--- title: "French Roulette Explained: Rules & La Partage" description: "Learn how French roulette works, including the single-zero wheel, La Partage rule, En Prison, announced bets, and how payouts differ from other variants." date: "2023-08-31T04:11:22Z" url: "https://www.casino.com/roulette/french/" source: "https://instantly-lasting-parrot.edgecompute.app/roulette/french/" --- French roulette uses the same single-zero wheel as European roulette but applies a different rule set. Two rules, La Partage and En Prison, change what happens to even-money bets when zero lands. A racetrack betting area allows players to place announced bets covering specific sections of the wheel. This page explains how all of those elements work, including the wheel structure, table layout, each rule in detail, the full payout schedule, and how French roulette compares to its European counterpart. ## What is French Roulette? French roulette is a single-zero variant using the same 37-pocket wheel as European roulette: numbers 1 to 36 and one green zero. The wheel structure is identical. What sets French roulette apart is what happens when zero lands. Two rules, La Partage and En Prison, apply specifically to even-money bets in this situation. French roulette tables also include a racetrack area for placing announced bets, which cover pre-defined sections of the wheel. These features are found in the rules, not in the wheel. That is an important distinction for understanding how French roulette relates to the other main variants. The French roulette wheel has 37 pockets: numbers 1 to 36 (18 red, 18 black) and a single green zero (0). The number arrangement around the wheel is identical to European roulette, with high and low numbers alternating as closely as possible around the rim. The racetrack mirrors this wheel layout. Each section of the racetrack corresponds to a physical zone of the wheel: - Voisins du Zero covers the 17 numbers closest to zero on one side - Tiers du Cylindre covers the 12 numbers on the opposite side - Orphelins covers the 8 numbers in the remaining two arcs - Jeu Zéro covers seven numbers from 12 to 15 on the wheel ![french-roulette-wheel](https://www.casino.com/img/width=570,height=350/0/2026/06/14/cc-www-french-roulette-wheel-570x350.webp "french-roulette-wheel") ## French Roulette rules ### How a Round Works A round of French roulette follows the same sequence as European roulette: the betting window opens, bets are placed, the wheel spins, and the outcome is resolved. What differs is what happens when zero is the result. For a full step-by-step breakdown of how a round works, see the [how to play roulette](https://www.casino.com/roulette/how-to-play/) guide. ### The En Prison Rule ![en-prison-rule](https://www.casino.com/img/width=710,height=417/0/2026/06/14/cc-www-en-prison-rule-570x335.webp "en-prison-rule") En Prison is an alternative rule to La Partage. A French roulette game uses one or the other, not both. Like La Partage, it applies only to even-money bets when zero lands. Under En Prison, the even-money bet is held (imprisoned) rather than resolved. It remains on the table for the next spin. There are two possible outcomes from that second spin: - **Win:** if the next result is a win for the held bet, the full original stake is returned. No profit is paid. - **Loss:** if the next result does not win, the held stake is lost. ### The La Partage Rule ![la-partage-rule](https://www.casino.com/img/width=710,height=417/0/2026/06/14/cc-www-la-partage-rule-570x335.webp "la-partage-rule") La Partage applies only to even-money bets (Red/Black, Odd/Even, and High/Low) when zero is the result. When this happens, the stake is split: half is returned to the player, and the other half goes to the house. The bet is then complete. La Partage is a structural rule of the game. It describes a mechanical outcome when zero lands on an even-money bet. ## The French Roulette table Layout The main number grid on a French roulette table is structured the same way as European roulette: numbers 1 to 36 in a three-column, 12-row grid, with a single zero at the top. The outside betting zones are also equivalent. The visible differences are the labelling and the racetrack: | Feature | French roulette label (vs English equivalent) | | --- | --- | | Red / Black | Rouge / Noir | | Odd / Even | Pair / Impair | | Low / High (1-18 / 19-36) | Manque / Passe | | Dozen zones | P12, M12, D12 (Premiere, Milieu, Derniere) | The racetrack sits either alongside or above the main table grid. It is an oval diagram of the wheel, with each section of the oval corresponding to a section of the physical wheel. Players place chips on the racetrack to indicate announced bets rather than positioning chips on individual numbers in the main grid. ## Announced Bets in French Roulette Announced bets are pre-defined combinations of numbers that correspond to sections of the wheel. They are placed using the racetrack area. Each announced bet covers a specific arc of the wheel and requires a set number of chips, which are distributed across splits, corners, or straight-up bets to cover the relevant numbers. | Bet name | Chips required | Numbers covered | | --- | --- | --- | | Voisins du Zero | 9 chips | 17 numbers neighbouring zero: 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25 | | Tiers du Cylindre | 6 chips | 12 numbers opposite zero: 33, 16, 24, 5, 10, 23, 8, 30, 11, 36, 13, 27 | | Orphelins en Plein | 8 chips | 8 remaining numbers as straight-up bets: 17, 34, 6, 1, 20, 14, 31, 9 | | Orphelins a Cheval | 5 chips | Same 8 numbers placed as splits to reduce chip requirement | | Jeu Zero | 4 chips | 7 numbers closest to zero: 12, 35, 3, 26, 0, 32, 15 | | Finales en Plein | 3-4 chips | All numbers ending in the same digit (e.g. Finale 3: covers 3, 13, 23, 33) | | Finales a Cheval | 4-5 chips | All numbers ending in one of two digits, placed as splits | | Neighbour bet | 5 chips | A chosen number plus the two numbers on each side of it on the wheel | Announced bet payouts depend on how the chips within the bet are placed. A chip on a split pays 17:1; a chip on a straight-up pays 35:1. Because each announced bet uses a combination of bet types, the total payout varies by which specific numbers are hit. ## French Roulette Odds and Payouts Standard bet payouts in French roulette are identical to European roulette. La Partage and En Prison apply only when zero lands on an even-money bet. All other bets resolve according to the standard payout table. | Bet type | Standard payout | | --- | --- | | Straight Up (1 number) | 35:1 | | Split (2 numbers) | 17:1 | | Street (3 numbers) | 11:1 | | Trio (3 numbers incl. 0) | 11:1 | | Corner / Square (4 numbers) | 8:1 | | Six Line / Double Street (6 numbers) | 5:1 | | Dozen (12 numbers) | 2:1 | | Column (12 numbers) | 2:1 | | Red / Black (18 numbers) | 1:1 | | Odd / Even (18 numbers) | 1:1 | | High / Low (18 numbers) | 1:1 | La Partage changes the outcome for even-money bets when zero lands: instead of losing the full stake, half is returned. En Prison holds the stake for one more spin instead. These rules affect how zero-landing outcomes are resolved, not the payout ratios for any other results. ## French Roulette vs European Roulette French and [European roulette](https://www.casino.com/roulette/european/) share the same wheel. Their differences are entirely rule-based, applying to specific situations during play. | Feature | French roulette vs European roulette | | --- | --- | | Wheel structure | Identical: 37 pockets, single zero (0), same number sequence | | When zero lands on even-money bets | French: La Partage (half stake returned) or En Prison (stake held). European: full stake lost. | | Racetrack for announced bets | French: standard feature. European: not standard. | | Table labelling | French: French terms (Rouge/Noir, Pair/Impair). European: English terms. | | Inside and outside bet structure | Identical: same bet types, same payout ratios | The practical effect of La Partage or En Prison is limited to what happens when zero lands on Red/Black, Odd/Even, or High/Low bets. For all other bets and all other outcomes, the two games operate identically. ## FAQ Answers to common questions about French roulette structure and rules. - ### What is French roulette? French roulette is a single-zero roulette variant that uses the same 37-pocket wheel as European roulette. It adds La Partage or En Prison rules, which affect even-money bets when zero lands. French tables also include a racetrack area for placing announced bets. - ### What is the La Partage rule? La Partage applies to even-money bets (Red/Black, Odd/Even, High/Low) when the ball lands on zero. Half the stake is returned to the player, and half goes to the house. The bet is then closed. It applies only to even-money bets, not to inside bets, Dozens, or Columns. - ### What is the En Prison rule? En Prison is an alternative to La Partage. When zero lands on an even-money bet, the stake is held on the table for the next spin. If the next spin produces a winning outcome for the held bet, the full stake is returned with no profit. If not, the stake is lost. A French roulette game uses either La Partage or En Prison, not both. - ### What are announced bets in French roulette? Announced bets are pre-defined combinations of numbers covering specific sections of the wheel. They are placed using the racetrack area on the table. The main announced bets are Voisins du Zero (17 numbers near zero), Tiers du Cylindre (12 numbers opposite zero), and Orphelins (the 8 remaining numbers). Each requires a specific chip allocation. - ### How does French roulette differ from European roulette? The wheel is identical. The differences are in the rules. French roulette adds La Partage or En Prison for even-money bets when zero lands and includes a racetrack for announced bets. European roulette has neither. Inside and outside bet types and payouts are the same on both.