Where to play the best French Roulette online?
Looking to get a head start? You can play French Roulette online at these casinos.
Master the rules & odds of French Roulette
It’s easy to pick up the basics. However, it’s worth learning the French Roulette rules to optimize your chance of success. With some knowledge of the game, you can take your virtual seat at a roulette table and confidently place your first wagers.
The objective
Your goal in online French Roulette is to accurately predict where the ball will settle when the wheel stops spinning. There are several ways of betting, which we cover in the next section.
Types of bets in French Roulette
The French Roulette table layout provides different betting options catering to even the most careful player.
Inside bets for French Roulette
These inside bets are the highest-paying wagers in French Roulette.
- Straight Bet – You choose one number and place your bet on that.
- Split Bet – You bet that the ball lands on one of two numbers next to each other.
- Street Bet – You bet on a row of three numbers.
- Corner Bet – You wager on a square of four numbers. Place your chip in the centre of the square where all four numbers meet.
- Line Bet – You bet on two adjacent rows of three numbers each and put your chip on the shared line at the start of the rows.
Outside bets in French Roulette
Outside bets have the lowest odds but add excitement and anticipation to your game.
- Column Bet – Place your bet on one of the three columns of numbers.
- Dozen Bet – This is a bet on a group of twelve numbers. You select either the Premier (12P) block, which is numbers 1 – 12; the Moyenne (12M) block, which is 13 – 24; or Derniere (12D), numbers 25 – 36.
- Colour Bet – You bet on the ball landing on a red or black number.
- Odd/Even Bet – Will the ball land on an odd or an even number? Place your chip on either the Pair (even) or Impair (odd) block.
- Low/High Bet – You wager on the ball landing on either a low number (1 to 18) or a high number (19 to 36), and put your chip on the Manque (low) or Passe (high) block on the French Roulette table.
Other types of bets
There are a couple of unique French Roulette bets that you can’t take advantage of in other roulette variants.
- Neighbour bets – You bet on one number and its neighbours on the French Roulette wheel. For example, placing a neighbour bet on the number 20 includes the numbers 1 and 14. You can also choose to bet on two numbers on either side of your main pick.
- Announced bets – The French Roulette table layout differs from other variants with a separate section called a racetrack. Here, you place announced bets which cover different groups of numbers.
RTP, payouts and house edge in French Roulette
You can find the RTP, house edge and payouts for the different bets on the table below.
| Bet Type | Bet Payout | Bet Probability | House Edge | Return to Player |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight | 31/1 | 2.70% | 2.70% | 97.30% |
| Split | 17/1 | 5.41% | 2.70% | 97.30% |
| Street | 11/1 | 8.10% | 2.70% | 97.30% |
| Corner | 8/1 | 10.81% | 2.70% | 97.30% |
| Line | 5/1 | 16.20% | 2.70% | 97.30% |
| Column | 2/1 | 32.40% | 2.70% | 97.30% |
| Dozen | 2/1 | 32.40% | 2.70% | 97.30% |
| Red/Black | 1/1 | 48.60% | 1.35% | 98.65% |
| Odd/Even | 1/1 | 48.60% | 1.35% | 98.65% |
| High/Low | 1/1 | 48.60% | 1.35% | 98.65% |
RTP in French Roulette
The French Roulette RTP (Return to Player) is consistent at 97.30% apart from the red/black, over/under and high/low even-money bets. For these bets, the RTP increases to 98.65%. This means that the house pays out more to players over time than other bets, but at even-money odds, they aren’t the most lucrative bets.
Payouts in French Roulette
Bets have different payout ratios. The more specific your bet, like a wager on a certain number, the higher the payout will be if you get it right.
A straight bet pays out the most at 31/1. Even-money bets of red/black, over/under and high/low payout the least, but you have the advantage of the En Prison and La Partage rules that we cover in the next section.
House edge in French Roulette
The house edge is the opposite of the RTP. It indicates the percentage of all bets that the house retains. In French Roulette, it’s 2.70% for all bets apart from even-money wagers, which have a lower house edge of 1.35%.
French Roulette vs other Roulette variants
There are several significant differences between French Roulette and the American and European variants. The primary difference is the two rules unique to this variant. The La Partage and En Prison rules apply to even-money bets when the ball settles on zero.
With the La Partage rule, you receive 50% of your stake back. With the En Prison rule, your bet sticks for the next spin. If you win on this spin, you get your entire stake back, but if you don’t, you lose it all. Should the ball land on zero again, your stake stays for the next spin.
We’ve listed the differences in the table below.
| French Roulette | American Roulette | European Roulette | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Layout | 37 pockets (0-36)Racetrack section | 38 pockets (0-36 + 00) | 37 pockets (0-36) |
| Bets | Inside, Outside, Announced bets, Neighbour bets | Inside & outside bets | Inside & outside bets |
| RTP | 97.30% – 98.65% | 94.74% | 97.30% |
| Rules | Standard, La Partage, En Prison | Standard | Standard |
Difference between French and European Roulette
The French and European variants have the same roulette wheel with 0 – 36, but the table layout differs slightly. The French Roulette table has a racetrack adjacent to the mainboard, where you place your announced bets.
The other main difference between the two variants is the La Partage and En Prison rules described above. The French Roulette RTP changes for even-money bets, whereas in European Roulette, it remains the same.
Difference between French and American Roulette
The French Roulette wheel has 37 pockets compared to 38 on the American wheel, which includes a double zero. Additionally, the French table has a racetrack which you don’t find on the American table.
Like European Roulette, the La Partage and En Prison rules don’t feature in the American variant.
How to play French Roulette – Breakdown of a round
An online French Roulette round typically follows this pattern.
- Take your seat at the best online casino live table.
- Choose your bet size and type, and place your chips in the relevant position.
- Once the table host closes betting, they spin the wheel and drop the ball into the action.
- The wheel slows, and the ball settles into a numbered pocket.
- The host pays out all winning bets, and the cycle starts again.
Strategies for advanced players
French Roulette is largely a game of luck, and there’s no way to predict which pocket the ball will land in. But if you’re serious about getting the best out of your roulette experience, here are some strategies that you can employ to maximize your winning chances.
The Martingale System
The Martingale system follows the premise that you’ll eventually win, even with a losing streak. You should always end up with a profit, but you risk a continued losing streak resulting in your bankroll running out.
By doubling the size of your stake after each loss, the amount you eventually win should more than cover your losses. After each win, bet the same amount until you lose, at which stage double your stake, and the cycle starts again.
Reverse Martingale strategy
Start with a relatively small bet. Double this after a win and revert to your first bet when you lose. Keep your stake on the same spot for each wager.
You can maximize a winning streak with this strategy, but you could lose your entire winnings when the spin goes against you. Know when to cash in rather than stick around for a longer winning streak.
Fibonacci strategy
Fibonacci numbers are a number sequence dating back to the 12th century. Each number is the sum of the previous two in the sequence, so it looks like this: 1-1-2-3-5-8-13-21-34-55-89-144 etc.
This strategy only works with even-money wagers. Bet the lowest amount possible, and follow the sequence each time you lose. For example, if you bet $1 and lose, your next stake will be $1. If you lose again, you bet $2 and so on. When you register a win, move back two numbers in the sequence for your next wager.
The James Bond strategy
This strategy targets certain areas of the table: 13 – 18, 19 – 36 and zero. You need NZD 200 for each bet, so it suits players with a hefty bankroll.
You wager NZD 140 on the middle numbers, NZD 50 on the high numbers and NZD 10 on the zero. These wagers cover around two-thirds of the table, giving you a 67% chance of a win.
D’Alembert strategy
This is one of the safer roulette strategies and works best on even-money bets. Start with a small wager, and increase it by one each time you win or decrease it by one if you lose. It’s easy to keep track of how much you should bet after each round, and a losing streak won’t hit your bankroll too hard.
Conclusion
French Roulette is a popular casino game that you’ll find in many online casino lobbies. Like other variants, it’s unpredictable, and players rely on a favourable spin of the wheel.
Understanding bet placements and testing strategies on free French Roulette online games can enhance your experience. Once you’re confident with your level of knowledge, ramp up your gameplay with real-money bets.