With the increasing popularity of online gaming, it is no surprise that casinos would take to this outlet. One of the exciting advantages to online gambling is that software providers can create variations of classic casino games—and roulette is no exception. Software providers have created a couple of variations to be offered along with standby favorites such as American Roulette and European Roulette.

Here we will take a look at how roulette stacks up online in terms of variations and their house edges.

Mini Roulette

This is a newer version created by software providers, and is not to be found in land-based casinos. This wheel only features the numbers 1 through 12 and 0. As a base rule in roulette, meaning it really is not roulette without certain base rules, if the ball lands in 0 all other bets lose. The small number of alternatives for the ball to land in cause the ball to land in 0 more often. Because of the greater chance of landing on 0, this variation has earned itself a house edge of 7.69%. This is a variation to avoid.

American Roulette

 This is the closest variation to standard roulette. In fact it is this variation that most refer to when they are referring to roulette. This is version of online roulette is pretty much the same as its land-based counterpart in that it uses a thirty eight pocket wheel with 0 and 00 pockets. And also like its land-based counterpart, the online version carries the same house edge of 5.26%. If there are other versions to play, other than Mini Roulette, avoid this one.

European Roulette

Online European Roulette is the same also pretty much the same as its land-based counterpart, and it still carries a house edge of 2.7%. It still has thirty seven pockets and only one 0 pocket. The house edge is lower for two reasons: 1. There are more options for the ball to land in instead of 0 than Mini Roulette, and 2. There is only one 0 that would wipe out all other bets, whereas Online American Roulette has two zero pockets to ruin all other bets. Since American and European can be found at most online casinos, this version of online roulette is the most advisable version to play.

French Roulette

While there is a non-computer game version of French Roulette, it is not really to be found in land-based casinos anymore. It has experienced a bit of a revival online. It still is not widely found but that is probably because of the incredible house edge it carries: 1.35%. This lower house edge is from a variation-specific rule called La Partage. Under this rule, if the ball lands in 0, half of all even money bets are returned to the players who made those bets. Even money bets are wagers placed in the following betting spaces: 1-18, 19-36, Red, Black, Even and Odd. So if you can find this variation of online roulette it would be advisable to play it. If you cannot find it, stick with Online European Roulette.