American vs French Roulette: Top differences

Roulette is said to be named after a French word which means ‘little wheel’. It is an extremely popular game even to non-players. Some popular movies even make use of roulettes and show big winnings when playing.

Some variations emerged ever since it was invented in 18th century France. One of the most popular is American. There are notable differences between American and French roulette and here are some of them:

Roulette Wheels

American and European roulette wheels are the only types of wheels. French roulette usually uses the European wheel. You can easily distinguish the difference between these two types.

They differ in terms of wheel layout. The order on which the numbers are placed is different. The American wheel has 38 slots while the French wheel has 37 slots. The difference between the number of slots lies in the number of zeroes. The American wheel has 2 zeroes, namely single zero and double zero. The French wheel only has one zero, the single zero.

Roulette Tables

The two tables only have a slight difference between them. The American roulette table still contains the double zero which cannot be found in French tables. In land-based casinos, they have different table dimensions. French tables are typically larger. Some casinos also have double-length French tables.

Players and dealers also have different positions while playing. In American tables, the dealer stands on the side next to the wheel. The players sit opposite the dealer. In French tables, two dealers sit around the wheel. The players sit on the other sides of the table. 

The game pace is faster on American tables than on French tables in general.

Betting Layout

In the American betting table, all outside bets are on the same side of the table. In French tables, the outside bets are split between the two sides of the table.

Roulette Rules

The main difference between American and French roulette rules is when zero comes up. All outside bets are completely lost when zero comes up in American roulette. When zero comes up in French roulette, you do not lose your bet completely. There is a rule that applies. This rule has two variations: En Prison and La Partage.

En Prison rule is the first variation. It means ‘in jail’, so it holds your bet. Your bet stays for another spin. The only time you will lose your bet is if the zero comes up again for the second consecutive time. 

La Partage rule is the second type. It means ‘splitting’. You lose half of your bet while the other half is returned to you and can be used in the next round.

House Edge

House edge is the casino’s profit from a player’s bet. The lower the house edge is, the better for the players. French roulettes have better winning odds because the game only has 2.7% house edge. American roulettes have 5.26% house edge due to double zero slots.

American vs. French Roulette

These differences can affect your choices when picking between the two especially if you are new to the game. Many players advise the new players to try French roulette first because it gives better winning chances. You can also play this game in live and online casinos. Bitcasino.io offers a wide range of roulettes to choose from. You can try Evolution’s Live American Roulette and Microgaming’s French Roulette.

No matter which type of the roulette you pick, you can surely have fun because of the excitement the wheel brings.