French Roulette vs. European Roulette: What’s the Difference?
French Roulette is, along with European and American Roulette, a standard offering at almost every online casino. The game of Roulette has its origins in France and its name comes from French meaning little wheel. Today, you can play a wide range of Roulette games at virtual and live tables online. In this article, we will focus on French Roulette, its basics and the key differences between this version of the game and the most popular European Roulette.
French Roulette Basics
French Roulette is played like any other game variant. You place bets on a single number or a group of numbers and if the ball lands on a number you have predicted, you win a prize. However, there are a few differences between French Roulette and other game variants. The main difference is in the betting layout. Given that it uses a single-zero wheel, it is similar to the European version of the game though. In French Roulette, you can wager on numbers between 1 and 36 and on a single zero.
This game variant offers multiple betting options while putting you at an advantage thanks to a single zero. In addition, French Roulette offers the La Partage rule which further enhances your odds. Stay with us to learn more about this rule, bets you can place and payouts you can expect.
French Roulette Bets
The biggest difference between the French and European versions of the game is in the name of bets you can place. Betting options are in French, which may seem a bit intimidating. Here is an overview of bets available in this game version:
- En Plein – Straight Up bet on a single number
- Colonne – Column bet
- Sixain – Line bet on 6 numbers
- Carre – Corner bet on 4 numbers
- Carre Simple or Transversale – Street bet on a row of 3 numbers
- En Chaval – Split bet on a pair of numbers
- Manque – Meaning low, a bet placed on the numbers between 1 and 18
- Passe – Meaning high, a bet placed on the numbers between 19 and 36
- Rouge – Meaning red, a bet placed on all red numbers
- Noir – Meaning black, a bet placed on all black numbers
- Pair – Meaning even, a bet placed on even numbers
- Impair – Meaning odd, a bet placed on odd numbers
- Premiere Douzaine – A bet placed on the first 12 numbers between 1 and 12
- Moyenne Douzaine – A bet placed on the second dozen numbers between 13 and 24
- Derniere Douzaine – A bet placed on the third dozen numbers between 25 and 36
The rule that makes French Roulette stand out from the crowd is called La Partage. According to it, you will lose only a half of your bet if the ball falls in the zero pocket and you have played an even-money bet like Black/Red, Even/Odd or Low/High numbers. Instead of losing an entire bet, you will keep half of it for further wagering. In the long run, this rule increases your winning chances as you get a part of your non-winning bets back. What’s great about it is that you don’t have to place any side bet to take advantage of it. It applies only to even-money bets, though. In practice, this rule halves the house edge on all even-money bets.
Payouts and Odds
French Roulette is a game variant with the lowest house edge, which makes it highly popular with players around the world. With the La Partage rule applied, the house edge is only 1.35%. When it comes to payouts you can expect to win, Straight pays 35:1, Split 17:1, Street and Trio 11:1 while a Four-Number and Square or Corner bet pay 8:1. A Six Line bet pays 5:1 and Column and all Dozen bets pay 2:1. Even-money bets are Rouge/Noir, Impair/Pair and Manque/Passe paying 1:1.
Key Differences between European and French Roulette
We have already mentioned the biggest difference between European and French Roulette – the name of bets you can play. In the French version of the game, the table layout remains the same with the bet names in French all around the world. Sometimes, to make it easier for players to understand, providers include the English names of bets as well.
Another difference is the La Partage rule implemented in the French version of the game. Thanks to this rule, half of your bet is kept when the ball lands on a zero provided you have played any of even-money bets. These bets are popular with beginners as they are simple and provide you with an opportunity to make a little profit in the long run. With the La Partage rule, even-money bets seem even more attractive, right?
Another unique rule you can find at French Roulette tables is so-called En Prison. It is more used at land-based casinos and, basically, it is a variation on the La Partage rule. Thanks to it, you lose only a half of your even-odds bet if the ball lands on a zero. However, you can also leave the bet “in prison” for the next round and play on all or nothing. If the ball lands on a zero again or on a number you have not placed your bet on, you lose the entire bet. Otherwise, you get your money back.
As you can see, French Roulette is an exciting game variant. Its biggest advantage is a low house edge and a payout percentage of 98.5%. Visit some of the best casinos and give French Roulette a try!
