FRENCH ROULETTE EXPLAINED: UNRAVELING THE GAME AND ITS SECRETS

If you’ve been around a European roulette table at some point, you won’t have too much trouble figuring out how French roulette works. This widely popular casino game has been around for a long time, so if you’re still yet to play French roulette, let this post be your start!

Today, we’ll be unveiling French roulette in its entirety. We’ll have a look at the history of the French roulette game, how it differs from American and European roulette, how to play French roulette online, and above all, how to master this wonderful table game.

French Roulette Basics: An Introduction

At first glance, French roulette tables don’t differ from other roulette tables all that much. That’s because the basics of French roulette are practically the same as other roulette variants; the differences are minimal but very significant.

Nevertheless, nailing down the basics of French roulette is vital before moving on to the actual gameplay and dabbling in strategy.

Like almost every other roulette variation, French roulette simply boils down to luck, but that doesn’t mean throwing basic strategy out the window.

Before diving deeper into the intricacies of French roulette, let’s have a brief look at its history.

Tracing the History of French Roulette

It is said that a certain Blaise Pascal was responsible for inventing the earliest version of the French roulette wheel in the 17th century. However, the modern form of French Roulette emerged later, in the 18th century.

In the early days, the French Roulette wheel had both a single zero (0) and a double zero (00), similar to the American roulette wheel.

Luckily for French roulette players, French casinos decided to remove the double zero in the mid-19th century to improve the odds. This slight but significant modification resulted in the classic French Roulette wheel with a single zero that we have today.

French roulette soared in popularity during the Belle Époque period in France, which began in the late 19th century to the early 20th century.

The French aristocracy and elite members of society thoroughly enjoyed playing French roulette. This ended up prolonging the life of the French table of roulette considerably, enough so to last until and hopefully beyond our time!

The French Roulette Table

Let’s take a closer look at the French roulette table. If you’ve played roulette games in the past, you’ll know that a roulette table is a specially designed layout where players place their bets in the game.

The French table layout is similar to other roulette games. You’ll have the numbers zero to 36 arranged in three columns. The numbers are colour-coded with red and black, except for the green zero.

You’ll also have what are called Inside and Outside bets. Inside bets are placed on specific numbers or small groups of numbers. On the table, you’ll see individual numbers and groups, such as splits, corners, and six-line bets. These bets offer higher payouts but have lower odds of winning.

On the other hand, Outside bets are placed on larger groups of numbers or characteristics of the numbers, such as their colour or their odd/even status.

The Outside bets are located around the perimeter of the number grid and include options like red/black, even/odd, dozens, and columns. Outside bets have lower payouts but higher odds of winning.

At this point, you might be wondering how French roulette differs from other variants since everything we’ve mentioned so far can be found on practically any roulette table.

To that end, let’s hop into the next section!

French Roulette vs. European Roulette: What’s the Difference?

Although French and European roulette table layouts might appear roughly the same, they aren’t. First off, the arrangement of the numbers on the wheels is slightly different.

The numbers are placed randomly in a European Roulette wheel, whereas in French Roulette, the numbers are arranged in a specific order.

More importantly, the house edge is different. European Roulette has a house edge of approximately 2.7%, meaning the casino has an advantage of 2.7% over the players in the long run.

The French roulette house edge stands at 1.35% on even-money bets owing to two very important rules: the La Partage rule and the En Prison rule.

What exactly are these French roulette rules? Let’s look into that!

French Roulette Special Rules

There’s not much to worry about when it comes to the La Partage and En Prison rules since they only concern outcomes where the ball lands on zero.

La Partage rule

When the ball lands on the 0 in French roulette, the La Partage rule comes into play.

This rule applies to even-money bets, such as Red or Black, Odd or Even, and High or Low. With La Partage, players who made these even-money bets will only lose half of their original wager instead of the entire amount.

In other words, half of the bet is returned to the player. This rule reduces the house edge on even-money bets in French roulette, making it more favourable for players compared to other roulette games.

En Prison rule

En Prison is another rule that is sometimes offered in French roulette.

If the ball lands on the 0, players who made even-money bets can choose to have their bets “imprisoned” for the next spin rather than losing them immediately.

The bet remains on the table for the next spin, and if it wins on the subsequent spin, the player gets their original wager back.

If the bet loses on the next spin, the player loses the entire bet. Essentially, En Prison gives a second chance for the player to recover their bet if luck turns in their favour on the next spin.

Inside the Roulette Wheel: Mechanics and Components

Now that we’ve clarified the differences between French and European roulette, let’s take a break from rules and bets to see how the roulette wheel works, literally.

Although the design and materials may vary slightly between different wheels, the fundamental mechanics of how a roulette wheel works remain the same.

The main components of a roulette wheel are: the bowl, wheelhead, frets, ball track, ball deflector, central spindle and ball bearings.

The bowl is a necessary part for holding the wheel. The wheelhead is the inner spinning part with numbered pockets. The frets are the dividers between each pocket. The ball track is the circular groove where the ball rolls.

The ball deflector is the raised component to randomise the ball’s movement around the wheel. The central spindle is the vertical shaft used for rotation. Finally, the ball bearings are important to reduce friction and ensure smooth spinning.

Knowing this won’t help your chances of winning your roulette bets but it will give you a better understanding of the physical foundations of the wheel and why it operates the way it does.

Different Bets in French Roulette

Before moving on to how the gameplay unfolds, we’ll have to give you a quick rundown of what each bet entails. After all, if you choose to play roulette without knowing what the betting layout is all about, you’ll be in for a tough time!

There are three types of bets in French roulette: Inside bets, Outside bets and Call bets. Let’s start with the former.

• Straight Bet: Betting on a straight bet (or a straight-up bet) focuses on a single number by placing your chip directly on that number.
• Split Bet: Betting on split bets mean betting on two adjacent numbers. You can make a split bet by placing your chip on the line between them.
• Street Bet: Placing a street bet focuses on a row of three numbers by placing your chip on the outer edge of the row.
• Corner Bet: Corner bets focus on a group of four numbers by placing your chip at the intersection where the four numbers meet. To place a corner bet, you must place your chip at the corner of four numbers or in the middle of a square of four numbers.
• Line Bet: A line bet covers two adjacent rows of numbers (six numbers in total) by placing your chip on the outer edge where the two rows meet.

Here’s what Outside bets are all about.

• Red or Black: Betting on the ball landing on a red or black number.
• Odd or even: Betting on the ball landing on an even or odd number.
• Low or High: Betting on the ball landing on a low (1-18) or high (19-36) number.
• Dozen bet: Dozen bets focus on the ball landing on one of the three groups of 12 numbers: 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36.
• Column bet: A column bet focuses on the ball landing in one of the three vertical columns of numbers.

Now, here’s what you need to know about Call bets.

• Voisins du Zéro: Betting on a group of numbers that are close to the zero on the wheel, using a series of split and straight bets.
• Tiers du Cylindre: Betting on a group of numbers on the opposite side of the wheel, using split and straight bets.
• Orphelins: This call bet focuses on the remaining numbers that are not covered by the Voisins du Zéro and Tiers du Cylindre bets.
• Neighbours: Neighbour bets focus on a specific number and its neighbouring numbers on the wheel.

How to Play French Roulette

Now that you know how roulette wheels work and what all the bets cover, it’s time to see how the game unfolds. Once you identify a French roulette table that suits your liking and stock up on your chips (or cash balance if you’re playing French roulette online), prepare for the action to begin!

1. Place Your Bets: Place any of the above bets by selecting your desired betting options on the table.
2. Wait for the Spin: Once all the final bets are placed, the dealer will spin the roulette wheel in one direction and release the ball in the opposite direction. The ball will eventually come to rest in one of the numbered pockets on the wheel.
3. Determine the Outcome: The winning bets are determined based on the pocket in which the ball lands. The dealer will announce the winning number and any winning bets will be paid out accordingly.
4. La Partage and En Prison: If the ball lands on the green 0 pocket and the La Partage rule is in effect, half of the even-money bets will be returned to the players. If the En Prison rule is in effect, even-money bets may be imprisoned for the following spin, giving players a chance to recover their original bet if they win on the next spin.
5. Collect Winnings or Place New Bets: If you win, collect your winnings from the dealer. If you lose, you can place new bets for the next round.
6. Repeat: You can continue playing subsequent rounds by placing new bets and following the same process.

Mastering French Roulette Strategies for Success

Playing at a French roulette table (or any other table) shouldn’t be done by placing haphazard bets and hoping for the best. That’s just a recipe for depleting your bankroll! Instead, you should keep a few things in mind when formulating your strategy.

1. Understand the Odds: Familiarise yourself with the odds and payouts for each type of bet. Focus on bets with better odds, such as even-money wagers, to improve your chances of winning. If you want to stretch your entertainment for as long as possible, an even-money bet should be your most frequently used wager.
2. Use La Partage and En Prison: Take advantage of the special rules in French Roulette whenever possible.
3. Mix Inside and Outside Bets: Combine inside and outside bets to diversify your betting strategy. Inside bets offer higher payouts but lower odds, while outside bets provide more frequent wins with lower payouts.
4. Practice Bankroll Management: Set a budget and stick to it. Avoid chasing losses and know when to stop. Adjust your bet sizes based on your bankroll to prolong your playing time.
5. Consider Call Bets: Explore call bets like Voisins du Zéro, Tiers du Cylindre, Orphelins, and Neighbors. These bets cover specific sections of the wheel and can provide additional betting opportunities.
6. Play Responsibly: Remember that roulette is a game of chance, and no strategy can guarantee consistent wins. Play responsibly and enjoy the game for its entertainment value.

French Roulette Variations

If you want some game suggestions for French roulette online, have a look at the ones we’ve covered below.

1. French Roulette Gold: This variant offers enhanced graphics and a more immersive gaming experience compared to traditional roulette. It maintains the same rules and features as the original game, so you won’t have to learn anything new.
2. Live French Roulette: Who said that an online casino could not be a live one too? This variant offers an immersive and realistic gaming experience by streaming a live dealer conducting the game in real-time. Players can interact with the dealer and other participants, which really enhances the social aspect of the roulette game.
3. Mini French Roulette: This variant provides a compact and faster-paced version of the game. It features a smaller wheel with fewer numbers, resulting in quicker gameplay and potentially more frequent wins.