---
title: 'Is American Roulette Useless?'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=b-C7YYKVSWY'
video_id: 'b-C7YYKVSWY'
date: 2026-07-24
duration_sec: 574
channel: 'Ninja Gamblers'
---

# Is American Roulette Useless?

> Source: [Is American Roulette Useless?](https://youtube.com/watch?v=b-C7YYKVSWY)

## Summary

This video explores why American roulette, despite having nearly double the house edge of European roulette, remains popular. It explains the differences between the two versions, the reasons players choose American roulette, and when the extra zero actually matters.

### Key Points

- **House Edge Comparison** [02:09] — European roulette has a 2.7% house edge (one zero), while American roulette has a 5.26% house edge (two zeros). French roulette, with la partage rule, has a 1.35% house edge.
- **Reasons to Play American Roulette** [03:07] — Three reasons: (1) It's the only option in most US casinos. (2) Casinos prefer it for higher profit. (3) Many casual players don't know or care about the difference.
- **When the Extra Zero Matters** [06:40] — For casual players with small bankrolls, the extra zero has minimal impact (e.g., $8/hour extra loss on $10 bets). For serious players with large bankrolls and strategies, the double house edge is devastating.
- **Importance of Regulated Casinos** [04:01] — At unregulated casinos, house edge is irrelevant because they may not honor payouts. Always play at verified, licensed casinos.

### Conclusion

American roulette is not useless for casual players, but serious players should avoid it due to the higher house edge. Always play at regulated casinos.

## Transcript

pair of shoes, but one is double the price, would you grab the more expensive one? If you said, "Of course not. I'm not an absolute muppet." then we can say you'd never take the worst deal, right? But, what if the double price shoes were
the only ones available? This, ninjas, is a story about American roulette. American roulette has two zeros, which means double the house edge. So, why would anyone ever bother playing? [music] As it turns out, there are a few
reasons, and American roulette might not be as useless as you [music] think. So, today we're talking about the differences between American and European roulette, [music] and why many players end up buying the
expensive shoe, I mean, playing at the American wheel. >> Welcome to Ninja Gamblers, where we break down the smartest strategies for roulette, blackjack, craps, and baccarat. If you're into table games,
join our free community. You'll get all the charts we use, exclusive content, discussions with fellow ninjas, and member-only bonuses. It's free, private, and takes 10 seconds to join. Link in the description and first comment.
>> Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, let's get one thing straight right away. [music] It doesn't matter if you play at American, European, French, or wheel from Timbuktu. If you play roulette at an unregulated, unlicensed [music]
casino, the number of zeros makes no difference. The casino can steal your [music] bets and refuse your payouts for the simple reason that they can. And the scary thing is, they do. That's why we've created a curated list of casinos
that we've personally researched and risked our own money to play, so we can [music] you. Please, ninjas, protect your money and
your sanity and only play at the safe casinos from our list. [music] The link is pinned in the first comment, in the description, and on the screen now. It's extra. Let's go over the house edge. European
identical. They both have 36 regular red and black numbers, but European roulette has one green pocket, the zero. And American green pocket, the zero. And American roulette has two, a single and a double
You might think it doesn't make much of a difference, but it does. And that's the whole point. European roulette, with only one zero, has a 2.7% house edge. And American roulette, with two zeros, has a 5.26% [music] house
edge. That's nearly double. On that note, French roulette, which is identical to the single zero roulette wheel, has a 1.35% [music] house edge, thanks to the la partage rule, which returns half your even money
bet if you land on zero. That's one gem. Given this clear, readily available information, why would [music] anyone ever pay double the price, aka play American roulette? There are three
reasons. Firstly, if you're playing roulette in the US, [music] it's pretty much the only option. I mean, it makes sense, right? American roulette in that checks [music] out. Depending on the area, they might even greet you with
a howdy, too. [music] If you've already put on the blazer and gelled your hair, you're not going to go home because American roulette is the only option. American roulette is the only option. You're going to stay and play. But, why
would a casino only offer [music] American roulette? That's an easy one, green pockets means double [music] the paycheck. So, why wouldn't they only offer the American version? On that note, [music] there is also a triple
zero roulette, which has a 7.69% house edge, even worse. find. Although, if you're playing at an unregulated [music] casino online, the house edge is irrelevant because they wouldn't honor your payout anyway.
[music] Again, ninjas, that's why it's so important that you only play at safe, guaranteed fair casinos like the ones we've [music] personally verified in our list. Another reason American casinos focus on American roulette is, well,
that's how it's always been. Why change a good thing? We always love Pizza Express, so [music] why go to Domino's? Know what I mean? Gambling first spread across the US in the 19th century. And from that time,
standard. Across the pond in Europe, however, casinos wanted to attract more players, so they sliced off a zero [music] to make the newer, more delicious European roulette wheel. Call me cheesy, but
wait, are we still talking about pizza? American operators also wanted to attract more players, but they focused on free drinks instead. And hey, that works, too. Possibly even better. The US is the home of Vegas, after all. Does
all this mean you won't ever find a European or French roulette wheel in an American casino? Not necessarily. They're out there, but they're usually hidden in high-limit rooms [music] along with caviar and a 2010 Chateau Petrus,
or available with substantially higher minimum bets. Let's imagine for a sec that a US casino has American, European, and French roulette on the floor. And they have the same table minimum.
Why then are both tables bustling with players? Who would ever choose the American version if they had the choice? Because if you're a casual player saying, "Yeah, mate, let's do it." when
your buddy suggests going to the casino, you simply won't care. Many recreational fun. They're not concerned with the double zero. And honestly, many players don't even know the difference. They're not
trying to optimize their game like you are, a ninja and member of our community. They're just having fun. And that's okay. Oh, joined our community yet, [music] do it now. You receive heaps more free tips on
how to master roulette, and it's free. Click on the link on the screen. We know at this point that American roulette has double the house edge, >> and it's the most prevalent type of roulette in US casinos. You might
naturally think the point of this video [music] is to tell you to run away as fast as you can from the roulette wheel. But you know what? That's not what I'm going to tell you. [music] The truth is, it pretty much
doesn't matter, even for ninjas. Let [music] me explain. Not every roulette session is a ride or die that's on the line, high stakes [music] moment. If you're like that guy who went to the casino to hang out with his friends,
and [music] you have a dedicated bankroll that you're happy to lose for the experience, the increased house edge [music] really isn't going to affect you that much. Realistically, over 2 hours of play with $10 bets and roughly 40
spins per hour, you'll only lose on average $8 an hour. >> Not to sound blasé, but who cares? You're having a good time. It's not going to hurt you that badly. If you're a serious player, however, that's a
different story. Let's say you're rolling in with a Drake and his crew, >> flashing a massive bankroll, and planning on using meticulous strategies returns. Then, you'll have a problem.
That's when the extra zero creeps in and [music] has noticeable, devastating consequences. And for the record, that's not an exaggeration for effect. We use learn them all for free when you join our community.
So, do it now. But for the casual, everyday guy or gal hanging out and slinging [music] a few bets, don't worry about it. Your bankroll won't suffer too Just enjoy the American wheel [music] and have a Budweiser while you're at it,
here, here's the truth about the American roulette wheel. Yes, it has a nearly double house edge. Yes, you should avoid it like the plague when playing with a large bankroll and using loss minimizing
strategies from our free community. But if you're a casual player using smaller bets, the losses from the extra zero won't be anything major. You'll barely even notice it. So, go ahead and play. Before I sign off,
if you're playing online, don't forget to do your due diligence and verify the legitimacy of the online casino you're playing at. If you would rather save time researching, just [music] choose a casino from our pre-vetted list, which
is linked on the screen, [music] in the comments, and in the description. It automatically opens to the casinos available in your country. And [music] they're guaranteed to honor payouts and operate with regulated, fair gaming
software. Also, join our community. Click the link now. It's completely free, and you will level up your game in ways you never thought possible. And as always, remember to play smart like a
true ninja. Thanks for watching. See you next time.