French roulette online gives you the gentlest odds of any roulette game, because two special zero rules hand back part of an even-money stake instead of taking all of it. The game is played on a single-zero wheel with 37 pockets, uses French labels on the betting cloth and, when La Partage or En Prison is in force, pushes the return to player on even-money bets up to 98.65%. Below we explain how those rules work, list every bet with its payout, compare the game with other wheels and show what to look for before you join a virtual or live table.
The roots of the game are usually traced to France and to the mathematician Blaise Pascal, whose failed experiment is said to have produced the first roulette wheel. The online version keeps that original format intact, and UK players can choose between software tables, many of them free to try, and live French Roulette from Evolution, dealt by a real croupier in a studio. For the wider picture, our online roulette hub covers every version of the game.
Where to play French roulette online in the UK
French roulette online is offered at UK casinos as free-to-try software tables and as real-money live dealer tables. Sites that carry the game include All British Casino, Coral Casino and PlayOJO Casino, and each of them also lists a live dealer version you can try. Software tables run on a random number generator and usually come with a demo mode, so you can practise without spending anything, while live tables are for real-money play only.
Before you commit to a casino, check a few practical points:
- The zero rule in use. The table’s help screen should state whether La Partage or En Prison applies; without either one, you are effectively playing the European game under a French name.
- Stake limits. Minimum and maximum bets vary from table to table, and announced bets need several chips at once, so make sure the limits suit your budget.
- Bonus terms. Some UK casinos run offers aimed at specific roulette variants, but table games often count differently towards wagering, so read the terms before you opt in.
- Both formats under one roof. A casino that offers software and live versions lets you learn the layout for free and move to the studio later.
Live French Roulette from Evolution
Live French Roulette from Evolution brings the classic French layout to a streamed studio table with a human croupier. You place chips through the on-screen layout, the dealer spins a physical wheel and results are settled automatically. The pace is slower than on software tables, which many players enjoy, but there is no free mode: every live round needs a real stake. Check the game’s rules panel to confirm which zero rule the studio applies before you play, and see our live roulette guide for the other studio tables on offer.
Our guide on how to choose a casino covers licensing, payments and support in more depth, and the best payout casinos page is a good next stop if return to player is your main concern.
How La Partage and En Prison work
La Partage and En Prison are the zero rules that set French roulette apart by softening losses on even-money bets. They work on the even-money outside bets – red or black, odd or even, and low or high – which is why the lower house edge quoted for French roulette refers to those wagers. On a standard single-zero table, an even-money bet simply loses when zero comes up; on a French table, one of these rules steps in first.
La Partage: half your stake comes back
La Partage means “the share” in French. When zero comes up, an even-money bet is not swept away in full: the casino keeps half of it and returns the other half to you, ready to be used on the next spin. Because you only ever lose half your stake to the zero, the house edge on these bets is cut in half as well, from 2.7% to 1.35%.
En Prison: your stake waits for one more spin
En Prison translates as “in prison”, or more loosely “in jail”. Instead of splitting the stake, the casino locks the whole even-money bet on the layout for the following spin. If that spin goes your way, the stake is released back to you; if it loses, or if zero appears a second time, the bet is gone. The long-run cost works out the same as La Partage, but you have to wait a spin to find out what you keep.
Which rule should you look for?
Either rule is worth seeking out, because both lift the return on even-money bets to 98.65%. La Partage settles the matter instantly, which suits players who like a quick rhythm, while En Prison keeps the full stake in play for one more chance. The table rules or help screen will tell you which one a particular game uses, and a table that offers neither is no better than a European wheel.
French roulette bets and payouts
French roulette bets come in three families: inside bets on numbers, outside bets on groups and announced bets on wheel sections. The standard bets pay exactly the same prices as on a European table, and every one of them carries a 2.7% house edge before any zero rule is applied. The probability column shows your chance of winning on a single spin of the 37-pocket wheel.
| Bet | What you cover | Payout | Chance of winning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight up | A single number | 35/1 | 2.7% |
| Split | Two neighbouring numbers on the grid | 17/1 | 5.4% |
| Street | A row of three numbers | 11/1 | 8.1% |
| Corner | A block of four numbers | 8/1 | 10.8% |
| Six line | Two adjacent rows | 5/1 | 16.2% |
| Column | One of the three columns | 2/1 | 32.4% |
| Dozen | A set of 12 numbers | 2/1 | 32.4% |
| Rouge/Noir | Red or black | 1/1 | 48.6% |
| Pair/Impair | Even or odd | 1/1 | 48.6% |
| Manque/Passe | 1–18 or 19–36 | 1/1 | 48.6% |
Inside bets
Inside bets go on the numbered part of the layout and pay more because they cover fewer pockets. A straight-up bet backs one number and pays 35 to 1. A split sits on the line between two adjacent numbers and pays 17 to 1, while a street covers a row of three and pays 11 to 1. A corner groups four numbers for an 8 to 1 return, and a line bet, also called a six line, spans two neighbouring rows and pays 5 to 1. The zero rules do not touch these bets, so they always carry the standard 2.7% edge.
Outside bets and their French names
Outside bets sit around the edge of the cloth and win more often, at lower prices. French tables keep the traditional labels, which can puzzle first-time players:
- Rouge/Noir – red or black, paying 1 to 1.
- Pair/Impair – even or odd, paying 1 to 1.
- Manque/Passe – low (1–18) or high (19–36), paying 1 to 1.
- Douzaine – one of three dozens, marked 12P (premier), 12M (moyenne) and 12D (dernière), paying 2 to 1.
- Column – one of the three vertical columns, paying 2 to 1.
The first three are the even-money bets that benefit from La Partage or En Prison. If you need a refresher on any term, our casino glossary explains the jargon in plain English.
Announced bets on the wheel
Announced bets, also known as call bets, cover groups of numbers that sit next to each other on the wheel rather than on the betting grid. They are a hallmark of French tables and each one needs several chips at once:
- Voisins du Zéro (“neighbours of zero”) – nine chips spread across splits, corners and a trio, covering the stretch of the wheel between 22 and 25 that includes zero.
- Tiers du Cylindre (“third of the wheel”) – six chips placed as splits on the numbers from 27 to 33, on the side of the wheel opposite zero.
- Jeu Zéro (“zero game”) – three splits plus a straight-up bet on 26, covering zero and the numbers sitting closest to it.
- Orphelins (“orphans”) – the eight numbers left over by the bets above, played with five chips (one straight-up and four splits) or with eight chips, one on each number.
- Finales – every number ending in the same digit, such as 5, 15, 25 and 35; you can back a single final digit or spread your chips across two.
Announced bets do not change the odds of any single number. They are simply a quick way to cover a slice of the wheel, so the same house edge applies as on the equivalent grid bets.
RTP and house edge in French roulette
French roulette returns 97.30% to players on standard bets and up to 98.65% on even-money bets when La Partage or En Prison applies. Without those rules the game behaves exactly like European roulette, since both use the same single-zero wheel and pay the same prices.
The house edge is simply the other side of the RTP: with a 97.30% return, the casino’s long-run margin is 2.70%. Once La Partage or En Prison comes into play on even-money bets, the edge on those bets falls to 1.35% and the RTP climbs to 98.65%, which is higher than on any other roulette variant. The rule of thumb is easy to remember: as the RTP rises, the edge shrinks by the same amount.
Payouts are quoted as odds against your stake. A winning straight-up bet at 35/1 pays 35 times what you staked, a split at 17/1 pays 17 times, and so on down to 1/1 on the even-money bets, where a win matches your stake. Keep in mind that RTP is a long-term average across a huge number of spins. In a short session, results can swing widely in either direction, and no figure on paper guarantees what happens at the table tonight.
French roulette compared with other wheels
French roulette uses the same 37-pocket, single-zero wheel as the European game, which gives it a clear advantage over American and Mini roulette. The table sums up the main differences between the four versions you are most likely to find at UK casinos.
| Variant | Pockets | Zero pockets | Standard house edge | La Partage / En Prison | Free play | Live dealer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American | 38 | 2 | 5.26% | Not offered | Yes | Yes |
| European | 37 | 1 | 2.7% | Sometimes | Yes | Yes |
| French | 37 | 1 | 2.7% | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mini | 13 | 1 | 3.85% | Not offered | Yes | No |
The standard edge in the table assumes no zero rule is in play. With La Partage or En Prison, the French edge on even-money bets drops to 1.35%, the lowest figure in the comparison. Every version pays 1/1 on its lowest-priced bets.
French vs European roulette
French and European roulette share the wheel, the payouts and the standard 2.7% house edge. The difference lies in La Partage and En Prison: they come built into the French game, whereas European tables offer them only occasionally. With one of them in play, French roulette trims the edge on even-money bets and raises the RTP, which makes it the better pick for anyone who sticks to red or black, odd or even, or high or low.
French vs American roulette
American roulette adds a double zero alongside the single zero, giving 38 pockets and a differently arranged wheel. That extra pocket pushes the house edge up to 5.26% and drags the RTP down to 94.74%, compared with 97.3% on a French table before its zero rules even apply. Neither La Partage nor En Prison is available on the American game, so the gap widens further on even-money bets.
French vs Mini roulette
Mini roulette shrinks the wheel to 13 pockets, still with a single zero. The smaller wheel raises the house edge to 3.85%, so its RTP is lower than both the French and European versions. Mini roulette also has no live dealer tables and no La Partage or En Prison option, which leaves it well behind the French game on value.
How to play a round of French roulette
A round of French roulette follows five simple steps: choose a bet, place chips, watch the spin, settle the result and go again. To reach the table, sign in at your chosen UK casino, open the table games section and select French Roulette. From there, each round runs like this:
- Decide which bet, or combination of bets, you want to make.
- Place your chips on the matching area of the layout.
- Wait for the croupier, or the software, to spin the wheel and release the ball.
- Collect your winnings or note your losses once the ball settles.
- Clear or repeat your bets and start the next round.
New players should start with free French roulette on the software tables. The demo version plays exactly like the real game, so you can learn the layout, the French bet names and the effect of La Partage without any risk. Free play is not available at live dealer tables, which always require a real-money stake.
It is also worth keeping an eye on casino bonuses, as some UK casinos run promotions for particular roulette variants. Check how much table games contribute to wagering before you opt in, because roulette is often weighted lower than slots. Our beginner’s guide walks through the basics of signing up and playing safely.
Betting systems for experienced players
Betting systems help experienced French roulette players control how much they stake, but none of them alters the house edge, because each spin is independent. Treat them as bankroll tools rather than ways to win, and set a loss limit before you start.
Martingale
The Martingale is the best-known system: you double your stake after every loss, so that the first win recovers everything lost so far plus a profit equal to the opening bet. The catch is the losing streak. A run of losses makes stakes climb very quickly, and you can reach the table maximum or empty your bankroll before the win arrives.
Reverse Martingale
The Reverse Martingale flips the idea: you double your stake after each win and drop back to the base bet after a loss. Because you only raise stakes with money already won, it appeals to players working with a small bankroll. A single loss, however, wipes out the run of gains in progress, so many players bank part of a streak before it ends.
Fibonacci
The Fibonacci system borrows the famous number sequence in which each figure is the sum of the two before it. Your stake follows the sequence, moving one step at a time as you win or lose, which makes the progression gentler than the Martingale but still leaves you exposed during long losing runs.
Labouchere
The Labouchere, or cancellation system, starts with a short line of numbers that you write down in advance. Each stake is the sum of the first and last numbers in the line. When the bet wins, you cross those two numbers off; when it loses, you add the amount just lost to the end of the line. Once every number has been cancelled, you can begin again or write a fresh sequence.
Is French roulette worth playing?
Yes, French roulette is worth playing, especially for even-money bets, which get the lowest house edge in roulette under La Partage or En Prison. It is also the original form of the game, and the online version keeps all of its essential features, from the single-zero wheel to the French betting labels and announced bets.
To get started, choose a reputable UK casino, register an account, decide whether to claim the welcome bonus and then play for free or for real money. Set a budget and a time limit before each session, remember that every spin comes down to luck, and use betting systems only to pace your stakes. For more games with a low house edge, browse our casino games hub or compare roulette with blackjack and baccarat.
Frequently asked questions
What is French roulette?
French roulette is a single-zero game on a 37-pocket wheel, played with French bet names and the La Partage or En Prison rule. Its standard payouts match the European game, but those zero rules cut the house edge on even-money bets to 1.35%, lifting the RTP on those bets to 98.65%. The game is traditionally linked to the French mathematician Blaise Pascal and his failed experiment.
How does La Partage work in French roulette?
La Partage returns half of an even-money stake when the ball lands on zero, and the casino keeps the other half. It covers red or black, odd or even and low or high bets. Because you only lose half your stake to the zero, the house edge on those bets drops from 2.7% to 1.35%, which is why French roulette offers the best return of any wheel.
What is the difference between En Prison and La Partage?
En Prison holds your even-money stake for one more spin after zero, while La Partage returns half of it immediately. Under En Prison, a winning next spin releases the stake back to you, and a losing spin or a second zero means it is lost. Both rules give even-money bets the same 98.65% RTP, so the choice mostly comes down to the pace you prefer.
Is French roulette better than American roulette?
Yes. French roulette uses one zero on a 37-pocket wheel, while the American game adds a double zero for 38 pockets. That extra pocket raises the American house edge to 5.26% and cuts its RTP to 94.74%, compared with 97.3% on French tables, or 98.65% on even-money bets with La Partage or En Prison. American tables offer neither zero rule.
Can you play French roulette for free?
Yes. Many software versions of French roulette at UK casinos come with a demo mode, so you can learn the layout, the French bet names and the zero rules without staking money. Free play is limited to these RNG tables; live dealer French Roulette, such as the Evolution game, always needs a real-money stake. Practising first is a sensible way to see how announced bets work.
Do betting systems improve your odds at French roulette?
No. Systems such as the Martingale, Fibonacci and Labouchere only change how much you stake from spin to spin; the house edge stays at 2.7%, or 1.35% on even-money bets under La Partage or En Prison. Each spin is independent, so a system can help pace a bankroll but cannot overcome the odds. Set a loss limit before you play and stick to it.
What does a straight-up bet pay in French roulette?
A straight-up bet on one number pays 35 to 1, so a win returns 35 times your stake in winnings. Its chance of landing on a single spin is 2.7%, the lowest of any standard bet on the layout. Splits pay 17 to 1, streets 11 to 1 and corners 8 to 1, all with the same 2.7% house edge because the zero rules do not apply to them.