- Roulette French Terms Definition
- Roulette French Terms Meaning
- Roulette French Terms Glossary
- Roulette French Terms Crossword
- The name Roulette is a French word meaning a “little wheel”. As a result, French terms are still being used on the betting table. When roulette was a land-based casino game only, keen players were forced to either travel to Europe or the US to join the action.
- American roulette: American roulette is a roulette game which is really similar to the French roulette game. The difference between these two games lie in the two green spots at the American roulette game.
Place French roulette bets on the table. It has a different layout from European Roulette and players need to acquaint themselves with French words like Impair (to mean odds) and Passe (for Even). Call out your bet and ensure you have enough chips to cover it. Announced bets have exotic names to make it easy for players to announce it in a.
Roulette has a long history and has been the subject of many myths and legends, so it’s no surprise that there is a lot of jargon and slang associated with the game. If you take a look at the site, you’ll soon get to grips with it, but if you need a quick introduction to the more common terms you’ll come across, then have a read through our glossary of terms.
Action
Being in a position to bet, e.g. in the Action. Or the total amount bet over a certain period.
Agent
An agent works with the croupier to cheat the casino on an “inside job”,
All-In
When a player bets his whole pot on one bet.
American Roulette
Also known as Double Zero Roulette. A variant with 2 zero pockets, a “0” and a “00”. The house edge in American Roulette is higher than in European roulette. Click here to find out why.
Ball Track
Or Back Track. The rim on the wheel where the ball is spun.
Biased Wheel
A wheel in a land-based casino or live roulette studio that is not balances and may have a skew to certain “hot zones”.
Roulette Bonus
Promotional money used by a casino to entice new players in.
For example, the £1000 Bonus From Betway.
Block Bet
Covering a block of numbers on the roulette betting area. Note- this does not mean that the numbers are in a block on the wheel.
Card Roulette
Card Roulette is a variant that uses a standard pack of playing cards with 2 jokers. The house edge is between European and American roulette.
Chip
Roulette chips are different from normal chips. They are not marked and come in different colours and usually come in one denomination, eg $10. This is to help the croupier work out whose chips are whose. The Ohio roulette Scam made use of this practice to con casinos out of their money.
Cold Numbers
Numbers that haven’t come up for at least 37 spins. Also Cold Table- where the house is winning.
Column Bet
A bet that covers almost one third of the wheel and which pays out 2-1.
Comp
When a casino gives yo something for free, like a suite or a free bonus in the case of online casinos.
Corner Bet
A bet on four numbers- your chip is placed at the corner of the numbers- this bet pays 8-1, with a 10.8% probability of winning on European Roulette. Also Carre in French roulette.
Croupier
The person who takes the bets, spins the wheel and pays out the winnings. French for dealer.
Call Bets
More exotic bets such as the Voisins Du Zero bet. So called, because you “call” them out at a casino, usually when the wheel is spinning. Mostly made up of Sector Bets.
Dead Table
An open table with no players.
Dolly
This covers the winning number. It’s removed when all of the winning bets have been paid out and a new game begins.
Double Up System
The Martingale, where you double your bet after a loss.
Double Zero
A pocket you only get on American roulette wheels. European Roulette only has one zero pocket and a lower house edge.
Dozens Bet
A bet, very similar to a Column Bet. There are three dozens:1 to 12, 13 to 24 and 25 to 36.
Drop
The amount deposited by a player.
En Prison
A rule in French Roulette where, when you have placed an even-money bet and the number 0 comes up, your bet rides over to the next spin In effect, you get an extra spin. If you lose a second time, you forfeit your bet, but if you win you get your bet back (but not the winnings). This take the house edge on even money bets down to just 1.35%.
European Roulette
Uses a wheel with only one zero pocket. This variant can be hard to find in some casino in Las Vegas. You should always look for it in preference to American roulette if you are playing online.
Even Money Bet
Also known as a Flat Bet. Bets that pay out 1:1, e.g. red/black. Note- your odds aren’t 50/50 as there is the zero(s) to think about.
Eye-in-the Sky
The security cameras above the tables, the CCTVs.
Flat Betting
Betting the same amount, every spin.
French Roulette
A variant of European Roulette which may offer La Partage or the “en prison rule“. The table layout is slightly different and the names of the sectors are in French.
Five Number Bet
A bet covering the 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3. Found only in American roulette- avoid it! The odds are terrible.
Gaffed Wheel
A wheel that has been rigged by the casino.
George
A player who is a big tipper
Green Pockets
The zero and double zero slots on the roulette wheel.
Grifter
A scammer or cheater.
Grind Joint
A casino with low betting limits- more likely to be found in Downtown Las Vegas than on The Strip, for example.
Heat
Attention from the casino management if you are winning too much.
High or Low
An even money bet on all the low numbers (1-18: low) or all the high numbers (19-36).
High Roller
Someone who bets a large amount of money. Also known as a Whale.
Hold
Or the Percentage. The percentage of the Drop that the casino keeps.
Hot
On a winning streak.
Hot Numbers
Numbers that hit more frequently than they should based on probability. Also Golden Numbers.
House Edge
How much the casino expects to make, on average, on every bet, usually expressed as a percentage. Over the course of an day, the casino can run at a loss (negative house edge), but if you take an average of multiple players over an extended period of time, they would expect to see a positive House Edge or advantage.
Inside Bets
Bets made on the inside of the betting grid (as opposed to Outside Bets like red/black etc). So single number bets, corner bets etc would all count as Inside Bets.
John
A good tipper. The bathroom, WC, etc.
Line Bet
A bet on six numbers, 2 lines of 3 numbers on the betting grid. Pays out 5-1, with a 16% chance of winning.
Martingale System
A famous system where you double your bet after a losing bet to claw back into profit. Be careful with this system- can ramp up quickly.
Mucker
A second croupier on a roulette table during busy times. Her or she helps with chips and double checks the dealer’s maths and helps to pay out the winning bets.
Negative Progression
A system where you increase your bet after a loss. Examples include the Martingale, the Fibonacci and the Super Martingale.
Neighbours
A bet (normally 3 numbers) centred on one number. You can increase the amount of neighbours you want to play off each number.
Odd
A bet on all the odd numbers. Pays 1:1.
Orphans
A bet on three numbers that are close together on the wheel but not on the table layout.
Outside Bet
Anything that is not an Inside Bet. Slide your chips onto the outside of the betting grid in the marked zones. Example include dozens, columns and the even money bets like red/black, odd/even etc
Parlay or Press
To let your bet ride after a win. Leave your original bet where it is and add your winnings for the next spin.
Past Posting
This is a fraudulent way of betting after the winning number has been announced. Fraudsters with a good sleight of hand may try this. It’s highly illegal.
Pinching
Removing your chips after a losing bet. The opposite of Past Posting, also illegal
Positive Progression
A system where you increase your bets after a win to accelerate profits on winning streaks.
Red Bet
An even money Outside Bet, probably the most famous bet in roulette (“stick it all on the red). Pays 1:1.
Roulette System
A methodology of laying bets at the table. Many systems claim to improve your odds in roulette. Don’t believe the hype. Systems can be a useful way of playing to a plan, but they will not lower the house edge.
Run
A streak of events, like 4 blacks in a row, or 2 of the same dozens in a row.
Sector Bet
A group of numbers within a sector of a wheel, also called a Neighbours bet.
Section Slicing
Diving the wheel into hot and cold zones. The ultimate aim of a players trying to spot biased wheels.
Single Zero Roulette
European Roulette.
Six Line Bet
A line bet on 6 numbers (inside bet).
Split Bet
A bet on 2 numbers that sit side by side on the table.
Square or Quarter Bet
An Inside Bet on 4 numbers. Pays 8:1.
A Stack
20 chips stacked one on top of another
Straight Bet or Straight Up Bet
A Single Number Bet, pays 35:1
Street Bet
A bet numbers on the roulette betting surface is called a street. These bets pay out at 11-1 and have an 8% chance of winning. Also Trio Bet.
Surrender
Similar to en prison, where your bet rides over for another spin if the ball lands in zero when you make an even money bet, like odd/even. Played on some American Roulette wheels.
A Tom
A stingy tipper, one with mothballs in his wallet. Opposite to a George.
Toke – or Zuks
These are the dealer’s tips. Tokes go into the Toke box.
Competitions where you compete for a prize against other players (eg Unibet Roulette tourneys). The top positioned players on the leaderboard win a share of the pot.
Wager
A bet.
Visual Wheel Tracking
Measuring the spin velocity and characteristics of a roulette wheel to get an edge. This often involves computing power.
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A
American roulette – a variation of roulette game. The wheel has 38 slots with numbers form 1 to 36, a 0 and 00.
B
Backtrack – the rim on the outer part of the roulette wheel where the ivory or plastic ball spins. This can be also called the ball-track.
Biased wheels – a roulette wheel with a flaw that causes the same numbers to appear over and over.
Big Number – the number that is hit more than it can be theoretically possible. This may be a sign of a biased wheel.
Black action- when the player bets with a black chip that is worth $100
Bottom Track – the inner line of a roulette wheel where the ball slides before it bounces from the wheel to the pockets. I usually either slants or remains stationary.
C
Carre’ –French word for the Corner bet
Chameleon Strategy – a strategy used by some players that follow the tactic and bets of those who are winning a lot hoping for the same.
Chasing Loses – a tactic used when the player has lost a lot and starts betting more hoping to win back all he lost.
Check rack – the tray with roulette chips.
Cheval –French word for a Split bet
Choppy game – the game with no constant wins of the player and the house.
Column bet – a bet on one of the three columns.
Corner bet – a bet on four numbers by placing a chip in the middle on these four numbers.
Croupier – the employee of a casino that operates at the roulette table, exchanges the money, pays back the wins etc.
D
Double zero or 00 – a slot present in American Roulette only
Dozen bet – a bet on any of the three groups of 12 numbers.
E
En prison rule – the surrender rule present in European roulette. In case the ball drops on 0, the player may take back half of his outside bets or keep the stake en prison for the next spin. In case the bet is still en prison and the second spin brings a win to the player, he takes back his bet, and if not – the bet is lost.
European roulette – the variation of roulette with the wheel of 37 slots (numbers from 1 to 36 and a 0 slot).
Five number bet – an American roulette bet when players bet on five numbers (0, 00, 1, 2, 3) at the same time.
H
House edge – casino advantage that is the source of its profit on every game.
High bet – a bet on a group of big numbers from 19 to 36
I
Inside bet – a bet on one of the numbers inside the table layout.
L
La partage rule – rule of the European roulette which is almost the same as the En prison rule but the fact that the player cannot keep the bet for the next spin. He just may take back half of his original bet.
Low bet – a bet on small numbers 1 – 18
M
Martingale System – a betting system that suggests betting on even bets and doubling on every lose to win back all he lost and even more.
N
Non Value Chip – a roulette chip the value of which depends on the amount of chips taken in a buy in.
O
Orphelins (Orphans) – a bet found in European casinos. Player bets on three number that are close to each other on the roulette wheel. (As 6, 3, 17).
Outside bet – a bet on black/red, high/low, odd/even with an even money payout.
P
Parlay – a betting system that suggests leaving the previous bet and adding a new one for the next spin.
Payout or Pay Out – the winnings paid to the player by the casino.
Pinching – illegal removing of player chips from the betting table when the ball has already landed.
Q
Quarter bet – a bet on four numbers (Corner bet or Square bet).
R
Red bet – a bet on all red numbers.
Roulette chips – special casino chips for roulette tables only and may not be used for another games. Each player receives chips of his own colors so that the dealer could easily payout the wins correctly.
Roulette French Terms Definition
Roulette layout – the layout with numbered grids and colors on the roulette table where players place their bets.
Roulette strategy – special methods used by players to improve their odds and decrease the amount of losses.
Roulette table – a table used for roulette game that consists of the layout and the roulette wheel.
Roulette wheel – a wheel used at the roulette game and contains numbered slots. The numbers are placed to make even probability for all the numbers. The wheel moves clockwise and stops when the ball which spins in the opposite direction lands on one of the slots.
S
Single zero roulette - European roulette
Six number bet – a bet on six numbers close to each other on the roulette table.
Sixainne- French name of six line bet
Split bet – a bet on two numbers close on the roulette table.
Straight bet – a bet on a single number.
Street bet – a bet on three numbers.
Surrender rule –another name for the En prison rule.
Roulette French Terms Meaning
T
Tiers du cylinder – French term for a bet on a group of numbers that are close together on the roulette wheel.
Transversale –French word for a Street bet
V
Roulette French Terms Glossary
Voisins du Zero – a French term for a bet on a group of numbers which are close to the 0 slot on the roulette wheel
Visual Wheel Tracking – a technique used for trying to predict where the ball will land by watching how it spins.
W
Wheel Clocking – watching a roulette wheel to see if there are any patterns or bias.
Wheel Head – a part of the roulette wheel with the numbered slots.
Wheel roller – a croupier or dealer at the roulette table
Roulette French Terms Crossword
Wheel strategies –strategies that are used to exploit the flaws of the roulette wheel to gain edge
To find out more about roulette rules, read the roulette Etiquette.