What Roulette Version to Choose

Roulette comes in a handful of different variations. A game that’s been around for hundreds of years and maintained that level of popularity is bound to inspire some spinoffs. Just look at the Star Wars franchise. But with all those different options comes the task of deciding which one you want to play (or should play). This is similar to the headache that comes with all the online casino options you have as a player located in Australia. We had the latter as easy as it could be, so why not make the former easier too? Here’s an overview of the different variations, and why you should choose it (or not choose it.)

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French Roulette

Let’s start with our number one recommended variation. Oui, oui, the best one also happens to be the origin language of the game itself. Though it does seem to be the country or region it’s associated with when you compared it to the other options. What makes French Roulette so exciting is that it has the single green zero pocket (same as European but one less than American) that gives it the very small house edge of the 1 to 1 outside bets. However, the house edge on those bets comes down to the green zero pocket, and guess what? If the ball lands in the green zero, you’re refunded half your money! If a casino offers French Roulette (sometimes it’s not on the flash version but it is available in the download version at Microgaming and RTG casinos), ignore the other choices. Play that one.

European Roulette

European Roulette is the close second to French Roulette in terms of the three most popular and most standard options. European Roulette has a single green zero pocket, giving it the low house edge it’s famous for. The casino does not refund any portion of your money if the ball lands in that pocket. What some players do instead when they’re playing the outside betting area exclusively is to put a very low bet on the green zero space every spin. They do this so if the ball lands in that spot, they get a big payday, but if it doesn’t, they only lost a small amount. Insurance bets are not recommended. However, as it decreases your winnings when you guess right with the outside bets.

American Roulette

American Roulette is kind of like America itself. It promises riches, but the odds are stacked against you. With the two green zero pockets, American Roulette has twice the house edge of its European and French counterparts. This making it a choice only if French and European are not options, though they that’s pretty rare that you’ll only find one. Let the American players fall for the promise of patriotism and stick with the variations that are more likely to win you money.

Miniature Roulette

This is a weird little niche selection that you can find at some casinos, though the house edge is higher than even American Roulette. Why? Because the reel is significantly smaller, so the odds of the ball landing in the green pocket are incredibly likely. However, you could see some decent payouts if you bet on individual pockets, but the payout is about the same as if you just bet on four numbers with a single bet in standard Roulette. Mini Roulette is fun to try now and again, but it probably shouldn’t be your go-to unless the universe gave you the gift of Lady Luck whenever you play it.

Multi-Ball and Multi-Reel Roulette

Two more fun little arcade-style selections, Roulette with multiple balls and multiple reels are exactly how they sound. Rather than it being a single ball, there will be multiple balls of various colours, and each pay out individually on your bet. What’s interesting here is that the game is completely the same, so it’s a lot like multi-hand Video Poker or Blackjack. That is, if you just played normal Roulette a few times in a row, it would be the exact same results if you left your bet there. If you like to adjust your inside bets though, avoid these options. You have to cover the additional balls or reels with additional bets, so it just doesn’t make sense if you like to move chips around.