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The French roulette variant is the most popular version of this classic casino game because it offers the best odds compared to other roulette games. French roulette online casino games are very similar to European roulette tables, but the house edge is even lower for some bets because of the unique rules in this game.
We’ve prepared an easy Betiton roulette guide to help you learn how this game variant works, the most important French roulette terms, and rules. We’ll also examine the French roulette odds and go over the best titles you can play at Betiton UK Casino.
French Roulette History
Roulette is one of the oldest casino games, originating in France in the 18th century. What’s interesting about the history of roulette is that it was created by the mathematician Blaise Pascal as an experiment to create a machine that stays in constant motion.
The roulette wheel was eventually created based on Pascal’s experiment. The French roulette wheel, popular in casinos all over the world, was officially introduced in the 19th century, and since then, different versions and rules of the game have been developed.
What Are the Rules of French Roulette?
The rules of French roulette are fairly straightforward and easy to understand. Once you have a basic understanding of these rules, you can play any French or European roulette wheel because the two are very similar.
Here are the most important French roulette rules every player should know before playing the game.
- French roulette uses a single-zero wheel, like European roulette.
- This variant offers a second chance on an even money bet if the ball stops in the zero pocket.
- The La Partage rule gives you half your initial stake back if you lose an even money bet.
- The En Prison rule puts a losing even money bet ‘in prison’ for one game round. If your bet wins on the next round, your stake is returned to you. If it loses again, the whole bet is lost.
- You can play online or live French roulette.
- French bets in roulette include the standard inside bets and outside bets, and advanced bets known as call bets.
French Roulette Wheels
There are three types of roulette wheels: European, American, and French roulette wheels. These wheels look nearly identical, but they vary in the number of zero pockets, which have a significant impact on the house edge in the game.
Single-Zero Wheel
The single-zero wheel is found in online French roulette games and European tables as well. This wheel has 37 pockets, numbered from zero to 36. The numbers on the wheel have an alternating black and red pattern, and they’re arranged in a random fashion rather than in sequence. French and European roulette wheels have a house edge of around 2.70% due to the single zero. Some French roulette bets have a lower house advantage of 1.35%.
Double-Zero Wheel
The double-zero wheel can be found in American roulette. It’s the only difference between French roulette and the American variant, and it’s the reason the house advantage is nearly double. The American roulette wheel has 38 pockets instead of 37, also numbered from zero to 36 but including a double zero. Besides the additional pocket, this wheel has the same number order and pattern as other roulette wheels.
French Roulette Bet Types
Most roulette tables offer the same types of bets, with some variations due to differences in the roulette wheel used. The French roulette table comprises inside bets, outside bets, and a unique category known as call bets.
Inside Bets in French Roulette
Inside bets cover most of the French roulette table layout. These are the most specific bets because they cover one or a few numbers on the wheel. This group of bets has the lowest winning odds but the highest payouts.
The inside bets that can be found on the French roulette table are the following:
| 🎲 Bet name | 📝 Description | 🫰 Bet Payout | 💯 Bet Probability |
| Straight/Single | A bet on any number (including the zero). | 35:1 | 2.70% |
| Split | A bet on two adjacent numbers on the table. | 17:1 | 5.40% |
| Street | A bet on three adjacent numbers in a row. | 11:1 | 8.10% |
| Corner/Square | A bet which covers four numbers adjacent to each other at the corner (i.e., in the shape of a square). | 8:1 | 10.80% |
| Trio | A bet on three numbers, including the zero. Either 0, 1, and 2, or 0, 2, and 3. | 11:1 | 8.10% |
| Four Number | A bet covering the numbers 0, 1, 2, and 3. | 8:1 | 10.80% |
| Six Line | A bet on two rows of three numbers, covering six in total. | 5:1 | 16.20% |
Outside Bets in French Roulette
Outside bets are the ones on the outer edges of the French roulette layout, and they cover a group of numbers. These bets offer much higher odds of winning than inside ones, but they offer lower payouts. Most of these bets are known as an even money bet because the payout is 1:1 if the bet is successful.
The French roulette payouts and odds for outside bets are as follows:
| 🎲 Bet name | 📝 Description | 🫰 Bet Payout | 💯 Bet Probability |
| Dozen Bet | A bet on either one of the boxes marked ‘1st 12′, ‘2nd 12′, or ‘3rd 12′, covering 12 numbers. | 2:1 | 2.70% |
| Even/Odd | A bet that the winning number will be odd or even. | 1:1 | 1.35% |
| Red/Black | Betting on the colour of the winning number (red or black). | 1:1 | 1.35% |
| 1 to 18 | A bet on any of the low numbers. | 1:1 | 1.35% |
| 19 to 36 | A bet on any of the high numbers. | 1:1 | 1.35% |
| Column Bet | A bet on any of the boxes marked ‘2:1’, covering a column of 12 numbers. | 2:1 | 2.70% |
Call Bets in French Roulette
Call bets are most common in French online roulette games. They’re different from regular roulette bets because some of them are flexible, meaning you can choose the numbers you want to bet on for the same bet type.
You can learn more about call bets in the table below:
| 🎲 Bet name | 📝 Description | 🫰 Bet Payout | 💯 Bet Probability |
| Voisins du zéro | The ‘neighbours of zero’ bet covers 17 numbers on the wheel, ranging from 22 to 25. | Depends on the winning number because the bet combines straight up and split bets. | 45.95% |
| Tiers du Cylindre | This bet covers one third of the roulette wheel, covering the 12 numbers between the 33 and 37. | 17:1 | 32.43% |
| Orphelins | The ‘orphans’ bet covers the numbers not included in the two previous bets. These are 17, 34, 6, 1, 20, 14, 31, and 9. | Depends on the winning number because the bet combines straight up and split bets. | 21.62% |
| Finale | The Finales en Plein and Finales a Cheval are the two types of finales bets. The first is a bet on every pocket ending in the same number (any number), while the second is a bet on all pockets ending with either one of two numbers. | Depends on the winning number because the bet combines straight up and split bets. | Varies |
French Roulette House Edge
Next, let’s talk about the house edge in French roulette online. The house edge indicates the advantage the casino has over the player; the higher the house edge, the less favourable the odds are for you.
The house edge varies for some French roulette bets because of the La Partage rule. This applies to losing even money bets due to the ball landing in the zero. This rule lowers the house advantage to 1.35%. If this rule doesn’t apply, the house edge is 2.70%. Compared to American roulette, which has a 5.26% house edge, the French roulette odds are the most favourable.
Live French Roulette vs Online French Roulette
French roulette is a popular game both in our online casino and our live dealer platform. For the most part, the rules and features between the two playing modes are the same, but there are a few differences to be aware of.
These differences are compared in the table below:
| Features | Live French Roulette | Online French Roulette |
| RNG software | ❌ | ✅ |
| Demo version | ❌ | ✅ |
| Real money play | ✅ | ✅ |
| Variety of games | ✅ | ✅ |
| Mobile access | ✅ | ✅ |
| Play with bonuses | ✅ | ✅ |
| Live dealer interaction | ✅ | ❌ |
| Live chat access | ✅ | ❌ |
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions About French Roulette
French roulette is a game variant that uses the single-zero European wheel but offers some special rules and types of bets.
You can play French roulette like any other roulette game. Place your bets on the roulette table and spin the ball. Wait for the ball to fall into a pocket to determine if you’ve placed a successful bet.
French and European roulette have a comparable house advantage of around 2.70%, but for some bets in French roulette online, the house edge can be as low as 1.35%.
French roulette has better odds than American roulette, which has a house edge of 5.26%. In comparison with European roulette, the French roulette wheel has better odds only on even money bets because of the La Partage and En Prison rules.
The difference between American and French roulette is in the wheel. The American roulette wheel has a double zero, whereas the French has a single zero, like the European version. For this reason, more players choose to play French roulette online.
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