French roulette: la partage, and why 1.35% is the whole point
La partage vs en prison
La partage: half back, immediately, guaranteed — edge exactly 1.35%. En prison: the stake is “imprisoned” for the next spin — win and it’s returned in full, lose (or zero again, house-rules-depending) and it’s gone. Under the common rules it lands at the same 1.35% expectation with slightly more variance; under stricter double-zero-imprisonment versions it’s marginally worse. If you can choose, take la partage for certainty.
Finding the 1.35% game
Live-dealer lobbies are the reliable source — look for “French Roulette” by name or “la partage” in the rules panel (the wheel alone won’t tell you: it’s a standard single-zero). Physical French tables cluster in European high-limit rooms; many “European” tables run no half-back rule at all. Thirty seconds in the info screen buys a permanent 50% discount.
Only even-money is discounted
Straight-up and all inside bets on a French table still cost 2.70% — the discount applies strictly to red/black, odd/even, high/low. The optimal French game is therefore boring by design: even-money, small, brief.