Understanding the House Edge
The house edge is the mathematical advantage the casino holds over every player, expressed as a percentage of each bet. In European roulette, the house edge is 2.70% - meaning for every £100 wagered, the casino expects to keep £2.70 in the long run.
This edge comes entirely from the single zero. The wheel has 37 pockets (1–36 plus 0), but payouts are calculated as if there were only 36. A straight-up bet pays 35:1 - one unit short of the true odds of 36:1. That one-unit gap across all 37 possible outcomes is exactly 1/37 = 2.70%.
Complete Odds Table - Every Bet Type
Every bet in European roulette carries the same 2.70% house edge. The table below shows the exact probability, payout, and expected value for each bet type. This is the core data used by every serious roulette player.
| Bet | Covers | Payout | Win Probability | House Edge | EV on £10 bet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Up | 1/37 | 35:1 | 2.70% | 2.70% | −£0.27 |
| Split | 2/37 | 17:1 | 5.41% | 2.70% | −£0.27 |
| Street | 3/37 | 11:1 | 8.11% | 2.70% | −£0.27 |
| Corner | 4/37 | 8:1 | 10.81% | 2.70% | −£0.27 |
| Six Line | 6/37 | 5:1 | 16.22% | 2.70% | −£0.27 |
| Dozen | 12/37 | 2:1 | 32.43% | 2.70% | −£0.27 |
| Column | 12/37 | 2:1 | 32.43% | 2.70% | −£0.27 |
| Red / Black | 18/37 | 1:1 | 48.65% | 2.70% | −£0.27 |
| Odd / Even | 18/37 | 1:1 | 48.65% | 2.70% | −£0.27 |
| 1–18 / 19–36 | 18/37 | 1:1 | 48.65% | 2.70% | −£0.27 |
Key Insight: All Bets Are Equal
Every single bet in European roulette - from Straight Up to Red/Black - carries exactly the same 2.70% house edge. There is no "best bet" and no "sucker bet" (unlike American roulette's five-number basket bet at 7.89%). Choose the bet type that matches your risk preference, not any notion of better odds.
RTP: What 97.3% Actually Means
The Return to Player (RTP) of 97.3% is a long-run statistical average, not a guarantee per session. Over a large number of spins (tens of thousands), the actual return will converge towards 97.3p per £1 wagered. Over a short session of 50–100 spins, variance dominates - you might be significantly up or down.
- Short sessions: High variance. Individual results dominate. You can easily win or lose 50% of your bankroll in 100 spins.
- Long sessions: The 2.70% edge becomes increasingly significant. After 10,000 spins at £10/spin, expected loss = £2,700.
- The 97.3% is cumulative across all players at all tables - not a promise to any individual player.
Expected Value Calculation
Expected value (EV) is the average outcome of a bet, calculated as:
For a £10 straight-up bet: EV = (1/37 × £350) − (36/37 × £10) = £9.459 − £9.730 = −£0.27
This −£0.27 on a £10 bet is exactly 2.70%. The calculation produces the same result for every bet type - confirming that European roulette's house edge is uniformly 2.70%.
European vs American Roulette Odds
The practical difference between European and American roulette odds is substantial:
| Metric | European (Single Zero) | American (Double Zero) |
|---|---|---|
| Pockets | 37 | 38 |
| House Edge | 2.70% | 5.26% |
| RTP | 97.30% | 94.74% |
| Red/Black Win Prob. | 48.65% | 47.37% |
| Straight Up Win Prob. | 2.70% | 2.63% |
| Expected loss per 100 £10 spins | £27 | £52.60 |
See our full European vs American roulette comparison for more detail.
What Affects Variance?
While the house edge is fixed, your session's variance - how much your balance swings up and down - depends entirely on which bets you place:
- High variance (exciting but risky): Straight up bets. Win at 2.70% frequency for 35× return. Long losing streaks are expected and normal.
- Medium variance: Dozens and columns (32.43% win frequency, 2:1 payout). Lose more often than you win, but losses are smaller.
- Low variance (steady): Even-money bets (Red/Black, etc). Win 48.65% of spins. Smallest swings but identical edge.
The simulator's statistics panel tracks your actual return over your session, letting you see how variance plays out versus the theoretical 97.3% RTP. See also roulette statistics and probability.
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