French Roulette
French roulette gives you the best odds you'll find at any roulette table. It's the original single-zero game, and it's still unbeaten. Two special rules called La Partage and En Prison give you half your bet back when zero hits. That cuts the house edge in half compared to regular European tables.
The French layout might look weird if you've never seen it before. But once you learn a few terms, everything works the same as any other roulette game. Here are the rules, every bet type, the real odds, and where you can play with crypto.
What is French roulette?
This is where roulette started. You get a single-zero wheel and two special rules that hand back part of your money when zero shows up. La Partage and En Prison only work on even-money bets (red/black, odd/even). They cut the house edge in half versus a regular European table.
The table looks nothing like what you're used to. Everything's in French. You'll see Rouge (red), Impair (odd), and Manque (low) instead of English. Outside bets show up on both sides of the grid instead of bunched at one end. Learn the French words and you'll see everything works the same way.
So what's the big deal? That single zero plus those special rules drop the house edge to about 1.35% on even-money bets. That's the lowest you'll find at any roulette table. Play a few hundred spins and that edge difference really adds up.
French roulette vs European and American roulette
All three versions play the same way, but the wheel setup and rules change your odds.
European roulette has the same 37-pocket wheel, but you don't get La Partage or En Prison. American roulette throws in a double-zero pocket (38 total), which almost doubles the house edge.
The downside? You have to deal with that weird French layout. If you've only played American or European tables, you'll need a few spins to get used to the French words. But the numbers don't lie. French roulette beats the others when you can find it.
How to play French roulette
Every round follows four simple steps. Works the same online or at a real casino.
1. Place your bets
Drop your chips on the layout to make your bets before each spin. You can bet on single numbers, groups, colors, or odd/even. The dealer calls out "rien ne va plus" (no more bets) and the betting window closes.
2. The dealer spins the wheel
The croupier (fancy French word for dealer) spins the wheel one way and launches the ball the other way along the rim. The ball circles a few times before it slows down.
3. The ball lands
When the wheel slows, the ball falls into one of 37 pockets. Numbers 1-36 switch between red and black. Zero is green.
4. Payouts are made
The dealer sweeps away losing bets, then pays out winners depending on what they bet. A straight bet on a single number pays 35 to 1. Even-money bets like red/black pay 1 to 1.
French roulette bet types
You've got three types of bets. Inside bets go on specific numbers. Outside bets cover bigger groups. Call bets target certain wheel sections.
Inside bets
Inside bets pay more, but they don't hit as much:
- Straight (En Plein): A single number, pays 35 to 1
- Split (Cheval): Two adjacent numbers, pays 17 to 1
- Street (Transversale): Three numbers in a horizontal row, pays 11 to 1
- Corner (Carré): Four numbers forming a square, pays 8 to 1
- Six Line (Sixain): Two adjacent rows covering six numbers, pays 5 to 1
Outside bets
Outside bets hit more often, but the payouts are smaller:
- Red/Black (Rouge/Noir): The winning number's color, pays 1 to 1
- Odd/Even (Impair/Pair): Whether the number is odd or even, pays 1 to 1
- High/Low (Passe/Manque): Numbers 1-18 or 19-36, pays 1 to 1
- Dozens (Douzaine): First, second, or third group of twelve, pays 2 to 1
- Columns (Colonne): A vertical column of twelve numbers, pays 2 to 1
Call bets
Call bets focus on wheel sections instead of where numbers sit on the layout. Online games usually show a racetrack graphic that makes call bets easier to place.
- Voisins du Zéro: Seventeen numbers surrounding zero on the wheel
- Tiers du Cylindre: Twelve numbers on the opposite side of the wheel from zero
- Orphelins: Eight numbers not covered by the two bets above
- Jeu Zéro: Seven numbers closest to zero
You'll need multiple chips to cover the patterns in call bets. Players who know what they're doing use call bets to target wheel sectors. They're betting on where the ball lands based on the actual wheel, not just the number grid.
La Partage and En Prison rules explained
La Partage and En Prison kick in when zero hits and you've got an even-money bet down. No even-money bet? Zero just wins for the house like any other loss.
La Partage
When zero shows up, you get half your even-money bet back. No questions asked. Bet $20 on red and zero hits? You only lose $10 instead of the full $20. No decisions involved, no second spins. Happens right away.
En Prison
En Prison doesn't give you half back. It locks your bet "in prison" for the next spin. Win on the next spin? You get your money back with zero profit. If it loses, you lose everything.
Most online tables go with La Partage since it's easier to code. En Prison shows up less, but the math works out the same in the long run. Some tables let you choose between the two.
French roulette odds and house edge
The house edge changes based on what you bet.
Even-money bets with La Partage or En Prison running? House edge drops to about 1.35%. Everything else (inside bets, dozens, columns) sits at 2.7%, same as European roulette. Those special rules only work on even-money bets.
What's 1.35% look like when you're actually playing? Put down $1,000 in even-money bets? You'll lose about $13.50 on average. European roulette costs you about $27. American roulette? Around $52.60. The house always has an edge, but French roulette keeps it as small as possible.
Where to play French roulette online
You'll find French roulette at most big online casinos, including crypto sites that take Bitcoin and other coins. Stick with games from solid providers like Evolution, NetEnt, or Playtech.
Crypto casinos let you deposit and cash out way faster than regular payment methods. Some offer provably fair games. They use crypto verification to prove the spin result was set before you bet. You can check for yourself that nobody messed with the results.
Play French roulette at JB with instant crypto deposits and withdrawals.
