French Roulette
French Roulette is the original form of roulette as developed in 18th-century France and the basis for all subsequent variants. It uses the same single-zero 37-pocket wheel as European Roulette, but features two unique rules — La Partage and En Prison — that apply when the ball lands on zero, reducing the house edge on even-money bets from 2.70% to just 1.35%. This makes French Roulette, with its La Partage rule applied, the lowest house-edge variant of roulette available and one of the best table games in the casino by expected value. The table layout also uses French terminology and a distinctive dual-sided betting design.
Rules & Gameplay
The wheel is identical to European Roulette: 37 pockets, numbers 0–36, single green zero. Betting options and payouts are identical to European Roulette. The key distinction is the treatment of zero: La Partage rule: when 0 hits, all even-money bets (Rouge/Noir, Pair/Impair, Manque/Passe — the French equivalents of Red/Black, Odd/Even, High/Low) lose only half their stake, with the other half returned to the player. House edge on even-money bets with La Partage: 1.35%. En Prison rule (variant): instead of returning half, even-money bets are 'imprisoned' — left on for the next spin. If that spin wins, the original stake is returned (not a win, just recovery). If it loses, the bet is lost. En Prison and La Partage are mathematically equivalent in expected value. Inside bets (straight, split, etc.) still carry the full 2.70% house edge.
Basic Strategy
Always choose French Roulette over European or American Roulette when available. When La Partage or En Prison applies, restrict all play to even-money outside bets (Red/Black, Odd/Even, High/Low) to access the 1.35% house edge. With La Partage, prefer it over En Prison if you want the half-stake returned immediately rather than risking it again. Inside bets in French Roulette carry the same 2.70% edge as in European Roulette — the La Partage advantage applies only to even-money bets. No betting system can improve expected value, but even-money bets with La Partage provide the best possible roulette experience for bankroll longevity.
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