French Roulette for Beginners | Everything Gamblers Need to Know to Win in 2024
Are you just starting to play French roulette online and want to learn all the fundamentals to help you get started? Good, because you’re in the right place. In today’s guide, we are sharing our top tips, strategies, and foundational basics of this popular game. French roulette is a favorite not only with online casinos, but land based. In most casinos today, this variation on the game is available to play. If you develop your strategy and master this game, you can make the most out of your gambling experience!
History of French Roulette
The game of roulette is a centuries old game that has a rich and colorful history. While there are different versions of the game, the French roulette wheel has stayed on as one of the most popular. As is often the case with historical events, it is difficult to trace the true origins of the game, but there are some stories that help piece it together.
A few centuries ago, a French scientist and philosopher named Blaise Pascal created the modern roulette wheel as a perpetual motion machine. It is rumored that Pascal was inspired by a game similar to roulette that was played in French monasteries. As a game combining elements of mathematics and probability, it was a source of entertainment for the monks.
From there, two French brothers, Francois and Luis Blanc, introduced the game of roulette into the first casinos in Germany. Their changes to the game of roulette and the wheel are what we see today, including the green colored zeros. Later, the two brothers moved their operations to Monte Carlo casinos, bringing French roulette to other European players. It took off and quickly gained popularity, remaining a staple in casinos even to this day.
French Roulette vs. American
As we mentioned earlier, there are different versions of the game of online roulette. Throughout history, there were many variations of the game, but in modern times, just a few have stayed on. These are French, American, and European roulette.
French and European roulette are quite similar. The wheels are the same and set up with thirty-seven numbered pockets, running from 0 to 36. The difference between the two are that French roulette has rules that are exclusive to this version, the La Partage and En Prison. We will discuss the details of these in a later section but in short, they offer greater advantages in favor of the player.
American roulette is much different from European and French roulette. When French roulette was brought to the United States by immigrants, the game was changed by casinos to increase the house edge. The wheel has thirty-eight numbered pockets, running from 00 to 36. The addition of the double zero means the house edge for American roulette is nearly double, a difference that has a large impact on the game.
Due to these differences, beginners debating between French vs American roulette, should start off with French or European variants. In general, American roulette is normally played by those in North America. While French roulette odds are much more favorable with greater RTP and enjoyed by a larger audience.
How to Play
Are you ready to learn how to play French roulette? Then, let’s get started. French roulette basics and set up are the same as the European variant. The numbered pockets run in non-consecutive order from 0 to 36. The zero pocket is colored green, while the rest of the numbers alternate between red and black.
In Live French roulette, when the wheel is spun, bets are placed on the table layout that displays all the different types of possible bets. These are categorized into Inside and Outside bets and carry different probabilities and payouts. We will cover these in greater detail below.
When playing roulette with the computer, players place their bets first, then click the “Spin” button to set the wheel in motion. Once this button is pressed, all bets are locked, and you cannot change or remove your bet. If your bet lands, you will receive the payout.
Types of Bets
French roulette bets are the same as the other variants. We have them divided into Outside, Inside, and Call bets (or announced). In the tables, we have the name of the bet, how they are placed, and the corresponding payout odds.
Outside bets are placed on large groups of numbers based on certain factors like color or highs and lows. These have greater odds of landing; however, the payouts are not as high. These are great bet types for beginners or more cautious players. The bets with 1:1 payout odds are known as “even money bets”.
Outside Bets
| Bet Type | The Bet | Payout Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Columns | Placed on an entire column of twelve numbers | 2:1 |
| Dozens | Placed on group of 12 numbers | 2:1 |
| Reds/Blacks | Placed on reds or blacks | 1:1 |
| Odds/Evens | Placed on odd or even numbers | 1:1 |
| High/Low | Placed on low numbers (1 through 18) or high numbers (19 through 36) | 1:1 |
Inside bets are placed on single numbers or groups of them. The odds of landing are less, but the payouts are much greater. They are a great bet type to have in your repertoire so become skilled and knowledgeable with these to add more variety to game play.
Inside Bets
| Bet Type | The Bet | Payout Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Straight-Up Bet | Placed on single number | 35:1 |
| Split Bet | Placed on adjacent numbers | 17:1 |
| Street Bet | Placed on row of three numbers | 11:1 |
| Corner Bet | Placed on corner of four numbers | 8:1 |
| Six Line | Placed on two adjacent lines of three numbers | 5:1 |
| Trio Bet | Placed on three numbers, the zero and two of its neighbors | 11:1 |
Call bets, or “announced bets”, are bet types that aren’t shown on the table layout and must be called out to the croupier, hence the name. These bets are based on how the numbers show up on the roulette wheel. These are not offered at all roulette tables so you will have to find specific online roulette games that offer them.
Call Bets
| Bet Type | How it is Placed | Payout Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Voisins du Zero | Placed on seventeen numbers from 22 through 25 | varies |
| Jeu Zero | Placed on 0-3 split, 12-15 split, 32-35 split, and 26 straight-up. | 36:1 or 18:1 |
| Tiers du Cylindre | Placed on numbers 27 through 33, which covers a third of the wheel | 12:37 |
| Orphelins | Placed on two small sections of the wheel: one group is numbers 1 through 9 and the other is numbers 17 through 6 | 35:1 or 17:1 |
| Neighbors | Placed on any number and the two numbers on both sides of that number | varies |
Rules of French Roulette
Next, let’s get into French roulette rules. These rules are the main differentiators between this version of roulette versus the others. American and European roulette do not have these available to the player. However, these rules provide favorable odds to the gambler so they are well worth the time it takes to understand them.
The first of these is the La Partage rule. In French, la partage means “sharing” or “dividing” and this is exactly what this rule is about. If the ball lands on zero, you automatically receive half your original bet back if you placed an even money bet. The other half is given to the house. If you’re unsure what an even-money bet is, refer back to the section above on different types of bets.
With the La Partage rule, the house edge is decreased to 1.35% when placing even-money bets, putting players in an even more favorable position. This rule is offered by default at many French roulette tables, but not all. Players following strategies such as the Martingale and Labouchere will find this rule a perfect accompaniment to the strategy.
The second rule is the En Prison rule. This literally translates to “in prison” but it’s not nearly as foreboding as the name suggests. With this rule, the house edge is also decreased to 1.35% just as with La Partage, but it is not quite as favorable to the player. Just as with La Partage, En Prison only applies to even-money bets.
How it works is if the ball lands in the zero pocket, all even-money bets are locked in (or put in prison). If, on the next spin, your bet lands, then you win the entire bet, if not you lose the entire bet. Again, this rule does not apply to outside bets.
Strategies for French Roulette
There are a number of roulette strategies that gamblers can employ when playing roulette, whether it is the French, European, or American version. Many players of French roulette use strategies when playing.
A popular strategy that is used is progressive betting strategy. The most popular and well-known of these is the Martingale. With this approach, players double their bet with each loss. By doing so, when the player lands a win, they will win back any losses, and perhaps turn a profit. This is a negative progression system. The opposite is a positive progression system, an example of which is the reverse Martingale (or Paroli system). With this strategy, the player doubles their bet with each win.
Another popular strategy is a flat progression system, such as the D’Alembert. With this strategy, players increase their bet by one unit with each loss, or increase their bet by one unit with each win. This is a conservative method.
The last strategy type we will cover is non-progressive systems, such as the James Bond strategy. Inspired by the movie, this type of bet focuses on placing bets that cover a good portion of the table, putting the odds in favor of landing something. This is a good strategy when you don’t plan to spend a long time at the table.
Ready to Play
Now that we have covered all the basics of French roulette online casino, do you feel confident to try out a game or two? Relax, while the thought of a new game can feel daunting, you are well-equipped to get started!
We have discussed the set-up of the game, the rules, different types of bets, and several roulette strategies. With this information, all it takes is to gain more experience and the only way to do that is to start playing! Once you have the combination of knowledge and experience, this is the sweet spot!
Check out our other articles on MySer-Gambling for more top tips for players, as well as thorough casino reviews of the best places to gamble online!
FAQ: French Roulette
Should I play French Roulette or American Roulette?
When comparing French vs American roulette, the biggest consideration is your comfort level. We recommend beginners to play French roulette because the odds are more favorable for gamblers.
Where can I play French Roulette?
There are many places online where gamblers can play French roulette free demo or real money games. There are free French Roulette games available to try here at MySer-Gambling.
