Roulette, an iconic and historic casino game, involves predicting which numbered pocket a ball spun on a wheel will stop on. Players place their bets on numbers, colours, columns, dozens, or various other combinations, seeking to guess the final outcome.
But, are you aware of the existence of various forms of roulette, each with its own rules and winning probabilities? This article aims to explore the particularities of European or French roulette, American roulette, and English roulette. You will learn to identify the type of roulette offered by a casino and to adjust your game strategy to improve your chances of success.
THE GENESIS OF ROULETTE
THE ORIGIN OF CASINO ROULETTE
The origins of roulette remain unclear and are the subject of debate. Several theories exist to describe its creation and development. The most common tells that Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician and physicist, invented it in 1655 during a retreat in a monastery. His motivation was to develop a perpetual motion machine, which reportedly led him to create a wheel with numbered pockets. Another version suggests that a French monk, seeking to diversify monastic activities, was at the origin of this game of chance. A third proposal evokes an influence from Chinese culture, claiming that roulette was brought to Europe by traders and missionaries.
ROULETTE THROUGH THE AGES
Roulette made its first official appearance in France at the beginning of the 18th century, known then as the "little wheel". Although a decree by the Parliament of Bordeaux prohibited it in 1716, followed by an ordinance from Louis XV in 1749, it survived in clandestine gambling establishments. At that time, roulette was characterised by a wheel with 36 numbers and a single zero and double zero pocket, coloured red and black respectively. In 1842, brothers François and Louis Blanc, casino managers in Germany, eliminated the double zero pocket to favour the players' chances and attract a wider clientele. They thus implemented the European or French version of roulette, which features only a single, green-coloured zero. This variant quickly gained popularity, particularly in Monte Carlo where the Blanc brothers opened a casino in 1860 with the approval of Prince Charles III of Monaco. The American version, on the other hand, retains the double zero and sometimes even introduces a pocket with an American eagle, an emblem of liberty. It spread mainly in the mining towns of the American West during the 19th century. As for English roulette, it is distinguished by the limited number of players (maximum 7), the use of different coloured chips per player, and the option to bet on adjacent numbers on the wheel.
EUROPEAN/FRENCH ROULETTE
THE EUROPEAN CYLINDER
The European cylinder is the key element of roulette, where the dealer spins the ball. It consists of 37 pockets, numbered from 0 to 36, which alternate between red and black, with the exception of the green-coloured 0. The numbers are arranged in a specific order, designed to balance betting options. Thus, you will never find two even or odd numbers directly following each other, nor two numbers of the same colour.
THE BETTING LAYOUT
The betting layout represents the section of the table on which players place their chips to bet. It is organised into different areas, each corresponding to a distinct type of bet. A distinction is made between inside bets, focused on specific numbers, and outside bets, covering broader categories of numbers such as colours, columns, or dozens. The European layout also offers spaces for "announced bets" or "neighbour bets", targeting groups of adjacent numbers on the cylinder.
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TYPES OF BETS AND THEIR ODDS
The appeal of European roulette lies in its variety of bets, each offering different payouts and chances of success. Here is an overview of the main bets, including their name, a brief description, their payout, and the house edge.
+--------------+------------------------+---------+
| Bet Name | Description | Payout |
+--------------+------------------------+---------+
| Straight | Single number | 35:1 |
+--------------+------------------------+---------+
| Split | 2 adjacent numbers | 17:1 |
+--------------+------------------------+---------+
| Street | 3 numbers on a line | 11:1 |
+--------------+------------------------+---------+
| Corner | 4 numbers in a square | 8:1 |
+--------------+------------------------+---------+
| Line Bet | 6 numbers over 2 lines | 5:1 |
+--------------+------------------------+---------+
| Column | 12 numbers in a column | 2:1 |
+--------------+------------------------+---------+
| Dozen | 12 numbers in 3 dozens | 2:1 |
+--------------+------------------------+---------+
| Red/Black | 18 numbers of same colour | 1:1 |
+--------------+------------------------+---------+
| Even/Odd | 18 even/odd numbers | 1:1 |
+--------------+------------------------+---------+
| Low/High | 1 to 18 or 19 to 36 | 1:1 |
+--------------+------------------------+---------+
Note: House edge for all bets is 2.7%.
THE "PARTAGE" AND "LA PRISON" RULES
European roulette incorporates two special rules, "Partage" and "La Prison", which can lower the house edge to 1.35% for certain bets. These rules come into play when a 0 appears and the player has opted for an even-money outside bet (Red/Black, Even/Odd, Low/High). Under the "Partage" rule, the player gets back half of their bet. With "La Prison", they can choose between getting back half of their bet or leaving their bet “in prison” for the next spin. If another 0 comes up, the player loses their bet. In the event of a win, they recover their original bet without any additional winnings.
AMERICAN ROULETTE
American roulette is mainly characterised by having one additional pocket, marked with a double zero (00), which brings the house edge up to 5.26%, compared to 2.7% for European roulette. It is also distinguished by a different layout of the numbers on the cylinder, alternating even and odd as well as high and low numbers. Of note, the betting layout is simplified, excluding "announced" or "neighbour" bets, while introducing bets specific to this variant.
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LAYOUT OF THE AMERICAN CYLINDER
The American roulette wheel has 38 pockets, ranging from 0 to 36, plus the 00 pocket. With the exception of the 0 and 00 which are green, the pockets are coloured red and black. Here is their sequence, starting from 0 and turning counter-clockwise
BETS SPECIFIC TO AMERICAN ROULETTE
American roulette offers unique bets that are absent in European roulette:
• The five-number bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3), with a payout ratio of 6:1, but presenting a house edge of 7.89%.
• The bet on 0 and 00, paying 17:1, with a house edge maintained at 5.26%.
• The bet on a row of five numbers (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5), offering a payout ratio of 5:1 and a house edge of 5.26%.
• The bet on a row of four numbers (e.g. 1, 2, 4, 5), with a payout ratio of 8:1 and a house edge equivalent to 5.26%.
ENGLISH ROULETTE
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
English roulette is a variation of the famous European roulette, widely played in British casinos. Its particularities lie in the limited number of players, allowing only 7 people to play simultaneously, the allocation of individual coloured chips to distinguish each player's bets, as well as the possibility of placing bets on neighbouring numbers of the cylinder. This version of the game also introduces special rules such as "La Partage" and "L'En Prison", offering certain advantages for even-money bets (Red/Black, Even/Odd, Low/High).
THE RULES OF THE GAME AND IMPLEMENTATION
The operation of the game of English roulette is similar to that of its European variant. It is played with a 37-pocket wheel, numbered from 0 to 36, and a betting layout where players place their bets. The dealer announces the start and end of bets, spins the ball, and declares the winning number.
The special rules of English roulette are detailed as follows:
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- The "La Partage" rule: in the event of a 0, players who have bet on an even-money option receive half of their bet back.
- The "L'En Prison" rule: when a 0 is spun, players on an even-money bet can choose to "leave their bet in prison" for the next round. Their bet is returned without winnings if the bet wins, lost if the bet loses, and remains in prison if 0 is spun again.
CONCLUSION
Through this article, you have discovered the main characteristics and specificities of European or French, American, and English roulette. You now possess thorough knowledge about the composition of the cylinder, the betting layout, and the various types of bets unique to each variant. Furthermore, the unique rules such as the "Partage" or "La Prison" rules applicable to European roulette, which can significantly affect your chances of success, no longer hold any secrets for you.
Armed with this information, you are ready to master the rules of the game for the different roulettes found in casinos. It is time for you to choose the version that resonates most with your preferences and put your knowledge into practice. Remember to always play responsibly and to prioritise the fun of playing.
Good luck!
