The additional pocket brings the house edge score to 5.26% compared to a house edge of 2.70% in European roulette. The additional pocket on the American roulette wheel can make all the difference when it comes to winning odds. The European roulette wheel is comprised of 37 pockets, numbered from 0 to 36, whereas, the American roulette wheel has 38 pockets, with the additional pocket being labelled as double zero (00). So, the main difference between the two variants is the roulette wheel itself. The two main variants of the game are: European Roulette and American Roulette, but what is the difference between the two? The Roulette Wheel The game is simple to learn, but can be difficult to master, given that there are many different variants of the game. Playing roulette online has grown in popularity hugely over recent years, which is no surprise given that it is one of the most popular casino games in the world.