French Roulette is considered the most player-friendly version of online roulette games, and it’s the smartest choice any other player can make when playing. This classic game, that’s because thanks to the special rules it has, it has making it have the lowest house edge. The most interesting part about French Roulette is its heritage, even though it was the game roulette was originally developed in France in the 1700s. It used to use an American wheel, unlike the current version of French Roulette. On this page today, we will talk about French Roulette rules, odds, payouts, bets, strategies, and comparing it with the other types of roulette.
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French Roulette Rules & Key Distinctions
French Roulette uses the classic European wheel with one single zero, and in general, its rules are similar to European roulette, but there are certain rules in this particular roulette variation that make it more player-friendly and side more with the player rather than with the casino, be it a land-based casino or an online casino. The rules below will explain the key distinctions that make French Roulette the better option for Arab players.
- La Partage: If you place even money bets, such as red-black, odd-even, high-low, and the ball lands on zero, you only lose half of your stake. The remaining half is returned to you. This reduces losses over time, unlike in all other roulette types where you just lose your whole bet.
- En Prison: Some French Roulette variations have the En Prison rule, which applies to the same even money bets like red-black, odd-even, high-low, when the ball lands on zero. Your bet money is imprisoned for the next spin, meaning if your bet wins on the next spin, you get your full stake back, and if it loses, you lose your bet. Again, such a rule only exists in French Roulette.
- Low House Edge: French Roulette has the lowest house edge among all types of roulette games. It’s only 1.35% on even money bets, whereas in other bets or other games, it’s 2.7%, and if it’s an American wheel, then it’s 5.26%.
- Call Bets: French Roulette has more betting options because of the call bets, which are also known as French bets. They are more advanced than the regular inside and outside bets, but we explain them thoroughly in the section below. These bets are called Voisins du Zéro, Tiers du Cylindre, Orphelins, and Jeu Zéro.
Bets, Odds & Payouts
French Roulette, as we previously stated, uses the European wheel. So the standard betting roulette table is the same as the standard roulette betting table in any classic European roulette game. It doesn’t have any multipliers or anything, but apart from the classic inside and outside bets, you have French bets.
They are also known as call bets, side bets, or even advanced bets. These are exclusive to French Roulette, though it’s important to point out that you can find them as side bets in classic European roulette tables. Remember that the house edge for even money outside bets is lower in French Roulette too.
Call Bets/ French Bets
The more experience you get with standard bets, or even if you get bored with the same old inside and outside bets, you can move up to call bets. They are advanced bets specific to French Roulette. They may take a little bit of time to get used to because you have to place your chips on very specific numbers.
Luckily, on most online roulette sites, the layout is already set for you. You just choose whether you want to bet Voisin du Zéro, Tiers du Cylindre, Jeu Zéro, or Fillet, and they are automatically selected for you on the roulette betting table, which really eases the process a lot. Nevertheless, it’s good to know what each one of these call bets entails.
Tiers du Cylindre
Tiers du Cylindre covers one-third of the wheel on the side opposite zero. It is one of the most popular French call bets and is ideal for players who prefer balanced sector coverage.
- Numbers Covered (12 Numbers): 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, 33
- Total Chips Required: 6 chips
How to Place the Chips
- 1 chip → 5/8 (Split)
- 1 chip → 10/11 (Split)
- 1 chip → 13/16 (Split)
- 1 chip → 23/24 (Split)
- 1 chip → 27/30 (Split)
- 1 chip → 33/36 (Split)
Voisins du Zéro
Voisins du Zéro covers the largest wheel sector surrounding zero. It is the most strategic and chip-heavy French bet.
- Numbers Covered (17 Numbers): 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25
- Total Chips Required: 9 chips
How to Place the Chips
- 2 chips → 0/2/3 (Street)
- 1 chip → 4/7 (Split)
- 1 chip → 12/15 (Split)
- 1 chip → 18/21 (Split)
- 1 chip → 19/22 (Split)
- 2 chips → 25/26/28/29 (Corner)
- 1 chip → 32/35 (Split)
Orphelins à Cheval
Orphelins covers the two wheel sections left uncovered by Tiers and Voisins. It targets isolated numbers.
- Numbers Covered (8 Numbers): 1, 20, 14, 31, 9, 17, 34, 6
- Total Chips Required: 5 chips
How to Place the Chips
- 1 chip → 1 (Straight-up)
- 1 chip → 6/9 (Split)
- 1 chip → 14/17 (Split)
- 1 chip → 17/20 (Split)
- 1 chip → 31/34 (Split)
Jeu Zéro
Jeu Zéro is a compact sector bet focused tightly around zero and its closest neighbors.
- Numbers Covered (7 Numbers): 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15
- Total Chips Required: 4 chips
How to Place the Chips
- 1 chip → 0/3 (Split)
- 1 chip → 12/15 (Split)
- 1 chip → 26 (Straight-up)
- 1 chip → 32/35 (Split)
Paris Intérieurs
| Bet | Covers | Payout |
| Plein | 1 number | 35:1 |
| Cheval | 2 adjacent numbers | 17:1 |
| Transversale Pleine | 3 numbers (row) | 11:1 |
| Carré | 4 numbers (square) | 8:1 |
| Transversale Simple | 6 numbers (two rows) | 5:1 |
Paris Extérieurs
| Bet | Covers | Payout |
| Rouge / Noir | 18 numbers | 1:1 |
| Pair / Impair | 18 numbers | 1:1 |
| Manque (1–18) / Passe (19–36) | 18 numbers | 1:1 |
| Douzaine | 12 numbers | 2:1 |
| Colonne | 12 numbers | 2:1 |
Strategies For Playing French Roulette
When applying a roulette strategy in French Roulette, it’s important to understand that at the end of the day, it’s a game of luck and it’s all RNG-based in an online casino, so there is no wheel bias, there are no hot and cold numbers—it’s just pure luck. However, given the La Partage and En Prison rules, certain system bets, such as Martingale and Fibonacci, work really well in French Roulette because of these rules, which really give an advantage. With that said, here’s a list of 10 strategies you can apply while playing French Roulette.
- Martingale: Doubling your even-money bet after every loss is safer in French Roulette because La Partage and En Prison rules reduce losses when zero hits, lowering the risk compared to other roulette variants.
- Paroli: Increasing your bet after each win is effective in French Roulette since winning streaks on even-money bets are less likely to be ruined by zero, thanks to the special rules.
- Fibonacci: Progressing bets using the Fibonacci numbers works well because losing half your stake on zero makes long negative sequences more manageable.
- D’Alembert: Increasing or decreasing bets by one unit after losses or wins is ideal in French Roulette because the low house edge combined with La Partage reduces overall volatility.
- Labouchere: Using a sequence and adjusting bets after wins or losses is safer in French Roulette as even-money bets have protection against zero, helping players complete sequences without massive losses.
- Sector Betting: Placing bets on Voisins du Zéro, Tiers du Cylindre, Orphelins, or Jeu Zéro is perfect in French Roulette because these bets are exclusive to the French wheel and target precise wheel sectors, increasing hit frequency.
- Combination Strategy: Combining an even-money bet with a call bet works well since the even-money component benefits from La Partage/En Prison while the call bet covers a specific wheel sector, balancing safety and coverage.
- Small-Win Low-Risk System: Betting small amounts on multiple even-money bets is effective because frequent small wins are less affected by zero due to the prison and partage rules, allowing steady bankroll growth.
- Neighbors Strategy: Focusing on numbers next to hot numbers or zero is ideal because French Roulette’s single-zero wheel and sector betting allow precise targeting, improving chances of repeated wins.
- Outside Bets Focus: Sticking to Red/Black, Even/Odd, or High/Low bets works best because the house edge is lowest on these bets in French Roulette, and the special rules further protect your stake.
French VS European VS American Roulette: What is The Real Difference?
When you talk about French Roulette, you have to compare it to the other two classics because these three types of roulette variations—French Roulette, American Roulette, and European Roulette—are the pioneers that led to all the other variations we see right now in many online casinos, whether it’s Arabic Roulette, Lightning Roulette, Mega Fortune Roulette, and so on. These three are always the classics where it all started.
Now, to be fair, French and European Roulette are the same apart from the La Partage and En Prison rules. The big difference lies in American Roulette because it’s a much riskier game with a higher house edge due to that extra double zero. In the table below, you will see a concrete comparison among all three types of these roulette game variations.
| Feature | French Roulette | European Roulette | American Roulette |
| Year Established | ~1790s, France | ~1840s, Europe | ~1800s, US |
| Wheel Zeros | Single zero (0) | Single zero (0) | (0) + (00) |
| House Edge | 1.35% | 2.7% | 5.26% |
| Inside Bets | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Outside Bets | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Call Bets | Yes | None | None |
| Game Speed | Slower-paced; more time for strategy | Medium | Faster |
| Best For | Players seeking lowest house edge & strategic play | Standard players | High-risk players |
Should You Choose French Roulette?
French Roulette is one of the best options, not just for Arab players, but for any type of roulette player, because of the house edge on even bets. However, there are certain problems with French Roulette that may not make it the best option for Arab players. For instance, it is not available in all online casinos. Most popular roulette variations, such as Lightning Roulette, Power Up Roulette, or Double Ball Roulette, for example, all use the European wheel and European roulette rules, not French Roulette. So this might be a little bit limiting for certain players.
One more thing: we know that Arab players, especially high rollers, prefer higher risk. This might be a little limiting in French Roulette. Thus, if you’re that type of player, other roulette variations may be a more suitable option for you. But if you like more advantage on even bets and you are a safe player who likes to apply standard betting systems such as Martingale or Fibonacci, then French Roulette might be the best roulette variation for you.
- Lowest house edge among roulette variants 1.35% thanks to La Partage and En Prison rules
- Includes traditional French call bets
- Supports a wide variety of inside and outside bets
- Ideal for strategic betting systems like Martingale, Fibonacci, and D’Alembert
- Highly popular in online casinos catering to Arab players
- Call bets may be confusing for beginners
- Fewer high-risk options compared to other variants
- Slower gameplay may not suit fast-paced players
FAQs About French Roulette
What is the difference between French Roulette and European Roulette?
French Roulette and European Roulette use the same wheel and generally have mostly the same rules, except in French Roulette, there are two rules: La Partage and En Prison. La Partage gives you half your stake on even money bets if the ball lands on zero. En Prison has the same conditions, but instead of getting half of your stake back, your bet stays until the next round. These two rules do not exist in European Roulette. This is also why French Roulette has a lower house edge, 1.35% for even money bets, compared to European Roulette, which has a 2.70% house edge.
How can I win in French Roulette?
To win French Roulette, all you need is luck, but because of the La Partage and En Prison rules, betting systems such as the Martingale strategy, Paroli, or Fibonacci work well on French Roulette. In general, the best way to win any roulette game is to just combine your bets, mixing it up.
Can I play French Roulette in Arabic?
Generally, French Roulette is not available in the Arabic language, meaning the croupier doesn’t speak Arabic—they speak French or English. However, depending on the software provider, you can change the game settings and make your interface in Arabic. Evolution live games always have multilingual interface.
What is the house edge of French Roulette?
French Roulette has the lowest house edge among all types of roulette games. It has a 1.35% house edge for even money bets, and for the rest of the bets, it’s 2.70%, just like European Roulette.
How many numbers are on a French Roulette Wheel?
The French Roulette wheel follows the European roulette design. It has a total of 37 numbers, 0 to 36, including a single green zero.
What is the En Prison and La Partage rule in French Roulette?
The En Prison and La Partage rules apply to even money bets in French Roulette. La Partage means that if the ball lands on zero, you lose only half your stake, and the other half is returned to you. En Prison means that under the same conditions, your bet is “imprisoned” and stays on the table for the next spin. If your bet wins on the next spin, you get your full stake back; if it loses, you lose your bet.
What are the call bets in French Roulette?
Call bets, also known as French bets, are advanced betting options specific to French Roulette. They include Voisins du Zéro, Tiers du Cylindre, Orphelins, and Jeu Zéro. These bets allow you to place chips on specific sections of the wheel rather than individual numbers, and in most online roulette sites, the layout is already pre-arranged to make placing these bets easier.
