Mini roulette vs European roulette

Mini roulette vs European roulette: the headline difference

Both games use one green zero, and both pay winning bets slightly less than the true odds. The difference is scale. On a wheel of 37 pockets the single zero is a small slice of the action; on a wheel of 13 pockets the same single zero is almost three times as large a share. That is the whole story of mini roulette's higher price, and the rest of this comparison simply puts numbers on it.

How the mini roulette wheel and bets work

The version analysed by the Wizard of Odds mini roulette page (opens in a new tab) is Playtech's. Its wheel holds 13 pockets, numbered 0 to 12, and the betting layout shrinks to match. A single number pays 11 to 1, a split 5 to 1, a row (and the 0-1-2 and 0-2-3 groups) 3 to 1, and columns, squares and 0-1-2-3 pay 2 to 1.

Even-money bets cover six of the twelve numbers: red, black, odd, even, 1-6, 4-9 and 7-12. That 4-9 bet has no equivalent on the full wheel and simply takes the middle half of the numbers. Our mini roulette guide has more on the layout.

How European roulette bets compare

European roulette uses 37 pockets and the familiar payouts: 35 to 1 on a straight-up bet, 17 to 1 on a split, 11 to 1 on a street, 8 to 1 on a corner, 5 to 1 on a six line, 2 to 1 on a dozen or column and even money on red, black, odd, even, 1-18 and 19-36. Every one of those bets loses 1/37 of the stake on average, which is 2.70%.

Notice that 11 to 1, the mini wheel's single-number payout, is what the European wheel pays for a three-number street. In both games the payout is set as though the zero did not exist, so the zero's share of the wheel becomes the casino's margin.

House edge maths: mini roulette vs European roulette odds

Take a £1 single number on each wheel and count outcomes.

• European: you win £35 once in 37 spins and lose £1 the other 36 times. Net: 35 − 36 = −£1 over 37 spins, or −2.70% per spin.
• Mini (InBet and most versions): you win £11 once in 13 spins and lose £1 the other 12 times. Net: 11 − 12 = −£1 over 13 spins, or −7.69% per spin.
• Mini with a half-loss rule on zero (Playtech as modelled): you win £11 once, lose £1 eleven times and lose only 50p when zero lands. Net: 11 − 11 − 0.5 = −50p over 13 spins, or −3.85% per spin.

That third line needs a caution. The analysis that gives 3.85% notes that the half-loss rule it modelled contradicts the game's own help file. Bets that cover zero never get the half-loss treatment and stay at 7.69%. So treat 3.85% as the best case and 7.69% as the figure to expect unless the help screen clearly says otherwise. InBet's version has a flat 7.69% on every bet.

Why mini roulette feels better than it is

A single number hits once every 13 spins on the mini wheel against once every 37 on the full wheel. That frequency is real, and it can make mini roulette feel friendlier. But hit rate and cost are separate things. The payout falls from 35 to 1 to 11 to 1 to match the smaller wheel, and then falls a little further than fairness would require, because the zero's share of the wheel has grown.

Fair odds on a 13-pocket wheel would be 12 to 1 for a single number. Paying 11 to 1 instead removes one unit in thirteen. On the European wheel, fair odds would be 36 to 1, and paying 35 to 1 removes one unit in thirty-seven. The roulette odds page shows the same reasoning for every bet, and our guide to probability in casino games explains counting outcomes.

What each game costs in pounds

Expected loss equals stake × house edge × spins. RNG games run at different speeds, so the table assumes 100 spins purely to make comparison easy.

At £1 a spin, 100 spins of mini roulette cost about £7.69 on average on most versions, nearly three times the £2.70 of European roulette. These are long-run averages; a session of 100 spins can end well up or well down. Over time, the house edge means losses are the likely result in both games, but the mini wheel gets there faster.

Common myths about mini roulette

• "Fewer numbers means better odds." Fewer numbers means more frequent wins, but the house edge is what decides cost, and it is higher.
• "You can cover the whole mini wheel cheaply." Covering every number still loses the house edge on the total staked.
• "A number is due after a dry spell." Every spin is independent; see our gambler's fallacy page.
• "Doubling up wins it back faster on a small wheel." The Martingale leaves the edge exactly where it was, and table limits still stop the sequence.

How to check a roulette game before you play

1. Open the help screen and count the pockets: 13 for mini, 37 for European, 38 for American.
2. Read the single-number payout: 11 to 1 on mini, 35 to 1 on European.
3. Look for any zero rule, such as a half-loss on mini or La Partage on French tables.
4. Check the RTP shown on the game's help or information screen.
5. Work out your cost: stake × house edge × the spins you plan to play.
6. Set a deposit limit that matches that figure before you start.

RNG mini roulette vs live European roulette

Mini roulette is mainly an RNG game. European roulette runs both as RNG and as live tables with a real wheel. In Great Britain, the Gambling Commission's RTS 7 standard on random outcomes (opens in a new tab) says a simulated device must match the theoretical probabilities of the real one, so a fair 13-pocket RNG wheel gives each pocket a 1 in 13 chance. Our RNG vs live roulette page and live roulette guide cover the differences in pace and feel.

Verdict: mini roulette or European roulette?

For cost-conscious players, European roulette wins easily; better still on even-money bets is a French roulette table with La Partage at 1.35%. For players who value quick, frequent hits and accept paying more for them, mini roulette is a deliberate trade, but keep stakes small. Compare other wheels in our European vs American roulette breakdown, browse every casino game comparison, or go back to the roulette hub.

UK rules that apply to both games

Roulette is not covered by the £5 and £2 online slot stake limits. Autoplay is banned for all online casino games, non-slot games must allow at least 5 seconds per game cycle, and casinos must display net spend and time spent as you play. Age and identity checks are required before you deposit, and credit cards cannot be used. If you would like to talk about your gambling, GamCare (opens in a new tab) answers the National Gambling Helpline free on 0808 8020 133, and our deposit limits guide explains how to cap spending.

Where to play mini roulette or European roulette

Roulette and our partner welcome offers do not line up neatly: Coral's offer is slot spins, 10bet's match must be wagered on slots, and Casumo's has game restrictions, so roulette is often excluded or counts for less. 18+ and terms apply.

• Casumo: opt in for a 50% bonus up to £100 on a £20+ first deposit; wager the bonus 10x within 7 days with a £5 maximum bet.
• 10bet: pick the casino offer at sign-up and deposit within 7 days for a 100% match up to £25; 10x on slots within 3 days, winnings capped at £1,000, Skrill and Neteller excluded.
• Coral: bet £10 on slots and get 100 free spins (10p each, selected games, accept within 48 hours, use within 7 days, no wagering on winnings); some payment methods are excluded.

Check each casino's game lobby to see which roulette wheels it offers, and read the help screen to confirm pockets and payouts.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.