French Roulette
French roulette is a single-zero wheel that adds the La Partage and En Prison rules, which return half of a losing even-money bet when the ball lands on zero — cutting the edge on those bets to about 1.35%, the lowest in roulette.
| House Edge Even Money | ~1.35% (with La Partage) |
|---|---|
| House Edge Other | 2.70% |
| Pockets | 37 (0–36) |
| Key Rules | La Partage, En Prison |
La Partage and En Prison
French roulette shares the European single-zero wheel but softens the zero on even-money bets (red/black, odd/even, high/low). Under La Partage, when the ball lands on zero you lose only half your even-money stake. Under En Prison, the bet is instead ‘imprisoned’ for the next spin and returned in full if it wins. Either rule halves the effective house edge on those bets to roughly 1.35%.
When French roulette is the best bet
For players who stick to even-money wagers, French roulette offers the best odds of any roulette variant. Note the rules only apply to even-money bets — inside bets such as straight-up numbers still carry the standard 2.70% edge. The French table also uses traditional French bet names (such as the call bets), but the underlying maths is what matters.
Frequently asked questions
What makes French roulette the best odds?
The La Partage/En Prison rules return half of a losing even-money bet on zero, halving the edge on those bets to about 1.35%.
Do the rules apply to all bets?
No — only to even-money bets. Inside bets keep the standard 2.70% single-zero edge.
Sources
- Published French roulette rules
- Probability theory