Definition
La Partage
Also known as Partage, Half Back, French Rule
By Abhinav VasudevanReviewed Editorial policy
In short
La Partage returns half your even-money stake when the ball lands on zero. It halves the house edge on those bets from 2.70% to 1.35%, making French roulette the best version of the game.
La Partage, French for “the sharing”, returns half your stake when zero lands, on even-money bets only. You lose 50p of a £1 bet rather than the whole pound.
The effect
Even-money bets lose to zero once in 37 spins. Getting half back halves that loss.
- Standard European roulette: 2.70% house edge
- With La Partage: 1.35%
That makes red/black, odd/even and high/low on a French table one of the best bets available anywhere in a casino. Better than every slot, better than most video poker, and close to well-played blackjack.
Scope
The rule applies only to even-money outside bets: red/black, odd/even, 1–18/19–36.
Dozens and columns still pay the full 2.70%, and so does every inside bet. This surprises people, and it means that on a La Partage table the even-money bets are genuinely, measurably better than everything else on the felt, the only situation in roulette where that is true.
Where to find it
La Partage is standard on French roulette tables, which are less common than European ones despite using the same wheel. The distinction is the rule set, not the layout.
It appears at some European casinos, at Monte Carlo and similar venues, and at a number of online operators under names like French Roulette or Roulette Pro. It is genuinely worth seeking out, and the difference between a French and a standard European table is larger than most differences between casino games.
Versus En Prison
En Prison achieves the same 1.35% edge by a different route. The bet is held for one further spin rather than half-refunded.
The expected value is identical. La Partage settles immediately, which most players prefer; En Prison preserves the possibility of a full win on the following spin. Some tables offer a choice.
Common questions
What does La Partage do?
It returns half your even-money stake when the ball lands on zero, halving the house edge on those bets from 2.70% to 1.35%. That makes red or black on a French table one of the best bets available in any casino.
Does La Partage apply to all roulette bets?
No, only to even-money outside bets. Dozens, columns and every inside bet still carry the full 2.70%. It is the one situation in roulette where a specific bet type is measurably better than the rest of the table.