Differences Between Las Vegas and Online Roulette

Roulette is one of the most popular table games in Las Vegas. It comes in four variants. The options are European Roulette, single zero roulette, double zero roulette, and triple zero roulette. The house edge increases by about 2.6% with every zero on the wheel. 

Online casinos do not have triple zero roulette. The options are generally European Roulette and American Roulette. The first game has one zero. The second has two. 

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Play free roulette at online casinos

Most casinos online allow players to try the games for free. No deposit is required for free roulette. This allows players to get the feel of the software and try different betting methods. 

The free roulette games play exactly the same as the real money ones. You do not need to give the online casino any personal information. It may be done anonymously. 

Most Las Vegas casinos stopped giving free table game lessons. If you find one with it, the game is usually craps

European Roulette is different in Las Vegas than it is at online casinos

In Las Vegas, European Roulette is single zero with some additional bets and la partage. When the ball lands on zero, even money bets only lose half when there is la partage. Even money bets are red, black, odd, even, high, and low. Atlantic City casinos have this rule in all double zero roulette games. 

Online casinos usually have European Roulette with only one zero. While the extra bets may be on the felt, the main difference from Las Vegas is that there is no la partage. 

No triple zero roulette at online casinos

Triple zero roulette started at Venetian and Palazzo in 2016. Within a few years, every Las Vegas Strip casino dealt it. Triple zero roulette is also found at 4 Queens, Binion’s, and Golden Nugget in downtown Las Vegas. Westgate is the only casino in the Las Vegas off-Strip or locals market with the game. 

Las Vegas is not the only casino market with triple zero roulette. We also found it in Maryland and Ohio. 

The house edge for triple zero roulette is 7.69%. That is almost triple a single zero game and 46% worse than double zero roulette. The house edge for single zero is 2.7%. The house advantage at double zero roulette is 5.26%.

Online casinos never deal triple zero roulette. The options are single zero and double zero.

Most online casinos deal single zero roulette

The two options at online casinos are usually European Roulette, which has one zero, and American Roulette, which has two zeros. There are 66 Las Vegas casinos that deal roulette. Of those, 65 have at least one double zero roulette table, with 33 having at least one triple zero roulette table. There are only 15 casinos in the Las Vegas market with at least one table of single zero or European Roulette.

The cheapest Las Vegas single zero roulette table is at Plaza. The minimum bet there is usually $15. It goes to $25 during busy hours. Treasure Island has $50 European Roulette upon request. All other Las Vegas casinos require at least $100 to play a form of single zero roulette.

The minimum bet for online roulette is usually $1. It may be as low as $0.10. Online casino players usually get a single zero game for the same minimum bet as double zero. This means there s never a reason to play double zero roulette online. Live dealer games at Bovada and Ignition Casino have the same $1 minimum bet as the video versions.

Live dealer roulette versus a real table

Most online casinos have live dealer roulette games. These tables have a real dealer and roulette wheel. Players make bets on a touch screen. This is like playing roulette on a live dealer stadium gaming system in a casino. Chips are bought electronically. Some major Las Vegas casinos have these games, while others have stadium gaming that is all electronic. 

When the player wins an online roulette spin, the chips are placed in their account immediately by the software. Losing bets automatically clear the online roulette table. The player then makes the same bet on the next spin with the click of the rebet button, or easily makes changes. 

At a live roulette game in Las Vegas, players buy into the game with cash. A set of colored chips are given to the player equal to that amount. The player uses these chips to make bets on the felt. The dealer must remove losing chips while taking the time to pay winning bets.

Online roulette is faster than live games

Online video roulette games may be played at any speed. Animation may be turned off or on. It can be played in fast or slow mode. It is all up to you. Live dealer games at online casinos play about the same speed as a real table. 

A Las Vegas casino takes at least a minute between spins cost times. That is because the dealer must manage the entire table, including taking losing bets, paying winning ones, selling chips, and coloring up chips at the end of a session. All of this slows the game down.

Even electronic roulette in a casino is slow. Most machines do not allow the player to speed it up. That is because there is a real wheel of a simulated one. A few heads-up machines allow the players to fast-forward to the end of a spin. This is the exception and not the rule. 

No free drinks at online casinos

One perk available at all Las Vegas casinos is not possible at online ones. All gamblers receive free drinks in Las Vegas. It is impossible to pull that off at an online casino. However, you never need to worry about how to get home after an online casino game. You are probably already there.

Play roulette online with your computer, phone, or tablet

You can play roulette online almost anywhere there is an internet connection. Software is available for Mac and Windows computers. There are also iOS and Android platforms. This means you can play at home or while you are waiting in places like airports or trains. Roulette is right at your fingertips when you are ready for action. 

Online casinos use crypto for deposits and withdrawals

Bitcoin ATM inside a Las Vegas casino

Online casinos accept many crypto deposit and withdrawal options. These include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Tether. Live casinos do not permit players to buy into games with Bitcoin or other cryptos. A few have Bitcoin ATMs. However, the fees can be 10% or worse. 

Online casinos offer roulette bonuses

Players who never had an account at a casino site qualify for a deposit bonus. Roulette is usually permitted as a game. Always read the terms and conditions to make sure. This increases your online roulette return by as much as one percent. 

There is one important rule when playing roulette online with a bonus. Do not make opposite bets. That violates the bonus rules. For example, betting red and black at the same time goes against the spirit of the bonus and may get you in trouble. You will never run into problems with a roulette bonus if you bet it in the same way you would at a normal table. 

Las Vegas roulette players only receive bonus offers once their action is known to the casino. This comes in the form of comps and rarely as a new player no-deposit bonus.

Comps

Las Vegas and online casinos offer comps when playing roulette. These tend to be different types of deals.

At a Las Vegas casino, a roulette player receives free drinks. If there is enough action, the casino may give the player free hotel rooms and food. There may even be some free table game chips involved.

Online casinos give players different types of comps than Las Vegas ones. In addition to new player bonuses, reload ones may be given to loyal players. There are also VIP programs to award players free chips based on the amount wagered at games. This works like a players club slot card does at a Las Vegas casino.

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John Mehaffey
John, a founding member of Advantage Media LLC, got his start in gaming as a prop player at online poker sites. He played online poker from 2001 to 2005. In 2004, he created a site that served as a directory for an online poker promotional method known as rakeback. He sold that site in 2006 and moved his family from Atlanta to Rapid City, SD to work for a similar company. They later moved to Las Vegas in 2010. John’s favorite game is full-pay video poker. His favorite table game is Ultimate Texas Hold’em, though he would rather play it in video form. Currently, John is best known for compiling blackjack and table game data including all Las Vegas and Clark County casinos.