How to Play and Win at French Roulette

Learn how to play French Roulette, explore key strategies, and discover why this classic variant offers the lowest house edge for players. Tips for smart playing.

The classic roulette game was invented centuries ago, but there are three ‘standard’ variants that evolved from it: French, European, and American. In this guide, we’ll talk about the French variant.

It’s known for its unique rules and the favorable odds for players, as well as the luxurious feel it presents. Maybe it’s due to the characteristic font, the French wording, or the thought of playing at one of Monte Carlo’s exquisite casinos, but French roulette has always been popular as the ‘most sophisticated roulette variant’. In this guide, we’ll talk about the things that make it special, how to play it in India, and the strategies you can use to boost your winning chances in French roulette.

What is French Roulette?

Before we get to winning at French roulette, we must first distinguish what is this variant. In short, French roulette is one of the oldest and most traditional versions of roulette. It originated in France during the 18th century and quickly spread across Europe and the world. So, many consider it to be the first roulette variant – although that’s not entirely true because the early variant had some different rules than today’s game.

The game’s layout and rules are slightly different from the American and European versions, offering better odds for players – which is the most significant distinction. Regarding the wheel itself, the European and French variants use exactly the same wheel – which includes the same number sequence, the same amount of pockets (37 in total), and only one zero.

The key difference between French Roulette to European is the inclusion of two special rules named La Partage (To Share) and En Prison (To Imprison). The names of these rules suggest what they do. The first one shares a loss with the dealer, while the second one locks your bet for the next turn if the ball lands on zero.

How to Play and Win at French Roulette
French Roulette

It’s important to remember that these rules only apply when you place even-money bets (like Red/Blacks or Odds/Evens), and they are only effective if the ball lands on zero. Since the zero is the ‘house edge’, the idea is for both the player and the dealer to be affected by the house edge – and not just the player, like in all other variants.

So, how does it work? Well, Instead of losing your entire bet, you get exactly 50% of your bet back. If the bet is ‘imprisoned, it means that the bet stays the same for the next turn. Naturally, these rules significantly reduce the house edge.

This lowers the house edge for French roulette to below 1.50%, making it the lowest of all variants. Check out the comparison table below:

Type of Roulette House Edge
American Roulette 5.26%
European Roulette 2.70%
French Roulette 1.35%

Compared to other standard variants, the French version has the lowest house edge, which means that the return to player percentage is the highest.

How to Play French Roulette

In order to play French roulette online, you should first find a casino that has this game in its library. Keep in mind that due to the favorable house edge, this is the most sought-after game by players, but it’s also the hardest one to find at casinos. So, check the game library before registering with an online casino if you’re looking for French roulette.

The betting table is the same as with European roulette, and it’s the place where you place the bets. So, once you turn on the game, be it an RNG or live dealer game, you should:

  1. Choose a chip size and place bets: First, choose the denomination of your chips, according to your budget. Then, move them with your cursor to the bet you want to place, like straight-up, Red, Black, or any other.
  2. Wait for the round to start: If you play RNG online roulette, you will have to click to spin the wheel. But, if you play live dealer roulette, there will be a dealer that will spin the wheel manually and drop the white ball.
  3. See if you have won: Once the wheel stops and the ball lands, the dealer will announce the number that was chosen that round. In RNG roulette, the number will appear on the screen, and you will be notified if you have won.

And that’s it. The winnings will be automatically credited to your account, so you can choose to either continue playing by placing a new bet, rebet the same amount on the same bet, or finish the session and collect your winnings.

Strategies for French Roulette for Indian Players

French roulette is one of the most suitable variants for experimenting with roulette strategies. That’s because, even without the two added rules, the game uses the European wheel – which only has one zero. On top of that, if one of the two added rules are active, you can benefit from the highest roulette odds out there.

But, since the added rules, the La Partage and En Prison, are only available for even-money bets, it would be best to use roulette betting systems that focus on these bets. For example, you can use these strategies:

  • Reverse Martingale Strategy: With this system, you bet on bets like Odds/Evens, High/Lows, and Red/Blacks and you increase your wager size by double the amount each time you win a bet.
  • D’Alembert Strategy: With this system, you bet on even-money bets again, but if you lose, you wager 1 unit more than the last time. But if you win, you go one step back and decrease your wager by as much as you increased it.
  • Fibonacci System: This betting strategy uses the popular sequencer, and it’s considered a relatively low-risk strategy in which you base the wager size based on the sequence of Fibonacci.

Wrap Up

French roulette offers better odds than both American and European variants, which makes it the best option for Indian players. But, you still have to gamble responsibly and try to make the most out of the added rules by using smart strategies.

Disclaimer: Gambling involves an element of financial risk and may be addictive. Please play responsibly and at your own risk. This post contains material that may or may not be legal in your country. Please play subject to applicable law.

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