How to Play French Roulette: An Introduction to this variant

French roulette is one of the three main roulette variants, alongside European and American roulette. The game’s origins date back to 17th-century France. A French mathematician called Blaise Pascal is often credited for its early invention. Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to enjoy French roulette. It’s available in many different online casinos. Our guide will detail the differences in this version and how to play French roulette online. 

If you’re familiar with European roulette then you’ll know what the wheel and betting table look like. There is a wheel with 37 numbered pockets. These are numbers 1-36 plus a single 0.

The main differences between French roulette and European roulette are in the rules themselves. In French roulette, there are two additional rules. These are called ‘la partage,’ which means sharing, and ‘en prison,’ which means in prison.

When the ‘la partage’ rule is in play, it means that players who make an even-money bet (red/black or odd/even) get half of their bet back when the ball lands on zero as it is classed as neither red, black, odd or even.

The ‘en prison’ rule also applies to when the ball lands in zero. This means the player’s even-money bet is kept in place for the next spin to give them an additional chance to win. Because of these two rules, the house edge on French roulette is lower.

Here is a table showing the different variants: 

French roulette is quite straightforward. If you’re going to play at an online casino, we advise you to read up on the rules first before placing real money bets. 

Step 1: Learning the Rules  

Learn the rules of French roulette and how to play. The objective, like all roulette games, is to predict where the ball will land when the wheel is spun.  

Step 2: Placing Your Bets  

Before the wheel spins, players are required to place bets on the betting table. You can place bets on specific numbers where you think the ball will land, groups of numbers, red or black, odd or even, and other combinations.

French roulette also often as announced bets, which involve placing chips on specific groups of numbers based on their position on the roulette wheel. Examples of these include, voisins du zero (neighbours to 0), tiers du cylinder (betting on one-third of the wheel), and orphelins (orphans, betting on numbers not covered by the other two options. 
 
Step 3: Understanding the game’s odds

Ensuring you understand the odds of the bet you’re placing can help you to know your chances.

Here are some of the most popular bets and their odds: 

• Straight bet (single number) – odds 1 in 37 
• Split bet (adjacent numbers) – odds 2 in 37 
• Street bet (three consecutive numbers) – odds 3 in 37. 
• Corner bet (four numbers in a square) – odds 4 in 37. 
• Six-line bet (six consecutive numbers on two rows) – odds 6 in 37 
• Column bet (12 numbers in a vertical column) – odds 12 in 37 
• Dozen bet (1-12/13-24/25-36) – odds 12 in 37 
• Even money bet (red/black, odd/even, low/high) – odds 18 in 37 (without la partage or en prison, they’re better with). 
  

Step 4: Playing the Game  

Here are the steps to play the game: 

1. Place your bet 
2. Watch the wheel spin and the ball land 
3. Collect your winnings if your bet is successful

Many players swear by a strategy. However, the biggest tip we can give is to make sure you understand the rules and betting options available in French roulette. Here are some top tips for beginners: 

1. Start with free games 
2. Learn the specific rules 
3. Set a budget and stick to it  
4. Understand the odds 
5. Observe the table first if in a live game 
6. Have fun 

Playing French roulette is a great introduction to this popular casino game because it offers the best odds. This is thanks to its single zero and additional rules of ‘la partage’ and ‘en prison.’ Ensure you understand these before playing for real money.