Roulette has been a popular casino game ever since it was invented in 18th century France. There are many different types of roulette available, with the most common variants being French Roulette, European Roulette and American Roulette. These are the three variants that we will focus on in this article.
During a round of roulette, the croupier (roulette dealer) will spin a wheel (the roulette wheel) in one direction and spin a ball within the wheel in the opposite direction. Eventually, the ball will lose speed and fall down into the wheel, where it will settle in one of the many pockets within the wheel.
In French roulette there is just a single zero, which immediately lowers the edge to 2.7%. French roulette comes with a La Partage rule, which cuts the house edge down to 1.35%. This rule is specific to those 50/50 bets such as red/black and odd/even bets. Roulette is a casino game named after the French word meaning little wheel.In the game, players may choose to place bets on either a single number, various groupings of numbers, the colors red or black, whether the number is odd or even, or if the numbers are high (19–36) or low (1–18). Why Play French Roulette? French Roulette is the best roulette game for advantage players with the lowest house edge bets of 1.35%. It is better than European Roulette’s 2.7% house edge and certainly better than American Roulette’s 5.26% house edge. The major differences with the French form of the game and American or European Roulette is the presence of the insurance bets - La Partage and En Prison. La Partage ('Shared') comes into play when you place an even-money bet on Red/Black or Odd/Even. The Live Dealer French Roulette games offer a similar RTP percentage with 97.30% for Evolution Gaming’s French Roulette and 98.65% for NetEnt’s Live French Roulette. Remember, however, that the RTP should only serve you as theoretical orientation and that the luck factor is also an inevitable part of each game. French Roulette Is the Way to Go!
An American roulette wheel has 38 pockets, while a European or French roulette wheel has 37 pockets. The pockets are numbered 0 – 37 on the European and French wheel. At the American wheel, there is also a pocket for 00, bringing the total number of pockets up to 38.
Within the span 1 – 37, half of the numbers are black and half of the numbers are red. 0 and 00 are always green. At traditional French roulette tables, the colors are only displayed within the wheel, not at the table. You are expected to know which color each number has. At European and American roulette tables, the color of a number is typically shown both within the wheel and at the table.
For mathematical reasons, the house edge is higher on American roulette than on European and French roulette. The addition of the double zero (00) brings the house edge up to 5.5 percent on a traditional American roulette table. For a traditional French or European table, where there is no 00, the house edge is just 2.7 percent.
Roulette chips
In many casinos, a roulette table will have its own roulette chips that can only be used at that specific table. You trade in regular casino chips in exchange for roulette chips. The roulette chips you receive will be unique to you for your playing session, e.g. you get the blue chips with the white pattern, and these can only be used by you until you trade them in for regular casino chips again before leaving the table.
Having designated roulette chips for each individual players lowers the risk of mix ups and confusion at the table. If everyone where to play with regular casino chips, situations could easily arise where two players claim to be the owner of the same stack of chips, or one player claims that certain chips has fallen off his stack an into someone other person’s wager.
Roulette chips have no value printed on them. Instead, the croupier places one of your roulette chips together with a regular casino chip to indicate its value.
Example: You trade in $1,000 worth of regular roulette chips and receive a stack of 100 red roulette chips. The croupier will place a $10 casino chip together with one red roulette chip at a certain area near the croupier, to indicate that each of your red roulette chips are worth $10. At the end of your playing session at this roulette table, you give any remaining red chips back to the dealer and receives $10 worth of regular casino chips for each red chip.
Examples of bets
There are a lot of different bets one can make at the start of a round of roulette. The most famous is arguably the straight bet, where you bet your money on one specific number and is paid 35 times your wager if the ball comes to rest on this number. The other available bets are bets on two or more numbers, e.g. the first dozen (numbers 1 – 12), all red numbers or all even numbers. The higher your chance of winning, the lower the payment when you win. It is possible for the player to decide if they want roulette to be a high risk or low risk game.
Below, you will find a table with examples of bets that you can do while playing roulette.
The payments listed are used in a wide range of online and offline casinos, but it is ultimately up to each casino to set their payment table for each of their roulette tables. Therefore, one should always check the payment table for the particular roulette table one wish to play at.
| Name | Payment | Information |
| Straight Bet | 35:1 | When you pick one specific number and bet on just this number, that is called a straight bet. You can pick any number within the span 1 – 36. Making a straight bet on 0 or 00 is not permitted on a regular roulette table. To make a straight bet, place the chip on top of the number your wish to bet on at the casino table. You only win if the ball comes to rest on exactly the number you wagered on. Since the chance of this happening is low, this bet pays well if you win – you get paid 35 times your wager. |
| Split Bet | 17:1 | A split bet is a bet where your wager is split over two different numbers. You can only bet on two numbers that are next to each other at the roulette table, because you must place your chip on the line between the two numbers. Making a split bet that involves 0 or 00 is not possible at a standard roulette table. When you have made a split bet, you win if the ball comes to rest on any of the two numbers that your wager is split between. If you win, you get paid 17 times your wager. |
| Street Bet | 11:1 | At a standard roulette table, the 36 numbers in the span 1 – 36 are placed in twelve rows with three numbers in each row. Each of these three-number rows are known as a street. If you bet on a street, your bet on the three numbers that are included in that specific street. You win if the ball comes to rest on any of these three numbers. You make your bet by placing your chip right where the street in question starts, on the line that separates the outer betting area and the inner betting area from each other on the roulette table. If you win, you are paid eleven times your wager. |
| Corner Bet / Quad Bet | 8:1 | A corner bet is a bet spread over four numbers. You make this bet by placing your chip where the squares of four different numbers meet each other on the roulette table. (This limits which four-number options that are available for a corner bet.) Since this type of bet involves four numbers, it is sometimes referred to as a quad bet. If the ball comes to rest on any of the four numbers included in your corner bet, you are paid eight times your wager. |
| Basket Bet | 6:1 | If you want to bet on really low numbers, you can make a basket bet. At a French or European roulette table, a basket bet is a bet spread over the numbers 0 – 1 – 2 – 3. At an American roulette table, a basket bet is a bet spread over the numbers 0 – 00 – 1 – 2 – 3. You win if the ball comes to rest on any of the numbers included in the basket bet. You are paid six times your bet. |
| Double Street Bet | 5:1 | As mentioned above, there are twelve “streets” on the roulette table with three numbers in each street. With a double street bet, your wager is spread over two adjacent streets. It is thus a bet on a total of six numbers. You make a double street bet by placing your chip where the two streets start (on the line that separates the outer betting area and the inner betting area from each other on the roulette table) while simultaneously making sure that the chip is straddling the line that separates the two streets from each other. You win if the ball comes to rest on any of the six numbers included in your double street bet. The payment is five times your wager. |
| 1st Dozen | 2:1 | This is a a bet on the numbers 1 – 12. You get paid 2:1 on your wager if the ball comes to rest on any of the numbers in the 1 – 12 span. You make this bet by placing your chip in the designated field on the roulette table. It is normally marked “1st 12” or “1-12”. |
| 2nd Dozen | 2:1 | This is a a bet on the numbers 13 – 24. You get paid 2:1 on your wager if the ball comes to rest on any of the numbers in the 13 – 24 span. You make this bet by placing your chip in the designated field on the roulette table. It is normally marked “2nd 12” or “13-24”. |
| 3rd Dozen | 2:1 | This is a a bet on the numbers 25 – 36. You get paid 2:1 on your wager if the ball comes to rest on any of the numbers in the 25 –36 span. You make this bet by placing your chip in the designated field on the roulette table. It is normally marked “3rdt 12” or “25-36”. |
| 1st Column | 2:1 | The 1st column consists of the following numbers: 1 – 4 – 7 – 10 – 13 – 16 – 19 – 22 – 25 – 28 – 31 – 34 This is a bet on these twelve numbers. If the ball comes to rest of any of them, you are paid 2:1 on your wager. You bet on the 1st Column by placing your chip at the end of the 1st Column. There is normally a special field there marked “2:1” or “2 to 1”. |
| 2nd Column | 2:1 | The 2nd column consists of the following numbers: 2 – 5 – 8 – 11 – 14 – 17 – 20 – 23 – 26 – 29 – 32 – 35 This is a bet on these twelve numbers. If the ball comes to rest of any of them, you are paid 2:1 on your wager. You bet on the 2nd Column by placing your chip at the end of the 2nd Column. There is normally a special field there marked “2:1” or “2 to 1”. |
| 3rd Column | 2:1 | The 2nd column consists of the following numbers: 3 – 6 – 9 – 12 – 15 – 18 – 21 – 24 – 27 – 30 – 33 – 36 This is a bet on these twelve numbers. If the ball comes to rest of any of them, you are paid 2:1 on your wager. You bet on the 3rd Column by placing your chip at the end of the 3rd Column. There is normally a special field there marked “2:1” or “2 to 1”. |
| Halves – Low Bet | 1:1 | Halves – Low Bet is a bet on the numbers 1 – 18. (Please note that 0 and 00 are not included.) There is a designated area on the roulette table where you place your chip to make this bet. The area is normally marked “1 – 18” or “1 to 18”. You win 1:1 on your wager if the ball comes to rest on any of the numbers in the 1 – 18 span. |
| Halves – High Bet | 1:1 | Halves – High Bet is a bet on the numbers 19 – 36. There is a designated area on the roulette table where you place your chip to make this bet. The area is normally marked “19 – 36” or “19 to 36”. You win 1:1 on your wager if the ball comes to rest on any of the numbers in the 19 – 36 span. |
| Red | 1:1 | To bet on red, place your chip in the designated area marked RED on the roulette table. You win 1:1 on your wager if the ball comes to rest on any of the red numbers. You lose your wager if the ball comes to rest on any of the black or green numbers. |
| Black | 1:1 | To bet on black, place your chip in the designated area marked BLACK on the roulette table. You win 1:1 on your wager if the ball comes to rest on any of the black numbers. You lose your wager if the ball comes to rest on any of the red or green numbers. |
| Odd | 1:1 | To bet on odd, place your chip in the designated area marked ODD on the roulette table. You win 1:1 on your wager if the ball comes to rest on any of the odd numbers. You lose your wager if the ball comes to rest on any of the even numbers, or on 0 or on 00. Please note that 0 and 00 do not count as even nor odd. |
| Even | 1:1 | To bet on even, place your chip in the designated area marked EVEN on the roulette table. You win 1:1 on your wager if the ball comes to rest on any of the even numbers. You lose your wager if the ball comes to rest on any of the odd numbers, or on 0 or on 00. Please note that 0 and 00 do not count as even nor odd. |
Call bets at the French roulette table
Most French roulette tables will accept call bets, unless call bets are banned by applicable law.
French Roulette Bets
Call bets are shouted to the croupier instead of being placed on the table. For traditional reasons, the shouting is typically done in French even at French roulette tables found outside the Francophone world.
Here are three examples of call bets to get your started:
| Name of the call bet | Information |
| Voisins du Zero | This means “neighbors of the zero”. By calling voisins du zero, you are placing a bet on the 17 numbers found closest to the zero, i.e. 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, and 25. |
| Tiers du Cylindre | This means “a third of the wheel”. By calling tiers du cylindre, you are placing a bet on the 12 numbers of the wheel that are as far away from the zero as possible. These numbers are 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10, 5, 24, 16, and 33. |
| Orphelins | This means “orphans”. The orphans are the numbers that re neither voisins du zero or tiers du cylindre. By calling out orphelins, you are placing a bet on the numbers 1, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 31, and 34. |
It should be noted that call bets are not the only bets possible at the French roulette – you can do ordinary bets as well. Learning the French names for the bets will make it easier for you. For example, the French equivalent of even is pair, while odd is impair. Low (1-18) is manqué (1-18) and high (19-36) is passé (19-36). The 1st dozen is premiere 12 (P-12), the 2nd dozen is moyenne 12 (M-12) and the 3rd dozen is derniere 12 (D-12).
Numbering
The French and the European roulette wheel look the same when it comes to numbering. The numbers are placed like this (clockwise): 0-32-15-19-4-21-2-25-17-34-6-27-13-36-11-30-8-23-10-5-24-16-33-1-20-14-31-9-22-18-29-7-28-12-35-3-26.
French Roulette Game
At the American roulette wheel, the numbers are placed like this (clockwise): 0-28-9-26-30-11-7-20-32-17-5-22-34-15-3-24-36-13-1-00-27-10-25-29-12-8-19-31-18-6-21-33-16-4-23-35-14-2.
Traditional design
- Traditionally, European and American roulette tables sports a green cloth, while French roulette tables have a red cloth. Today, many casinos are no longer adhering to these traditions, and you can find red-clothed European tables, blue-clothed (!) French tables, and so on.
- As mentioned above, the numbers are normally uniformly colored at the French roulette table cloth.
- Traditionally, European and French roulette tables have the wheel placed in the middle, while American roulette tables have the wheel at the end of the table. Today, the American configuration is used by a lot of European and French roulette tables as well since it is considered more practical.A notable exception are the roulette tables at Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco, which still sport the traditional centered wheel configuration.
Odds
European and French Roulette
Bet | # of numbers included in the bet | Chance of winning |
Straight | 1 | 1 in 37 (2.7 percent) |
Split | 2 | 1 in 18,5 (5.41 percent) |
Street | 3 | 1 in 12,3 (9.3 percent) |
Corner | 4 | 1 in 9,25 (10.81 percent) |
Six Line | 6 | 1 in 6,2 (16.22 percent) |
Dozen | 12 | 1 in 3,1 (32.58 percent) |
Column | 12 | 1 in 3,1 (32.58 percent) |
Red/Black | 18 | 1 in 2,06 (48.65 percent) |
Even/Odd | 18 | 1 in 2,06 (48.65 percent) |
High/Low | 18 | 1 in 2,06 (48.65 percent) |
American Roulette
Bet | # of numbers included in the bet | Chance of winning |
Straight | 1 | 1 in 38 (2.63 percent) |
Split | 2 | 1 in 19 (5.26 percent) |
Street | 3 | 1 in 12,6 (7.89 percent) |
Corner | 4 | 1 in 9,5 (10.53 percent) |
Six Line | 6 | 1 in 6,3 (15.79 percent) |
Dozen | 12 | 1 in 3,2 (32.43 percent) |
Column | 12 | 1 in 3,2 (32.43 percent) |
Red/Black | 18 | 1 in 2,1 (47.37 percent) |
Even/Odd | 18 | 1 in 2,1 (47.37 percent) |
High/Low | 18 | 1 in 2,1 (47.37 percent) |
French Roulette Wheel
As you can see, you get better odds playing French and European roulette instead of American roulette. The presence of the 00 in the American roulette wheel brings the house edge up to 5.5 percent, as opposed to the 2.7 percent house edge of European and French roulette.