The French type of Roulette is hailed as the oldest betting games in the gambling industry. Since its inception in the 17th century, it remains a favourite game among the wealthy elite and regular gamblers. The thrill of getting lucky and being entertained for hours on end draws many avid players to the game. It has evolved over the years from a land-based model to an online model to now the live dealer version that draws many players.
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History of French Roulette
The game originated from the ancient Chinese culture when soldiers used spinning wheels to determine whether to kill captives or inflict minor cuts. Later, merchants traveling from Ancient China introduced the concept to Roman soldiers during the Greco-Roman period. The soldiers would use a spinning wheel in the form of a chariot wheel for entertainment and gambling. Heads of the army encouraged the gambling game as they believed that soldiers needed entertainment before and after battles.
The French Roulette game gained popularity in 1655 when Blaise Pascal, a famous French mathematician, attempted to create a perpetual-motion device. The wheel design has since been the basis of the French Roulette game with slight adjustments made over the years. In 1842, two French brothers improved the game by adding zero to the wheel hence the 37 numbers on the game. At the time the game was played in monasteries as a means of entertainment and soon spread to French casinos. However, the French government outlawed gambling causing Luis and Francios Blanc to move to Germany where they opened the first casino in Hamburg, Germany. They later established a gambling center in Monte Carlo where the single-zero roulette became the most popular roulette game and has since been adopted in modern-day gambling.
How to Play French Roulette
The game has a total of 37 pockets where one of them is a zero. The other pockets comprise red and black colours with the numbers 1-36. The game is different from other roulette variations in that it allows players to make special bets. For example, players can make announced bets if they place enough chips on the French roulette table to compensate for the bet. The primary objective of the game is to predict which numbered pocket the ball will land on. Here are steps to guide you:
- Place French roulette bets on the table. It has a different layout from European Roulette and players need to acquaint themselves with French words like Impair (to mean odds) and Passe (for Even).
- Call out your bet and ensure you have enough chips to cover it. Announced bets have exotic names to make it easy for players to announce it in a moment’s notice.
- Place the maximum bet. If making a full bet, it is easy to announce the bet. For example, if betting on number seven, you will call out ‘7 to the Maximum to the dealer.
- The ball is then released, and no more bets are made. The dealer announces, ‘no more bets.’ Late bets are overruled.
- The winning number is determined, and the dealer collects chips from the losing bets, leaving the winning ones on the table. The game has different winning combinations, so multiple players receive French roulette pay-outs.
Difference to Other Variations
The French type of Roulett is somewhat similar to the European version of the game as it also has 36 numbers and one zero. The layout is, however, different from American and European types. The numbers on the grid are arranged horizontally on the table while the outside bets are placed on both sides with Black, High, and Even on top, and Odd, Red, and Low at the bottom. The column has bets are placed on the right side of the grid. The only difference lies in the rules of the game. French Roulette offers en prison and la partage options. La partage enables players to claim half of their bet when they lose an outside bet while en prison allows players to win their money back when the ball lands on zero. These rules reduce the house edge by half, i.e., down to 1.35%.
The American Roulette is somewhat different from the European and French variations. To begin with, it has an additional pocket for double zero, making the number of pockets 38. As a result, the house edge increases to 5.26% but the payoff remains the same. Also, the table layout has some minor alterations in that the number grid is laid out vertically, not horizontally. The outside bets are arranged below the grid in two rows and the left side has zero and double zero bets.
Our Tips to play French Roulette
The game has a lower house advantage and presents better hence, the higher the probability of winning. These tips should come in handy:
- Understand the Probability Concept
Players often assume that the higher the amount wagered, the higher the probability of winning. On the contrary, players can only increase their chances of winning by making more bets. For example, if the player bets on a single number, the probability of winning is 2.7% but if he bets on two numbers (split bet) the probability increases to 5.4%. - Focus on Outside Bets
Straight up bets are more appealing than other types given their 35:1 pay-out. However, the probability of winning on these bets is minimal. Experts advise sticking to outside bets. Players have a 50% chance of winning on these bets, though, the odds are minimal. - Try the Free Mode
The free version allows the player to try out different bets before wagering for real money. Be sure to try all the bets before time runs out.
FAQs:
Yes, you can play the game for free. Most online casinos have a free play version that enables players to try out as many games, including the French Roulett before playing for real money. Remember to go through French roulette terms when using the free version. Some casinos require players to wager a specific number of times to claim wins made.
Even money bets (even or odd, red or black) have a chance of winning 48.56%, but they have a pay-out of 1:1. Outside bets comprise the Dozen and the Column both of which cover 12 numbers on the table. As such, players can bet on 1-12, 13-24 and 25-36, which have winning odds of 32.43%.
Online casinos offer bonuses for playing the game in a bid to increase the player’s payroll. The welcome bonus, for example, allows players to use the bonus on a range of games, including the Roulette. Another type of bonuses players can use to play the game includes the no deposit roulette bonus.
The highest paying bets are the straight bets with a French Roulette pay out of 35:1. Split bets pay 17:1, street bets pay 11:1 while corner bets pay 8:1. Six-line bets have a pay-out of 5:1.
About the author
Dieter Maroshi is considered the ideal contact person for questions about roulette. He has already made his passion into his profession at the beginning of the 2000s. The experienced author also has a good overview of topics such as legislation and the economic situation of gambling. Where the average player does not see the wood for the trees, Dieter provides the necessary clarity - and, last but not least, transparency. Dieter is an author who does not mince one's words, but freely says what he thinks.
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