Roulette, Blackjack: The Numbers That Reveal the House’s True Edge

European roulette has 37 pockets and a house edge of about 2.70%, compared with 5.26% for American roulette’s 38 pockets, where the extra zero lowers players’ odds without changing payouts. On the American wheel, the five-number basket bet covering 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 is even less favorable, with a 7.89% house edge. The “la partage” rule, which returns half the stake on zero for even-money bets on a single-zero wheel, reduces the edge to about 1.35%. The text then begins discussing blackjack, noting that basic strategy can reduce the house edge.