French Roulette And How It’s Different From American Roulette
If you have ever in your life stepped inside a casino, whether that’s online or in reality, you may not be aware that there are different kinds of roulette. Even as you’re playing it, you probably never thought about the difference between French Roulette specifically (which is the most common form of roulette that is played) and its many counterparts. In particular, people tend to be confused with American Roulette and French Roulette as they are very similar with only a few minor differences to distinguish them. We’re here today to explain the differences between them and hope that, maybe, it can help improve your future gambling ventures.
French Roulette Wheel
The easiest way to identify a French Roulette table is by looking at its wheel. The French Roulette wheel has 37 colour pockets which the ball can fall into after the wheel is spun. 18 of those color pockets are black and 18 of them are red. The final poicket is green and is always zero. Sounds very standard, right? In this regard, European and French Roulette are pretty much the same. You can make outside bets depending on the colour, quantity and value of the pocket that the ball falls into. Conversely, you can make inside bets in which you bet on a series of numbers or a single number (the bet with the highest risk). If you bet on zero, you can get a large return as it is the only one of its kind on the wheel.
In American Roulette, things are slightly different. Ulike French Roulette, their wheels have an extra pocket, making it 38 in total. This 38th pocket is a double zero and many think that this gives players a chance to win big. And they are correct but only if you bet on that number as the odds are 35 to 1, of course. However, it’s widely believed that this double zero is what gives American Roulette a higher house edge which could mean less returns for players overall. In French Roulette, the wheel acts more in the player’s favour.
Why French Roulette Is More Popular
When it comes to the two roulette styles, it’s pretty apparent that French Roulette is more popular with players. Because of the absence of double zero, that means players are more likely to win but they can decrease the house edge anyway thanks to the ‘En Prison’ and ‘La Partage’ rules. Therefore, French Roulette is infinitely more popular (at least, it is in Europe anyway) as players feel less like they are being cheated by the house.
But there are other reasons why French Roulette is far more popular (and arguably better) than American Roulette and that’s purely in the act of handing out chips. When it comes to American Roulette, every player has different coloured chips so that they can be distinguished from other players. This sounds efficient, right? Well, with French Roulette, you all have the same coloured chips and that, some may say, makes it more exicting as you mentally have to keep a track of what chips are yours, thereby increasing your brain functions.
For new players, it’s always wise to stick to French Roulette as this is the most mainstream, streamlined version of the game and helps you to come to grips with the rules and steps to take while making your bets. Starting off with the other version could make you lose quite a bit of money if you don’t know what you’re doing. But if you’ve played roulette before, whether that’s online or in a real life casino, then you’ve more than likely already played it anyway.