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Roulette is a classic casino game that has many fun variations. When you think of casinos, you might picture poker, slot machines, and of course, roulette. While poker requires skill and strategy, and slots are largely based on luck, roulette is a perfect blend of both. It’s a simple game that’s easy to understand, but the excitement it brings is unparalleled.
As the ball spins around the rotating wheel, players hold their breath, eagerly waiting to see where it will land. The moment it drops into a pocket is exhilarating, not just for the player, but for everyone gathered around the table. It’s no wonder that roulette is a popular game for a wide range of backgrounds and ages.
However, what many players may not realize is that there are different variations of the game. While the basic rules remain the same, the type of roulette you choose to play can significantly impact your chances of winning. The most notable difference is between American and European roulette. The American version has an extra pocket, the double-zero (00), in addition to the single-zero pocket found in the European version.
There’s also a lesser-known variant, French roulette, which is similar to the European version but has some distinct differences. Despite these variations, the excitement that roulette brings remains the same, making it a staple of casino gaming. In this article, we’ll delve explore the intricacies of French Roulette.
The game of roulette has a fascinating history, and its origins are shrouded in mystery and intrigue. While the history and origin of most other casino games are generally not very clear, the origin of roulette is quite well known. France is considered to be the actual place where the famous game had originated, and thus it’s named French roulette.
It’s believed that in the 17th century, roulette had first been introduced in France, and the man responsible for inventing this world-famous game was Blaise Pascal, who was a mathematician. However, the modern-day French Roulette as we know it today came around later. In the 19th century, the single zero roulette wheel had been introduced by French brothers Louis Blanc and Francois Blanc.
Gambling was illegal in France at the time, and so it had officially been introduced in Germany first rather than in France. However, history tends to get confusing a few years later, and the case is the same in the case of French roulette. According to several players and scholars, roulette had first been invented in China and then later brought over to France, where they made a few changes to the game and named it French roulette.
When the Blanc brothers introduced the modern-day roulette in Germany and in France, gambling had been illegal in both of these countries. The brothers then took their invention to the casinos in Monte Carlo, where it immediately became popular. It’s also believed that the brothers contacted Prince Charles III from Monaco, and along with him, they built a very luxurious and grand casino in Monte Carlo.
This casino was called casino de Monte Carlo and had been designed with eye-popping luxury and pomp to attract the rich and famous from all over the world. The European wealthy crowd quickly took to the game. The game as introduced by the brothers was thus named French roulette and remains very popular in the casinos of Monte Carlo, France, and other parts of Europe.
The main difference between American and French roulette is the wheel itself and the number of zeroes on it. In French roulette, the wheel has a single zero. With just one zero, the house has an advantage of around 2.7%, which is considered to be quite less. The Americans introduced a second zero in the wheel so they have a 0 as well as 00 on the wheel, which gives the house an added advantage of around 5.3%, which is quite high.
The chips used in both types of roulette are also different. The chips used in French roulette are all the same colour, which sometimes gets a little confusing for players. Overall, the game of roulette has evolved over time, and its popularity continues to grow as people all over the world enjoy this classic casino game.
Place bets on the layout – which looks a bit different than a European Roulette layout. Familiarize yourself with the French words for the bets. For example, Passe for Even and Impair for Odd. Players only need to learn six words for the even-money bets, so you’ll pick up the terms in a few spins.
Make announced bets by calling out the type of bet. For example, announce Tiers du Cylindre, but remember to place enough chips on the table to cover the wager. The reason announced bets have their exotic names is to make it easy to announce the bet at a moment’s notice. Once again, familiarize yourself with about a half-dozen French phrases and you’ll know how to make announced bets.
If you choose the full/maximum or full/complete bet, remember it’s 12 different bets in one. For that reason, it’s much easier to announce this bet, so call out the full/maximum number you want. If you were betting the full/maximum on the number seven, you would call out “Complete Bet on 7” or “7 to the Maximum” to the dealer.
The croupier shoots the ball into the cylinder, calling out “No More Bets” when the ball begins to drop into the wheel. The dealer’s word is final on late bets or announced bets, so do not argue if your late bet is overruled.
Step 5: Losing Bets Collected
The winning number is determined when the ball falls into a pocket. The dealer collects chips from losing bets first. This leaves only the winning bets on the table.
Next, the winning bets are paid. French Roulette has many different winning combinations, so multiple players receive payments.
French Roulette has some specific rules that are not found in other versions of the game. Two of these rules are En Prison and La Partage.
En Prison is applied when the ball lands in the zero slot and you have placed an even money bet such as red/black or odd/even. By using this rule, your bet remains on the table for the next spin, and if it lands in the appropriate slot, your stake is returned.
Similarly, La Partage rule also applies when the ball lands in the zero slot, and you have placed an even money bet. In this case, you receive half of your stake back.
The house edge in French Roulette varies depending on the type of bet placed. It is 2.70% for any non-even money bets, but it drops to 1.35% for even money bets. This is very favourable compared to other casino games like American Roulette which has a 5.26% house edge.
