How to Play French Roulette

What Is French Roulette?

French roulette is the original blueprint for how roulette was meant to be played. The wheel can be considered conservative as it only has one zero (same as European Roulette), which already gives you better odds than the American version with two zeros. But what really makes it stand out are these two rules: La Partage and En Prison.

Don’t let the French names throw you, they’re actually pretty great. Basically, if you make an even-money bet (like red/black or odd/even) and the ball lands on zero, you don’t automatically lose. With La Partage, you get half your bet back. With En Prison, your bet stays on the table for the next spin – kind of like a second chance. Either way, it means you’re not totally screwed when that zero shows up, which is rare in most versions of roulette.

How It Differs from European and American Roulette

French roulette and European roulette look almost identical at first. Same wheel, one zero, same basic layout. But French roulette has a little edge (literally) because of those extra rules (La Partage and En Prison). They give you better chances, especially if you like playing even-money bets. With those French roulette rules in play, the house edge drops to 1.35%, which is a mathematical way to say it’s better than the usual 2.7% in European games.

American roulette is a whole other story. It’s got both a 0 and a 00, and that double zero jacks up the house edge to over 5%. You might not notice it right away, but over time, that extra zero eats into your bankroll a lot faster. Also, French roulette has the table written in, well, French, so instead of "Even," you’ll see Pair, or Manque instead of "1 to 18." It might look a little confusing at first, but once you know what’s what, it’s the same game, just with a French accent.

Racetrack Bets and Special Sectors (Voisins, Orphelins, Tiers)

If you’re playing at a proper French roulette table (especially online), you’ll see this oval-shaped racetrack near the main grid. That’s where you place what they call “call bets” or “announced bets.” Basically, you’re betting on certain zones of the actual wheel instead of random numbers on the table.

• Voisins du Zéro: Means “neighbors of zero.” This covers the area around the zero. A lot of players swear by it.
• Tiers du Cylindre: Covers a chunk from the zero on the opposite side of the wheel. It’s got a good spread if you’re feeling like covering more ground.
• Orphelins: The "orphans," aka the leftover numbers that aren’t in either of the other two groups. They’re kind of random, but sometimes they hit hard.

Rules of French Roulette

To be honest, there’s not much when it comes to rules. Don’t believe us? Check out the list below to make sure of it:

Basic Rules of Gameplay

French roulette is still that same satisfying mix of “pick a number, hope for the best,” just with a bit more of a chill vibe (and slightly better odds, which never hurts):

• You pick your bet – maybe you’ve got a lucky number, or maybe you’re playing it safe with red or black. Either way, drop your chips before the spin.
• The dealer gives the wheel a spin, the ball does its little dance, and for a few seconds, you’re just staring like your rent money’s riding on it.
• The ball drops into a slot, and you either cheer, groan, or pretend not to care.

The main thing to remember is that this version plays on a single-zero wheel, which already gives you slightly better odds than American roulette. So just by picking French over the others, you’re already doing yourself a favor.

Special Rules: La Partage and En Prison

French roulette gives you a little backup plan – two rules that help soften the blow when the ball lands on that stupid green 0 and you’re not betting on it:

La Partage:

• If you bet on something like red or even, and the ball hits 0, normally, that’s a loss.
• The French roulette casino only takes half your bet, and you get the other half back.
• It’s not a win, but it’s better than watching your whole stack disappear.

En Prison:

• Your bet doesn’t get taken, it just gets “locked up” for the next spin.
• On that next spin, if your original bet wins, you get your stake back (no profit, but you’re back in the game). If it loses again, well... now it’s really gone.

It’s basically roulette’s version of “double or nothing,” but without the risk of doubling your losses. Not every table has both rules (some use one or the other), but either way, they seriously take the sting out of those zero hits. Plus, these rules drop the house edge on even-money bets to like 1.35%, which is way better than what you’ll get on most other casino games.

How They Reduce the House Edge

One of the biggest perks of French roulette compared to other roulette versions is its lower house edge, meaning players have better chances to win over time. This reduction comes mainly from special rules that favor the player when certain outcomes happen:

• La Partage rule: This rule essentially cuts the casino’s edge on these bets in half, dropping the house advantage from about 2.7% down to around 1.35%.
• En Prison rule: Similar to La Partage, the En Prison rule “imprisons” your even-money bet if the ball lands on zero. This gives you a second chance to win and reduces the house edge just like La Partage.

When These Rules Apply (Even-Money Bets)

There’s not much point to these rules unless you know how to apply them. So, we give you all you need to know below.

Payouts for Each Bet Type

Before diving into the bets themselves, it helps to know how much you can win. Different bets pay out different amounts – the riskier the bet, the bigger the payout if you hit it:

• Straight-up (one number): Pays 35 to 1, which is the jackpot territory if you get lucky.
• Split (two numbers): Pays 17 to 1.
• Street (three numbers): Pays 11 to 1.
• Corner (four numbers): Pays 8 to 1.
• Six line (six numbers): Pays 5 to 1.
• Outside bets (like red/black or odd/even): Pay 1 to 1, even money.

Now, remember that we do apply La Partage and En Prison rules. So, unfortunately, for inside bets like straight-up (35:1), splits (17:1), streets (11:1), corners (8:1), and six lines (5:1), La Partage and En Prison don’t apply at all. If the ball lands on zero, those bets are just lost, and there are no second chances.

For outside bets (red/black, odd/even, low/high) that pay even money (1:1), these rules kick in if zero hits.

Types of Bets in French Roulette

French roulette has all the usual suspects when it comes to bets, but with a few extras thrown in if you want to get fancy. They’re basically split into three groups:

• Inside bets: Betting on specific numbers or small groups of numbers right on the grid.
• Outside bets: Betting on bigger groups like red/black, odds/evens, or dozens.
• Announced bets (or call bets): Special wagers placed on specific sections of the wheel, usually made by announcing the bet to the dealer. And these also have no protection from En Prison and La Partage rules if zero hits.

Inside Bets (Plein, Cheval, Transversale, etc.)

Inside bets are your classic “pick some numbers” moves:

• Plein: A straight-up bet on a single number.
• Cheval: A split bet covering two adjacent numbers.
• Transversale Pleine: A street bet covering three numbers in a row.
• Carré: A corner bet covering four numbers that meet at one corner.
• Sixain: A six-line bet covering two adjacent rows (six numbers).

Outside Bets (Rouge/Noir, Pair/Impair, Manque/Passe)

Outside bets are the safest bets – you’re covering big chunks of numbers, so the payouts are smaller but more frequent:

• Rouge/Noir: Betting on red or black.
• Pair/Impair: Betting on even or odd numbers.
• Manque/Passe: Betting on low (1–18) or high (19–36) numbers.

If you bet on single numbers or combos (plein, cheval, transversale, carré, sixain), zero kills your bet immediately — no half-loss or second spin freebies.

Announced Bets and Call Bets

This is the coolest part of French roulette – the announced or “call” bets. Instead of placing chips on individual numbers, you’re betting on specific sections of the wheel:

• Voisins du Zéro (“neighbors of zero”): Covers a big chunk of numbers surrounding zero.
• Tiers du Cylindre (“third of the wheel”): Covers the third opposite the zero.
• Orphelins (“orphans”): The numbers left over that aren’t in the other two groups.
• Jeu Zéro (“zero game”): A smaller bet focusing just on numbers close to zero.

Here, if the ball lands zero, instead of losing it all, you get half your money back (La Partage) or get a second chance on the next spin (En Prison).

French Roulette Odds and House Edge

How fair is the French roulette? What are the French roulette odds? Read on and find out!

Odds for All Bet Types

In French roulette, each bet type carries different chances of winning based on how many numbers it covers:

• Straight-up bet (single number): Hits 1 number out of 37, so odds are 1 in 37 (about 2.7%).
• Split bet (two numbers): Covers 2 numbers, so 2 in 37 chance (about 5.4%).
• Street bet (three numbers): 3 in 37 chance (around 8.1%).
• Corner bet (four numbers): 4 in 37 (10.8%).
• Six-line bet (six numbers): 6 in 37 (16.2%).
• Outside bets (red/black, odd/even, 1-18/19-36): Each covers 18 numbers, so about 48.6%.

How the House Edge Drops to 1.35%

Normally, roulette has a house edge of 2.7% because of the single zero. But with La Partage, if you make an even-money bet (like Red/Black) and the ball lands on zero, you get half your bet back instead of losing it all.

La Partage cuts the house edge in half (from 2.7% down to 1.35%), making French roulette one of the fairest roulette variants for players.

Best Value Bets in French Roulette

If you want the best bang for your buck, focus on these even-money bets: red or black, odd or even, and low (1–18) or high (19–36). Not only are they almost 50/50 shots, but they’re also protected by those special French rules.

Inside bets like single numbers pay more but come with bigger risk and no extra protection from zero. So if you want to keep your money rolling a little longer and avoid those killer zero hits, outside bets are where the smart money goes.

Strategies for French Roulette

Now, how should you go about playing the game for the first (and most of the latter) time? We offer a few strategies to make your life a bit easier:

Using La Partage to Your Advantage

La Partage is a little safety net the online casino gives you on even-money bets. When zero pops up, instead of losing your whole bet, you only lose half, which is way better than the usual roulette sting. To make the most of this:

• Stick mostly to even-money bets like red/black, odd/even, or low/high.
• Think of La Partage as your way to cut losses during unlucky spins.
• Play French roulette online with a cool head, knowing zero won’t totally wreck your bankroll on these bets.

Flat Betting vs. Progressive Strategies

When it comes to how much you bet, there are two main styles:

• Flat betting: You bet the same amount every spin. It’s chill, low-stress, and helps you control your money better. Perfect if you want to just enjoy the game and avoid big swings.
• Progressive French roulette strategy: You change your bet size depending on wins or losses, like doubling your bet after a loss (Martingale) or increasing it after a win. These can lead to bigger payouts but come with the highest risk and can drain your bankroll fast.

Combining Inside and Outside Bets Wisely

French roulette gives you lots of options, but mixing inside and outside bets carefully can balance risk and reward:

• Use outside bets for steady play and to benefit from La Partage or En Prison rules.
• Sprinkle in some inside bets if you’re feeling lucky, but keep those smaller since they don’t get the zero protection.
• Try covering a few numbers with announced bets (like Voisins du Zéro) while also placing a solid outside bet. It’s a way to chase bigger wins without going all-in on risky bets.

Tips for Playing French Roulette

If you’re jumping into French roulette for the first time, do yourself a favor and set a budget before you start. Seriously, it’s easy to get caught up in the flow of the game, especially with the fancy layout and smoother pace. Don’t fall into the trap of upping your bets just because you had a couple of wins, or trying to win it all back after a bad streak. Break your bankroll into smaller chunks and pace yourself. It’s way more fun when you’re not stressing about running out of chips too early.

Also, take a minute to just watch the game before you throw your chips down. No, it’s not going to magically help you predict the outcome, but it’s an optimal way to ease you into the rhythm of things.

Besides, there are a few more tips that can be useful for you:

Common Mistakes to Avoid

One mistake that gets people every time is chasing losses like the table owes them something. You lose a few spins (say you were on red and it lands black three times in a row), so you start doubling your bets, thinking, “It’s gotta hit red next.” But it doesn’t. And now, instead of being down $20, you’re suddenly down $100 and sweating. Online French roulette isn’t predictable like that, so go in with a budget (say $50 or $100) and treat it like entertainment, not a recovery mission.

Another thing that trips people up is diving in too fast without watching the table. A buddy of mine sat down once, slapped chips on random numbers, and didn’t even realize he was missing out on better bets just because he didn’t notice how the dealer was spinning or how the ball kept landing around the same section. Take a few minutes. Watch a few spins. Get a feel for how fast things move, where the action’s going, and how others are betting.

And another set of common mistakes includes: