Roulette is a popular casino game which has been around for several centuries. To some, it is one of the easiest and most pleasurable forms of gambling both in a live environment as well as online. This is due to its low house edge and ruminative payouts. But what makes French roulette special?
At Planet 7 casino, you’ll find all of your favorite Roulette variants in one place. And you’ll also be able to play them for free as well as for real money, any time of day or night! In this article, we’ll outline the history surrounding French roulette, strategy tips and tricks, and some frequently used terms you may expect to hear when playing.
History
Roulette’s exact origins are unclear. But what is certain is that the most popular form was mistakenly created by a French physicist, mathematician and inventor known as Blaise Pascal, during the mid-1600s. He was attempting to create the first ever perpetual-motion machine, a device which operates without the need for continuously drawing energy from an external source.
Though his original idea fell through, what remained in its place was a device that would ultimately revolutionize the gambling industry as we know it. Roulette is today one of the most popular and beloved casino games of all time. Thousands (if not millions) of players spin the roulette wheel around the world each and every day.
Difference between French Roulette and other variants
If you’re new to the world of Roulette. There are some important things you should be getting your head around first, simply because there is more than one variant of the game. Having a basic understanding will also help you when it comes to making decisions and placing bets.
Firstly, there are 3 version of Roulette; French, European and American. Though the rules are very similar for each, they all work with a slightly different layout. Both European and French Roulette play with a single-zero Roulette wheel, numbered from 1 to 36 and 0.
American Roulette however, plays with an extra double-zero. This means you have 37 possibilities of where the ball will land in this version as opposed to a standard 36 like the other two. Theoretically, American Roulette is the worst option to go for when it comes down to the player. That’s because the house edge is 5.26%, whereas French and European have a house edge of 2.7%.
French and European Roulette also work with a rule known as the “En Prison” rule, which is another variation of the “La Partage” rule. The player loses only half of their stake if the spin is a zero, and recovers the other half, providing the original stake was for even/odd, high/low, red/black.
“En Prison” works very similar but you leave the stake on the previous bet. The croupier will mark this on the wheel. If the next spin is a win, the player recovers their full stake. This rule can differ slightly between casinos. But it generally puts the player at an advantage because the payout percentage is around 98.5%. Hence why many gamblers choose this version of Roulette over the American equivalent.
Types of bets
Now we’re familiar with the fundamental differences between American Roulette and its European counterparts. We can now start to learn about the types of bets which are available. Again, the bets in Roulette are practically the same for each variant as they all work towards the same objective. That is, predicting which pocket the ball will land in and whether it will be for a specific color or number.
You also have inside bets and outside betting options. The difference between the two are simple. Inside bets allow players to spread their wagers equally i.e. if the minimum bet for a roulette table was $5, the player would be able to spread their chips across 5 options (if they so desired) providing the total amount still equates to $5. In outside betting, the player has to put the full whack on one bet. For example, one number or color must be wagered at $5. Many people tend to choose inside bets because the odds of winning are far greater than if you bet all your money on a singular bet.
Apart from American Roulette, the other variants also use specialty bets, also known as ‘French’ or ‘called-bets.’ These appear in certain sections of the roulette table with their own names. They are usually represented by numbers or phrases corresponding on an ellipse.
These bets are categorized into Voisin du zero, Orphelins and Tiers du Cylindre. Each has its own proximity to zero, the numbers within the ellipse in a similar style.
French Roulette strategy
When it comes to playing Roulette online for real money, coming up with a solid and effective strategy can be tough. This is because there is no real way to predict where the ball will land, as the outcome is always random. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t use some basic methods to maximize your chances of winning!
First of all, and a general rule of thumb for beginners, is to aim for the outside of the betting table, as we said earlier. This is because the ball is much more likely to land in either a red/black or odd/even pocket, automatically improving your chances of winning because you are faced with 1:1 odds.
Another way of maximizing your chances is to double up. This means that every time you lose, you should double up the amount you lost on the first bet. Next, bet on the same color of number you just lost on. This is also known as the “Martingale Strategy” which has proved effective for many players in the past. But it should only be done if you can realistically afford to place such wagers.
Conclusion
So there is a brief and basic overview of French Roulette, along with the different types of bets you can look to place, and a rough methodology when it comes to winning. Above all, and with any variation of Roulette, our best advice is to practice and get to know the ins and outs of the game dynamics as much as possible.
You’re not guaranteed to win every time. But having some kind of knowledge will definitely make the game and experience more enjoyable and easier to grasp. Planet 7 online casino also has a ton of great online resources and guides for Roulette, along with the option to play all 3 variants for real money, and for free.
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