French roulette is single-zero roulette (37 pockets, 0-36) with a French-language layout, call bets and, in many games, the La Partage or En Prison rule. Those two rules cut the house edge on even-money bets to about 1.35-1.39%. Every other bet stays at 2.70%, the same as European roulette. Online, not every “French” table includes either rule, so check the game rules before you play.
- What is French roulette?
- The French roulette table and bet names
- How to play French roulette
- The French roulette wheel
- Neighbour bets
- La Partage and En Prison
- House edge compared
- Call bets (announced bets)
- French vs European vs American roulette
- Playing French roulette online
- Personal French Roulette Calculator
- French roulette FAQ
What is French roulette?
French roulette is the original layout of the game, and the name is still used for the single-zero version played with French bet names and a few extra betting options. The wheel is the same 37-pocket single-zero wheel used in European roulette, so the house edge on a straight-up bet is 2.70%. Roulette itself originated in 18th-century France, according to Wikipedia. What changes is the table, the call bets, and the even-money rule that applies when the ball lands on zero.
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The French roulette table and bet names
The French layout prints the bet names in French, and many casinos show the English translation underneath. The payouts match the other single-zero games: a straight-up bet on one number pays 35:1, columns and dozens pay 2:1, and the even-money bets pay 1:1. For a full payout list see our roulette odds and payouts guide.
| French name | English | Numbers covered | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manque | Low | 1-18 | 1:1 |
| Passe | High | 19-36 | 1:1 |
| Pair | Even | All even numbers | 1:1 |
| Impair | Odd | All odd numbers | 1:1 |
| Rouge | Red | All red numbers | 1:1 |
| Noir | Black | All black numbers | 1:1 |
| P12 | First dozen | 1-12 | 2:1 |
| M12 | Middle dozen | 13-24 | 2:1 |
| D12 | Last dozen | 25-36 | 2:1 |
| Columns | Columns (the three 2:1 boxes) | One of the three columns of 12 numbers | 2:1 |
| Plein | Straight up | One number | 35:1 |
Manque, Passe, Pair, Impair, Rouge and Noir are the six even-money bets. These are the only bets that La Partage or En Prison can protect.
How to play French roulette
Choose your chip value, click the part of the layout you want to bet on, and click again to add more chips, up to the table maximum. In most games you can remove a bet by shift-clicking it, though the controls vary by software. You can mix any of the bets above in one spin. The interactive layout below shows each bet type and its payout; hover over a bet to see it.
- Straight Bet – Placing a bet on an individual number. Payout is 35:1.
- Split Bet – Placing a bet on two adjacent numbers. Payout is 17:1.
- Street Bet – Placing a bet on three numbers in a line. Payout is 11:1.
- Corner Bet – Placing a bet on four neighbouring numbers. Payout is 8:1.
- Six Line Bet – Placing a bet on six consecutive numbers. Payout is 5:1.
- Columns Bet – Placing a bet on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd Columns. Payout is 2:1.
- Dozens Bet – Placing a bet on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd Dozen. Payout is 2:1.
- Manque or Passe Bet – Placing a bet on High or Low numbers. Payout is 1:1.
- Even or Odd Bet – Placing a bet on Odd or Even numbers. Payout is 1:1.
- Red or Black Bet – Placing a bet on Red or Black numbers. Payout is 1:1.
The French roulette wheel
The wheel has 37 pockets, numbered 0 to 36. Going clockwise from zero, the numbers sit in this order, according to Wizard of Odds, our sister site:
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
There is no simple rule for memorising it. The order matters because call bets and neighbour bets are defined by position on the wheel, not by position on the table.
Neighbour bets
A neighbour bet covers a number and the numbers beside it on the wheel. A bet on 15 with one neighbour each side also covers 32 and 19, because those sit either side of 15 in the order above. Online games usually provide a neighbour panel where you pick a number and how many neighbours to include. Check the panel in your chosen game for its exact options.
La Partage and En Prison
Both rules apply only to the even-money bets (red/black, odd/even, low/high) and only when the ball lands on zero. They do not apply to dozens, columns or number bets. A table usually offers one rule or the other, and some offer neither.
La Partage returns half of your even-money stake when zero comes up. En Prison holds your stake on the layout for the next spin. If the bet wins on that spin, your stake is returned; if it loses, the stake is lost. Details of En Prison vary by casino, including whether a stake can be imprisoned more than once.
Worked example: a 10-unit bet on red
- With La Partage: zero comes up. You get 5 units back and lose 5.
- With En Prison: zero comes up. Your 10 units stay on red for the next spin. If red wins, you get the 10 units back with no winnings; if it loses, you lose the 10.
- With neither rule: zero comes up and you lose all 10 units.
La Partage settles the result at once with a certain half-loss, while En Prison keeps the full stake in play for one more spin. According to Wizard of Odds, La Partage brings the house edge on even-money bets down to 1.35%, and En Prison to about 1.39%.
House edge compared
The French rules lower the house edge on even-money bets only. They do not halve the edge across the whole game.
| Game and bet | House edge |
|---|---|
| French roulette, even-money bets with La Partage or En Prison | About 1.35-1.39% |
| French roulette, all other bets | 2.70% |
| European roulette, all bets | 2.70% |
| American roulette, even-money bets | 5.26% |
Figures are from Wizard of Odds’ roulette basics page. For more on the maths see our roulette odds and payouts guide.
Call bets (announced bets)
Call bets, also called announced bets, cover a block of numbers with a fixed set of chips. Online, you pick them from a panel. At a live table you announce the bet and place the chips. In land-based casinos you usually have to place the chips on the table before a call bet is accepted.
The chip total for each call bet must be divisible by its chip count. All of them carry the same 2.70% house edge as a straight-up bet, according to Wizard of Odds’ sector bets page.
| Call bet | Numbers covered | Chips | How the chips are placed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voisins du Zéro | 17 | 9 | 2 on trio 0-2-3, 2 on corner 22-26-28-29, 1 each on splits 4-7, 12-15, 18-21, 19-22 and 32-35 |
| Tiers du Cylindre | 12 | 6 | 1 each on splits 5-8, 10-11, 13-16, 23-24, 27-30 and 33-36 |
| Orphelins | 8 | 5 | 1 on straight-up 1, plus 1 each on splits 6-9, 14-17, 17-20 and 31-34 |
| Jeu Zéro | 7 | 4 | 1 each on splits 0-3, 12-15 and 32-35, plus 1 on straight-up 26 |
Voisins du Zéro
“Neighbours of zero” covers 17 pockets that sit together on the wheel, from 22 round to 25 through zero: 22-18-29-7-28-12-35-3-26-0-32-15-19-4-21-2-25. It takes 9 chips.
Jeu Zéro
Jeu Zéro covers the 7 numbers closest to zero on the wheel: 12-35-3-26-0-32-15. It takes 4 chips: three splits and a straight-up on 26.
Tiers du Cylindre
“A third of the wheel” covers 12 pockets in a row on the wheel, running from 27 to 33 in wheel order: 27-13-36-11-30-8-23-10-5-24-16-33. This is a wheel sector, not the numeric range 27 to 33. It takes 6 chips, one on each of six splits.
Orphelins
“Orphans” covers 8 numbers that sit in two separate stretches of the wheel: 1-20-14-31-9 on one side and 17-34-6 on the other. It takes 5 chips: a straight-up on 1 and four splits. The number 17 is covered by two of those splits.
French vs European vs American roulette
- French vs European: the wheel and payouts are the same. French adds the French layout, usually call bets, and La Partage or En Prison on even-money bets. See our European roulette guide. A French table without La Partage or En Prison plays like European roulette.
- French vs American: the American wheel has an extra double zero, which lifts the house edge on even-money bets to 5.26%. See our American roulette guide.
- All three: the general rules of play are covered in roulette rules.
Playing French roulette online
Online French roulette varies from provider to provider. Some tables offer La Partage or En Prison, while others offer neither and play like European roulette. We have not confirmed the rules or return-to-player figures of individual providers, so do not assume any table includes the rule.
Before you stake real money, open the game’s rules or help screen and look for La Partage or En Prison. If the page does not mention either, treat the table as standard single-zero roulette with a 2.70% edge on every bet. You can try a game without risk through free roulette first. Play within your limits; our responsible gambling page lists support and tools.
Personal French Roulette Calculator
If you wish to evaluate your choices and compare them to French roulette chances, try our custom-made calculator. Hover over any field of the betting layout and click to place a chip, and the app will calculate winning odds, including the house edge. The top left line shows the name and type of bet you made.
Place your bet
Chance of Winning
House Edge
French roulette FAQ
What is the difference between French and European roulette?
Both use the same single-zero, 37-pocket wheel and the same payouts. French roulette adds a French-language layout, call bets, and usually La Partage or En Prison on even-money bets.
What is La Partage in roulette?
La Partage returns half of an even-money stake when the ball lands on zero. It lowers the house edge on those bets to 1.35%.
Does La Partage apply to all bets?
No. It applies only to even-money bets: red/black, odd/even and low/high (Manque/Passe). Dozens, columns and number bets keep the 2.70% house edge.
What is the house edge in French roulette?
It is about 1.35-1.39% on even-money bets when La Partage or En Prison applies, and 2.70% on every other bet.
Do online French roulette games always include La Partage?
No. Some do, some use En Prison, and some use neither. Read the rules of each table before you play.
Hi,
I am interested in playing one of these roulette games, but need some advice. I only got about £30 to play and is wondering which game that you can recommend to me and to make a profit?
Dear Xenos,
Thank you for your comment.
Making a profit with just £30 really depends on luck. What is 100% sure – avoid American Roulette with this stake.
Best regards,
Ryan