s still 36 times for a win, so it’s not so bad, right? Not so fast. Don’t forget about that extra pocket. 36/38 means that you’ll lose your entire bet 2 out of 38 times (2/38), which is twice as many losses as in European Roulette (1/37, remember?).

This difference affects the payouts, too. The highest payout in Joe Fortune Roulette for both versions is 35:1 when you bet on a single number (called Straight Up). In European Roulette with 37 total pockets, your odds are 1/37 to get a single number. In American Roulette your odds are 1/38 thanks to the extra pocket. Although the odds are worse in the American version, the payout is still 35:1 for each game! 

Now you can see that one extra, humble little 00 pocket in American Roulette actually makes a substantial difference for the outcome. The result is a house edge that’s 5.26%, nearly double that of the European version’s 2.6%.

Now that you know the house edge, you’ll need to know what that looks like for your bankroll over time. 

Compare the Potential Losses

To make it even more clear, this is what you can expect from these two house edges if you commit a portion of your bankroll to Joe Fortune Roulette over time. Keep in mind the same principles apply to the house edges in all Joe Fortune table games.

When the house edge is 2.7% like in European Roulette, you can expect to lose an average of $0.27 cents to the dollar per round. So let’s say over time you spend $100 on Joe Fortune European Roulette. That means you could expect to lose about $2.70 combined. That doesn’t sound so bad, right? But then look at it if you spend even more over a longer period of time, like $100,000. In this case you would lose an average of $2,700. 

On the other hand, if you bet $100 over time at Joe Fortune American Roulette, you would lose closer to $5.60 because of the 5.6% house edge. If you spend $100,000 over more time, you would give about $5,600 back to the house. That’s no small sum!  

American vs European Roulette: Which way do you spin?

To restate the bleedin’ obvious, European Roulette is superior when it comes to house edge and odds for you, there’s no way around it. In fact, the 2.6% house edge is pretty average when it comes to Joe Fortune table games in general, and 5.26% is, in truth, the highest of all. 

So, why would anyone choose to play American Roulette? The truth is, many players don’t research before they play. Maybe they don’t know about the higher house edge. Maybe it’s not important to them because they’re looking to get a few kicks and call it a night. Who am I to stop them?

I can tell you that if you want to start your Joe Fortune Roulette session off in the right wheelhouse, take those numbers and hit up the European version. You’re already ahead of the game with a better house edge, and you’ll see the difference in your bank account over time. 

Summary

France, not Fresno. Portugal, not Portland. Denmark, not Denver.

When it comes down to it, both versions of Joe Fortune Roulette are extremely popular around here. If you’re looking to kill a few minutes, or utilize some long term strategies to turn a profit over time, you can play Joe Fortune table games like American Roulette and European Roulette online at my glamorous establishment. Just grab your designated bankroll and go to the Joe Fortune table games section from either your PC or mobile. Select your bets, and spin away like a ballet dancer!