Play French Roulette Online

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Updated on: September 4th, 2024

French Roulette is the original variant of the game. Roulette in French means little wheel. French roulette is a game where a numbered wheel spins around with a white ball. The aim of the game is to guess correctly where the ball lands. The single zero on the wheel makes French roulette odds and payouts better than American roulette odds.

In our guide, you will learn how to play French roulette,  the wheel and table layouts. We have also covered the rules, bets and payouts. In addition, we have put together a list of the best online roulette casinos for you.

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What is the Difference – French Roulette vs American and European Roulette

Besides the difference in bet names,  French roulette naturally has bets written French. There’s also a marked difference in house edge because of the La Partage and En Prison Rules. The European Roulette wheel is similar to the French one having a single zero pocket and 36 numbers. It is similar in ever aspect except for the fact that there is no La Partage and En Prison rules and all bets are written in English.

French Roulette European Roulette American Roulette
La Partage & En Prison Rule to mitigate losses No rules to mitigate losses No rules to mitigate losses
One zero on the wheel Single zero on the wheel Double zero on the roulette wheel
Low house edge Medium house edge High house edge
Bets are written in French Bets are written in English All bets in English

 

French Roulette Bets

There are standard bets that you have to know when it comes to French roulette which we have listed. Additionally there are types of bets which are often played at high roller tables and they are called bets and announced bets. Both bets are verbally said by the player instead of them just moving the chips in silence.

Call Bets

With call bets, players just say what bet they want next without any chips on the table. Essentially call bets are credit bets. For that reason, in some countries and states, such bets are illegal because they are thought to encourage problem gambling.

Announced Bets

Announced bets are similar to called bets except that the player provides the chips.

Inside Bets

Line bets are inside bets on two lines of adjacent numbers made up of three numbers each.

Outside Bets

Outside bets sit outside the central numbers on the table. An outside bet wagers on a type of number instead of a specific number. Outside bets include the Transversale de Quatre , Dozen bets, color, even or odd and high or low numbers.

Transversale de Quatre is a wager that covers four numbers. To place this bet the chips are placed on a line where the zero, one and passe sections converge.

Douzaine = Dozen bet

There are three columns you can bet on:

  • 12P- Premiere which is the first column
  • 12M – Moyenne the second column
  • 12D – Derniere the third column

French Roulette Payouts

Rouge/Noir = A bet on the ball landing in the Red or Black pocket pays 1:1

Pair/Impair = a bet on the ball landing in either an Odd or Even numbered bet pays 1:1

Manque/Passé = Betting on an either a low number i.e. 1-18 or a high number 19-36

French Roulette Wheel

To understand the game of french roulette online or at a land-based casino it’s important to familiarize yourself with the french roulette wheel. We have provided a clear image of the wheel below. Additionally we explain the french words that represent different sections on the wheel and what they mean.

Voisins du Zero

Voisins du Zero translates verbatim to “Neighbours of Zero”. It covers a section of 17 numbers namely: 22; 18; 29; 7; 28; 12; 35; 3; 26; 0; 32; 15; 19; 4; 21; 2; 25

Orphelins

Orphelins translates to orphans and takes up two sections on opposite sides of the wheel. Together thjey make up 8 numbers which are 17; 34; 6 on one side and 1; 20; 14; 31; 9 on the other

Tiers du cylindre

Tiers du cylindre which means a third of the wheel naturally covers a third of the wheel and the following numbers:27; 13; 36; 11; 30; 8; 23; 10; 5; 24; 16; 33

French Roulette Wheel

How to Play French Roulette Online

In French roulette, a ball is placed on a wheel with numbered pockets. Players start off with placing their bets then the wheel spins. Bets are placed first before the wheel is set in motion. They hope to guess the winning number or color where the ball will land after the wheel stops spinning. A bet can be a specific number pocket or a range of numbers. Each numbered pocket on the wheel has alternating red and black colors. You may even bet on what color pocket you think the ball will land in.

Playing through an online roulette simulator is good practice for learning how to play roulette. It simulates a roulette wheel spin, the wheel is identical to a real one with alternating red and black pockets. In the simulation gameplay follows the basic rules, a bet is placed first and then the wheel is spun.

French Roulette Table Layout

The French roulette table is larger than the American roulette table, however none of that matters when you play online. On French tables, the outside bets neatly and clearly sectioned off the two long sides whereas in the American table all outside bets stretch out on the same (long) side of the table.

French Roulette Table

Special French Roulette Rules

French roulette game play is pretty much standard. You are betting on where you think the ball will land after the will stops spinning. However, there are some rules unique to the game. They are the “En Prison Rule” and the “La Partage Rule”. Both these rules only apply to even-money bets and they significantly reduce the house edge compared to American Roulette for instance.  Even money bets are bets that pay 1:1 namely – Rouge/Noir, Pair/Impair and Manque/Passé. The bets in French Roulette are similar to those of other roulette games except that the outside bets are written in French on the table.

  • En Prison rule– This rule locks “imprisons” any lost even-money bet until the next spin to give you second chance at winning your wager back.
  • Le Partage rule: With this rule you get half your bet back when you lose on even money bets.

Make sure to check which of these rules are in play when play online.

 

French Roulette Payouts

The payout when you play French Roulette depends on the bets you play. Even money bets are those that pay 1 to 1. They include bets on the colour of the wheel pocket, even bet, odd bet, low and high number bets.

  • Even money bets pay 1:1.
  • Column bets pay out 2:1
  • Straight bets pay out 35:1
  • Split bet pays 17:1
  • Corner bet pays 8:1
  • Double Street Bet pays out 5:1

French Roulette FAQs


What is French roulette?

French roulette is a gambling game where a ball spins around a wheel with 37 numbers from 0 to 36. Each number alternates between black and red and the number 0 is in a green pocket.

What’s the difference between French Roulette and American Roulette?

The difference between French Roulette and American Roulette is the zero on the wheel, betting rules and odds. American roulette has a single zero and a double zero on its wheel. French Roulette has betting rules like La Partage where you get half your bet if you lose on certain bets.

How does French roulette work?
Bets are placed first the wheel spins and when it stops spinning and the ball lands in a pocket all winning bets are paid out.

What is the highest payout in French roulette?

Straight bets have the highest payout of 35:1.

What does passe mean in roulette?

Passe is a group of numbers on the roulette wheel and table, numbers 19 to 36.

How many black numbers are there in a roulette wheel?
There are 18 black numbers on the French roulette wheel, 18 red, and one green.

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