An Insight into the Different Types of Roulette

If you don’t know a whole lot about gambling and casinos, then you may not know that there’s more than one type of roulette. Not every casino will offer every type, and most of them will only offer one.

American Roulette

The American version of roulette is the one most people are familiar with. This version has a wheel with 38 slots. The goal of this game is for you to place a bet on the spot where you think the ball is going to land. The odds of the ball landing on a particular number are the same for every slot on the wheel. Red and black have the same odds as there are 18 of each. There’s only one other color, which is green. This denotes 0 and 00. If you were to play this type of roulette then you would place your bet before the wheel is spun. You will either win or lose based on the outcome of the wheel. You can carry on placing bets after the wheel has been spun if you want, up until the point where the dealer says no more bets can be placed. There are a lot of different strategies you can adopt when playing American roulette, such as betting on the split. This involves you betting on two back-to-back numbers. This could be 24, or 25 for example. This type of bet tends to have a high payout rate as the odds are 17 to 1. There are other betting strategies you can adopt as you begin to understand the game more. One thing to know about roulette is that the outcome of a previous spin has no bearing on future spins. Even if the number has landed on a red three times in a row, that doesn’t mean that there is an increased chance of it landing on a black the next time.

European Roulette

European roulette is very similar to American roulette. There are some differences between the two. To begin with, there are only 37 slots. If you understand how betting odds work then you will know that the betting odds are automatically in your favor here. One distinct rule that you do need to be aware of would be In Prison. This rule states that if you have placed a bet on 1:1 odds, or in other words, you bet on red or black and it lands on green then you do not lose your bet. Your bet will remain the same for one more spin. This means that although you cannot withdraw your bet, you won’t lose it. In American roulette, there isn’t a rule such as this. If you place the same bet and the ball landed on a 0 or a 00 then you will lose your money as a result of this. Other than this, there aren’t many differences between European roulette and the American version. Both of them are played in the same way. The only major difference is that the In Prison rule applies to European roulette only. You also have a smaller table to play with.

French Roulette

French roulette is similar to the above versions but it does have a small twist. This game uses the In Prison rule like the European version does. Again, this means that if you place a bet that has 1:1 odds and you lose, your money will be kept to one side so you can bet again. If you lose this bet then you will lose your money but if you win then you will receive the payout accordingly. The French version of roulette also adds the Le Partage rule. This rule states that any losing money bet is split. This is split between the player who put the bet down and the house. Even though you may lose your bet, it’s important to know that you won’t lose all of it. If you are playing roulette online then don’t assume the casino is playing this rule. Different casinos will adopt different rules at the end of the day, so even if you are playing French roulette, it’s wise to check the house rules so you can make sure that they are using it. Truthfully, there are not a lot of differences between the various types of roulette out there. The game you choose will largely come down to the style of gameplay you like. If you want to win money then European or French roulette is the better option. If your goal is to have fun then play the version that appeals to you the most.

Wheel Layouts and Roulette

When playing roulette, you will be faced with 36 squares. The squares will start at 1 and then go up to 36. You also have the zero, or the double zero on top. You can bet on any square you want here, or you can bet on a combination. Usually, they will be linked by the grid lines that run between them. 18 numbers are red, and 18 are black. You can place a 50/50 bet on either red or black and you can choose to bet on odds or evens if you want. So now you understand the wheel layout, it’s time to delve deeper into the types of roulette wheels and how they differ between the versions.

European Roulette Wheel Layout

European wheels are very popular in land-based casinos. With that in mind, they are also very popular in online casinos too. You will have 36 numbers that are all split into columns of 12. You then have the single green zero. While you do have odds of 35/1 when it comes to hitting your number, your chances drop to 36/1 when you take into account the green zero. This is because there are 37 segments in total, which is known as the house edge. You can place a chip on the zero and then back it with the odds of 35/1. If the zero comes in then everyone who bets on another number, color, odd or even will lose.

American Roulette Wheel Layout

Europeans often say that Americans like to do things bigger and better. When it comes to roulette , this is no exception. America added a second green segment, a double zero. While it is a bigger numerical range, the table is the same size. From the view of the player, the odds are worse. The order of numbers is also very different when playing on an American roulette wheel, versus a European wheel.

French Roulette Table Layout

The French do the players a favor by adopting the European layout of one green zero. You also have an advantage because if the green zero does come in, you don’t lose your 50/50 bet. Instead, depending on the local rule that is being played, the bet may count towards La Partage. This means that if a zero does show up, you will get half of your losing bet back. You also have the En Prison rule. This means that your bet will be locked in place on either a red or black. You might be locked into odds or evens, depending on what you placed your bet on. If you win this then you will get your chips back. If you lose it then there will always be another chance to win later down the line.

Triple Zero Roulette Table Layout

There is also a table with a triple zero. You have another green zero segment, with the traditional table layout. Naturally, this makes the odds of you winning way lower while the European version uses English. Of course, this is not too big of an issue, especially since most resources were published with translations for the words and numbers that the French roulette table has to offer.

Now you may be thinking, why would another zero be added if people know that it puts them at a disadvantage? One thing to take note of is that it was all done for a good cause. It meant that the extra juice could then be sent to a charity of the casino’s choosing.

Differentiating French Roulette and European Roulette Tables

According to Historians, French roulette could well be the original version. European Roulette and American Roulette emerged as variants a few years later. As you can imagine, French roulette is still used in France. Casinos in the UK tend to adopt the European version, and American casinos adopt both European and American. If you are a player then you may find it difficult to tell the difference between the French version and the European version. They are both very similar, after all. They have a house edge that stands around 2.703% and this means that the number of pockets on the wheel is the same. That doesn’t mean that you have an identical chance of winning though.

One major difference between the two games is the table. If you were to play at the French roulette table then the table boxes that correspond to the pockets happen to be in red. Any words or written numbers will also be in French. This is not a big issue as most of the time, you can get a translation for the words regarding the French table. Playing the French table does come with its advantages. You can take advantage of the La Partage rule and this allows you to use the even money bet. You can get half the amount you bet if the ball happens to fall into the pocket with a zero. In terms of odds and percentages, this drops the house edge to the lowest out of any roulette game. In other words, it is around 1.35%. The En Prison rule can also be implemented when playing French roulette. If you lose your bet, you won’t lose it right away. You can put it in “jail” and go again. If the second spin doesn’t win then you will lose your bet. When you break down the odds here, you will soon see that you can protect your initial loss by having a second spin.

The French Roulette Table vs. The European Roulette Table

It’s mentioned above that the French table is different to that of the European table. Normally the dimensions of the table are around 3.3m x 1.8m. You also have two dealers who sit at the wheel with a croupier's rake, which is around 60cm long. The croupiers will sit at the shorter end of the table, behind the wheel. They will have a heightened chair, which is the table umpire.

Players are free to sit at the other three sides of the table. It’s worth noting that the tables can differ from the design mentioned above. The game can be in the form of a very long table and in some instances, the table is double the length of a standard size. This version also has a wheel in the middle and two betting layouts on the side. Another point to take note of is that the progression is slower when playing French roulette. This is beneficial for the player. When you have a longer-lasting game, you will lose less money per hour because you will end up playing fewer games in the same space of time.

Another table difference would be that the French table has grid numbers positioned horizontally, going across the table. The outside bets are placed on both sides. You have High, Even and then Black on top. You then have Low, Odd and Red going across the bottom. The upper and lower right side of the grid come with Dozen bets.

Odds and Bets

French and European roulette have a low house edge. The house edge is lower than the American version by quite a significant amount. The additional rules also make things more favorable to the player when they are adopted. The number of pockets across both is 37, so the chance of you being able to win stands at 1 in 37.

The bets are similar too. The game allows you to bet on specific numbers or even groups of numbers. You can also bet on the color of the winning number. When you look at European roulette and French roulette, you will notice that they have a Call Bet option. This is a situation where, if you do not have enough money to cover your bet, you can get house credit. This will be extended to you on the table. Opposite of this would be the announced bet. This is where you as a gambler will use your own money.

One thing to take note of is that call bets are not allowed at every casino. In some jurisdictions, they may even be illegal. One thing you need to do is chat with your dealer as they will be able to tell you what options are available. They can also talk you through what you can do to play according to your budget. You can also comb through all of the gambling laws out there so you can find out whether or not you are going to be affected. Of course, you ideally still need to ask the casino if it is possible for you to gamble on credit or not. If it’s not then you will have to come up with alternative arrangements here.

Conclusion

So as you can see, French roulette may share a lot of similarities with European roulette. With that in mind, if French roulette did come first then the European version is closer to the original than the American version. The French version also has some very distinctive and clear advantages, which lowers the house edge by quite a lot. This gives the player the overall advantage. The French table also has a very different table design but this doesn’t impact the game itself. If you are used to playing one type of roulette then you may find it confusing going on to play another, but there are ways for you to work around this. One thing you can do is try and get a feel for the game by watching other people play before you dive into your own game. If you can do this then you will soon find that it is easier to understand the overall process. If you want to play American roulette then this is something that most online casinos offer. The same applies to European roulette, and in reality, most do offer both. French roulette might be a little harder to come by as the odds do swing in the player’s favor quite a lot, but at the end of the day, there are reputable providers who offer games such as this.

Why not see if you can find a style of roulette that suits you? It has never been easier for you to get the result you want out of your playing experience and now you are well equipped to make your decision.

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