European Roulette Cheat Sheet
European roulette is the cleanest version of the game and the one most cheat sheets default to. It uses a wheel with 37 pockets: numbers 1 through 36 plus a single zero. Every standard bet pays the same as on the American table, but because there are 37 pockets instead of 38, your chance of winning is slightly higher.
The flat house edge is 2.70% across the board, regardless of which bet you pick. That makes it easy to compare bets directly: payout × probability gives the same expected return everywhere on the table.
- 0 One green zero pocket
- Inside bets: straight up, split, street, corner, six line
- Outside bets: red/black, odd/even, high/low, dozens, columns
- Single-zero wheel sequence, covered on its own page
How to Play European Roulette
One round of European roulette is short and follows the same rhythm at every table:
- Buy chips. Hand cash to the dealer, who exchanges it for colored "wheel chips" unique to your seat.
- Place bets. Put chips on any inside numbers, splits, corners, dozens, columns or even-money sections of the table layout. Multiple bets per spin are allowed.
- "No more bets". Once the dealer waves a hand or calls "rien ne va plus", betting stops. Late chips are pushed off the layout.
- Spin and drop. The dealer spins the wheel one way and the ball the other. The ball drops into a numbered pocket.
- Marker and payout. The dealer places a marker (the "dolly") on the winning number, sweeps losing chips, then pays the winners.
- Cash out anytime. Push your wheel chips toward the dealer between spins to convert them back to regular casino chips.
European Roulette Rules
The rules below apply to almost every European single-zero table, online or in a physical casino. House-specific variations (table limits, side rules, call bets offered) are always posted on the table sign.
- Wheel: 37 pockets, numbers 1-36 plus a single green 0.
- Pocket colors: 18 red, 18 black, 1 green (the zero).
- Bet timing: chips must be placed before the dealer announces no more bets. Late bets are voided.
- Table limits: each table sets a minimum and maximum stake, usually different for inside and outside bets.
- Inside vs outside: on a win, inside bets return stake plus payout; outside bets return the payout while the stake stays on the layout for the next spin unless you remove it.
- Zero: when 0 lands, all outside and most inside bets lose. Some European tables offer La Partage on even-money bets - check the sign.
- Payouts: standard 35:1 down to 1:1, listed in the payout table above.
- One winning pocket per spin: every bet on the layout is resolved against that single pocket.
Why European Roulette Is the Standard Cheat Sheet Version
European roulette is the version most cheat sheets and strategy guides default to for two practical reasons:
- Lower house edge. 2.70% versus 5.26% on American roulette means the long-term cost per spin is roughly half.
- Cleaner math. Every probability is a fraction with 37 in the denominator. A straight-up bet is 1/37. An even-money bet is 18/37. A dozen or column is 12/37.
If you are learning roulette odds for the first time, European is the table to study and the table to play whenever it is available.
European Roulette Payout Table
| Bet | Numbers Covered | Payout | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | 1 | 35:1 | 1/37 ≈ 2.70% |
| Split | 2 | 17:1 | 2/37 ≈ 5.41% |
| Street | 3 | 11:1 | 3/37 ≈ 8.11% |
| Corner | 4 | 8:1 | 4/37 ≈ 10.81% |
| Six line | 6 | 5:1 | 6/37 ≈ 16.22% |
| Column | 12 | 2:1 | 12/37 ≈ 32.43% |
| Dozen | 12 | 2:1 | 12/37 ≈ 32.43% |
| Red / Black | 18 | 1:1 | 18/37 ≈ 48.65% |
| Odd / Even | 18 | 1:1 | 18/37 ≈ 48.65% |
| High / Low | 18 | 1:1 | 18/37 ≈ 48.65% |
Notice that the even-money bets are not 50/50. The single zero takes about 2.7% of the probability and is why no even-money bet can ever quite be a coin flip.
Inside Bets vs Outside Bets
Inside bets are placed on individual numbers or small groups of numbers inside the main number grid. They pay more (8:1 to 35:1) but hit less often.
Outside bets are placed around the edge of the grid and cover larger groups (dozens, columns, red/black). They pay less (1:1 to 2:1) but hit more often.
A common mistake is thinking that outside bets are safer in a meaningful sense. Over time, every bet on a European wheel has the same 2.70% expected loss. Outside bets simply spread that loss over more small results.
Strategy Notes for European Roulette
Because the house edge is lower on European roulette than American roulette, betting systems do a little less damage here - but they still do not change the underlying math.
- Martingale works the same way: double after a loss. The risk of a long losing streak hitting a table limit is still real.
- D'Alembert is gentler on the bankroll because increments are linear, not exponential.
- Fibonacci sits between the two.
- Voisins du Zero and other sector bets are mostly used on European and French tables.
For the exact returns on each bet on this table, see the European roulette payouts chart. For the physical pocket order, see the European roulette wheel sequence. For the felt grid itself, see the European roulette table layout. Wheel-based groupings are covered on the European roulette wheel sectors page.
Responsible gambling note: Roulette is a negative expectation game. Cheat sheets and strategy guides help you understand bets, payouts and risk, but no system removes the house edge. Only play with money you can afford to lose, and stop when play stops feeling controlled.
Related Guides
For odds, payouts, wheel layouts and betting systems across every variant, return to the complete roulette cheat sheet hub.