Why roulette is popular at crypto casinos
Roulette is simple to learn, fast to play, and widely available in three flavors: European (single zero), American (double zero), and French (single zero with special even-money rules). The key differences affect your odds but not the posted payouts, which is why choosing the right wheel matters more than it first appears. European’s single zero yields a 2.70% house edge, while American’s extra 00 lifts it to 5.26%.
Wheel basics: European vs American vs French
European roulette uses numbers 0–36 with one green 0. American roulette adds 00, which increases losing outcomes for player bets without changing payouts, doubling the house edge compared with European. French roulette is a single-zero wheel that typically offers la partage or en prison on even-money bets, rules that can halve the edge on those specific bets when zero appears.
Even within American roulette, some tables apply “half-back” on even-money bets when 0 or 00 hits (an Atlantic City variation), trimming the edge on those bets to about 2.63% while other bets remain 5.26%. Always read the table rules.
Full payout chart: inside and outside bets
The table below shows standard payouts you’ll see on both European and American wheels; what changes is your true chance of winning because of the extra 00 on American.
| Bet type | What it covers | Standard payout |
|---|---|---|
| Even-money: Red/Black, Odd/Even, 1–18/19–36 | 18 numbers | 1:1 |
| Dozens (1–12, 13–24, 25–36) | 12 numbers | 2:1 |
| Columns | 12 numbers in a column | 2:1 |
| Six line (double street) | 6 numbers | 5:1 |
| Corner (square) | 4 numbers | 8:1 |
| Street (row of 3) | 3 numbers | 11:1 |
| Split | 2 adjacent numbers | 17:1 |
| Straight up | 1 number | 35:1 |
These figures match typical casino and rules pages; they are the same across wheels even though probabilities differ.
Special American bet to avoid: the five-number bet on 0-00-1-2-3 carries a 7.89% house edge, much worse than the usual 5.26% on American layouts.
House edge, zero rules, and why “French” tables can be friendlier
On a single-zero wheel, la partage refunds half your stake on even-money bets if zero lands, cutting the edge on those specific bets from 2.70% to 1.35%. En prison is a related rule that locks your even-money bet for the next spin when zero hits, also reducing the edge. Check the game info to see which rule applies.
If your crypto casino offers American with a half-back rule on even-money bets when 0/00 appears, those even-money wagers improve to about a 2.63% edge against you while all other wagers remain at the standard American rates.
Live roulette vs RNG vs provably fair in crypto casinos
Live roulette streams a real wheel from a studio; outcomes come from physical spins you watch on camera. RNG roulette is fully digital, with results produced by a certified random number generator; accredited labs like eCOGRA test that these RNGs are unpredictable and unbiased and audit them for ongoing compliance.
Some crypto sites add a provably fair layer for digital roulette: the casino commits to a hidden server seed, combines it with your client seed and a nonce to produce the spin, then reveals the server seed so you can recompute and verify that the result wasn’t altered post-bet. Documentation and explainers outline this seed-and-hash process step by step.
A smaller set of on-chain games use verifiable randomness functions; Chainlink VRF generates random values with a cryptographic proof that is verified on-chain before use, enabling auditable roulette draws in smart-contract settings.
Bitcoin and Lightning: what changes and what doesn’t
Using BTC or Lightning affects funding speed, not roulette math. On-chain Bitcoin transactions confirm on roughly 10-minute block intervals, so deposits can take confirmations to credit; Lightning provides near-instant, low-fee transfers when supported. The wheel’s payouts and house edge do not change with currency.
If you are playing under UK rules, operators must verify your age and identity before you gamble—this applies regardless of whether you pay in fiat or crypto—and they should not delay routine checks until withdrawal if they could have asked earlier.
Quick start: a simple plan for beginners
- Prefer European or French single-zero wheels over American double-zero to reduce the house edge. If available, la partage or en prison makes even-money bets friendlier.
- Stick to standard outside bets at first (red/black, odd/even, 1–18/19–36) to learn pace and bankroll management before moving to inside bets. Payouts are lower, but volatility is lower too.
- Avoid the American five-number bet (0-00-1-2-3) due to its steep 7.89% edge.
- For digital roulette, look for an RNG certificate (e.g., eCOGRA). For crypto-native games, learn how the site’s provably fair page lets you set a client seed and verify past spins.
- If you plan to fund with BTC on-chain, deposit ahead of time or use Lightning to avoid missing a table while you wait for confirmations.
FAQs
What’s the single most important choice I can make as a beginner?
Pick a single-zero wheel. The reduction from 5.26% to 2.70% house edge adds up fast over many spins.
Do European and American wheels pay different amounts?
No. Payouts such as 35:1 for a straight and 17:1 for a split are the same; the extra 00 on American reduces your probability of hitting, increasing the house edge.
What exactly is la partage or en prison?
They are French rules that protect even-money bets when zero lands by returning half your stake (la partage) or locking it for the next spin (en prison), cutting the edge on those bets.
Is provably fair better than RNG certification?
They do different things. RNG certification checks the randomness engine and compliance; provably fair lets you verify each spin after the fact using seeds and hashes. Some casinos offer both.
Does using Bitcoin change my odds?
No. Currency affects payments and confirmation times, not payouts or house edge.
