French Roulette with La Partage offers a reduced house edge of 1.35% on even money bets, such as red/black, odd/even, and high/low. This is achieved by refunding half of the stake when the ball lands on zero. The standard European Roulette, conversely, maintains a house edge of 2.70% on all bets.
The La Partage rule specifically applies only to even money bets, leaving the house edge for inside bets at 2.70% within French Roulette. European Roulette, with its single zero pocket, presents a consistent 2.70% house edge across all wager types. Payouts for inside bets, like a straight bet at 35:1, remain consistent between these two variants.
For players focused on maximising returns on external bets, French Roulette with the La Partage option provides a statistically superior environment. The 1.35% house edge on applicable bets is significantly lower than the 2.70% edge found in standard European Roulette, directly impacting potential player profitability over time.
rules, odds and strategy
What Doesn't Count: Red and Black Simultaneously
Betting on both red and black simultaneously on an American Roulette wheel would result in the combined stakes covering 36 out of the 38 pockets. This strategy, despite covering the majority of numbers, does not negate the house edge. The presence of the 0 and 00 pockets means that even covering all numbered pockets does not guarantee a win.
In American Roulette, a bet covering all numbers except 0 and 00 would still face the inherent house edge. The "Five Number Bet" is an example of a high-risk wager, with a house edge of 7.89%, significantly higher than other bets on the same wheel. This bet covers pockets 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3.
The fundamental structure of roulette, particularly American Roulette with its double zero, ensures a house advantage on nearly all betting scenarios. Strategies attempting to eliminate risk by covering a large number of outcomes are inherently flawed due to the remaining pockets that can result in a loss for the player.
Which Bets are Excluded from Bonus Wager?
Table games, including roulette, contribute only 10% towards fulfilling bonus wagering requirements at Melmelbet. This means that for every €100 wagered on a table game, only €10 will count towards clearing the bonus. The welcome bonus offers a 300% match up to €2,000, plus 100 free spins.
For a €2,000 welcome bonus, a 10% contribution from table games necessitates a significantly higher total wager amount to meet the requirements compared to slots. For example, a €40 wagering requirement on €2,000 bonus would translate to €80,000 in wagers if only table games were played. This calculation assumes the wagering requirement is 40x the bonus amount.
Players seeking to utilise the welcome bonus effectively should be aware of the limited contribution of table games. A €100 bonus with a 40x wagering requirement would require €4,000 in stakes from slots, but €40,000 from table games, illustrating the impact of the 10% game contribution rule.
European or American: Which Wheel Pays Better
European Roulette, featuring a single zero pocket, offers a lower house edge of 2.70% compared to American Roulette. The RTP for European Roulette stands at 97.30%, indicating a theoretical return of €97.30 for every €100 wagered over the long term. Standard payouts for outside bets like red/black are 1:1.
American Roulette, with the addition of a '00' pocket, increases the house edge to 5.26%, resulting in a lower RTP of 94.74%. While payouts for straight bets remain 35:1, the extra pocket significantly skews the odds against the player. The number of pockets on the wheel is 38.
For players prioritizing favourable odds, the European Roulette wheel is the more advantageous choice. The reduced house edge translates to a higher RTP, meaning that, on average, players will retain more of their wagers over extended play compared to the American variant. This difference is crucial for strategic betting.
37 Pockets vs. 38 Pockets: The Difference
European Roulette wheels are comprised of 37 pockets, numbered 1 through 36, plus a single zero (0). This configuration results in a house edge of 2.70% for the casino. Payouts, such as a straight-up bet on a single number, are set at 35:1.
American Roulette wheels expand this to 38 pockets by including a double zero (00) alongside the single zero and numbers 1-36. This additional pocket increases the house edge to 5.26%, a substantial increase from the European version. The "Five Number Bet" is a specific wager unique to this wheel with a high RTP of 92.11%.
The presence of the double zero in American Roulette directly impacts the probability of winning any given spin. For instance, the odds of hitting a specific number are 1 in 38, compared to 1 in 37 on a European wheel, making it inherently less favourable for players and contributing to the higher house advantage.
Straight 35:1, Split 17:1, Street 11:1, Corner 8:1, Six Line 5:1, Dozen 2:1, Column 2:1, Rot/Schwarz 1:1
94.74%
38 Sektoren (1–36 + 0 + 00); Auszahlungen wie beim europäischen Rad, aber der zusätzliche Sektor verdoppelt den Hausvorteil
5.26%
Roulette Europäisch (einfache Null, 37 Sektoren)
Straight 35:1, Split 17:1, Street 11:1, Corner 8:1, Six Line 5:1, Dozen 2:1, Column 2:1, Rot/Schwarz 1:1, Odd/Even 1:1, 1-18/19-36 1:1
97.30%
37 Sektoren (1–36 + 0); Auszahlungen wie für 36 Sektoren – daher konstanter Edge auf ALLE Wetten
2.70%
Roulette Französisch, innere Einsätze (La Partage gilt nicht)
Straight 35:1, Split 17:1, Street 11:1, Corner 8:1, Six Line 5:1, Dozen 2:1, Column 2:1
97.30%
Rad gleich (37 Sektoren), aber La Partage/En Prison gilt nicht für innere Einsätze – Edge bleibt europäisch
2.70%
Roulette Amerikanisch – Five Number Bet (0, 00, 1, 2, 3)
Five Number 6:1 (deckt 5 von 38 Sektoren)
92.11%
Einzige Wette am amerikanischen Rad mit Edge über 5,26% – „Fallenwette“. Kein Äquivalent am europäischen Rad
7.89%
Roulette Französisch mit La Partage (gerade Chancen)
Rot/Schwarz 1:1 (bei 0 Rückerstattung 50%), Odd/Even 1:1, Low/High 1:1; Innere Einsätze ohne La Partage: Straight 35:1, Split 17:1, Street 11:1, Corner 8:1
98.65%
Bei 0 wird die Hälfte des Einsatzes auf gerade Chancen zurückerstattet (Rot/Schwarz, Pair/Impair, Manque/Passe). En Prison gibt denselben 1,35%. Regel gilt NUR für gleiche Einsätze
1.35%
How Much to Bet for 10 Percent Contribution?
For a 10% contribution to bonus wagering, players must bet €100 on table games for every €10 of bonus wagered. This contribution rate applies to games like Roulette. For example, a €300 welcome bonus with 40x wagering would require a total turnover of €12,000.
This means that to meet the wagering requirement for the €300 bonus, a player would need to wager €120,000 in table games, as only 10% of their bets count towards the requirement. This calculation highlights the impact of game contribution rates on the overall wagering effort.
Therefore, to achieve a €10 percentage contribution on bonus turnover, a player must place €100 in bets on eligible table games. This is a crucial factor for players aiming to clear bonus funds through table game play at Melmelbet.
Martingale Fails at Table Limit After 8 Losses
The Martingale betting strategy, when applied to French Roulette with a 1.35% house edge, can face table limits after a series of losses. If a player starts with a €1 bet on an even-chance wager and experiences eight consecutive losses, the bet would escalate significantly.
Following an initial €1 bet, a sequence of eight losses would require subsequent bets of €2, €4, €8, €16, €32, €64, €128, and finally €256. This progression would necessitate a total stake of €511 across nine rounds.
This escalating bet requirement would likely exceed the table limit at many online casinos, including those found at Melmelbet, rendering the Martingale strategy unviable in the long run. The maximum payout for an even-chance bet remains 1:1, regardless of the progression.
How Payout Odds 35:1 Are Achieved
Payout odds of 35:1 on a single number bet are standard across various roulette variants at Melmelbet, including European Roulette and French Roulette without the La Partage rule on inner bets. These odds are derived from the probability of landing on one specific number.
On a European or French wheel with 37 sectors (numbers 1-36 plus a single zero), the chance of hitting any single number is 1 in 37. The payout of 35:1 means a €1 bet returns €35 profit plus the original €1 stake, totaling €36.
This payout structure is designed to compensate for the risk, with the house edge of 2.70% built into the odds. American Roulette, with its additional 00 sector, also offers 35:1 on straight-up bets, despite having a higher house edge of 5.26%.
How Lightning Roulette Draws 1 to 5 Numbers
Lightning Roulette, a live casino game offered by Evolution, incorporates a multiplier feature that randomly selects 1 to 5 numbers to receive enhanced payouts. These selected numbers are known as 'Lightning Numbers' for the round.
In each round of Lightning Roulette, a series of numbers are struck by lightning, and these numbers are then assigned random multipliers, potentially ranging from 50x up to 500x. These multipliers are applied only to winning straight-up bets on those specific numbers.
The game uses a standard European wheel with 37 sectors, and the RTP remains at 97.30%. The standard payouts for other bet types, such as even chances, are 1:1, while straight-up bets on non-multiplied numbers pay 35:1.
Max Bet Per Number vs. Max Bet Per Round
Melmelbet's live roulette tables, such as Blaze Roulette by Authentic Gaming, offer varying bet limits for individual numbers and entire rounds. For example, Blaze Roulette allows bets from €0.20 up to €5,000.
The maximum bet per number is not explicitly stated as a separate figure from the per-round limit for most standard roulette games. However, the overall maximum bet for a single round on any type of bet, including a single number, is €5,000.
This €5,000 limit applies across all wager types in a single round, ensuring a consistent maximum exposure per player round, irrespective of whether the bet is placed on a single number or an outside bet like red/black.
What Doesn't Count as Loss Protection with Zéro?
When playing French Roulette without the La Partage rule applied to inside bets, the house edge remains at 2.70%. This is consistent with European Roulette, as the wheel layout is identical with 37 sectors including a single zero. Inside bets like Straight, Split, and Street do not benefit from any form of loss protection.
The RTP for French Roulette without La Partage on inside bets is 97.30%, indicating that for every 100 units wagered theoretically over the long term, 97.30 units are returned to players. This figure does not change regardless of the specific inside bet placed, maintaining the standard European edge.
Players looking for enhanced protection on even-money bets should note that this variant does not offer it. The edge on inside bets here, such as a Corner bet paying 8:1, remains at 2.70%, a figure comparable to standard European Roulette, but without the safety net of half stake return on a zero outcome.
Why 5.26 Percent is Rarely Recommended
American Roulette presents a house edge of 5.26%, primarily due to the inclusion of a double zero (00) alongside the single zero (0). This increases the total number of sectors on the wheel to 38, compared to the 37 found on European or French wheels.
The RTP for American Roulette stands at 94.74%, reflecting the increased house advantage derived from the additional '00' pocket. Payouts for standard bets, such as a Straight bet at 35:1, remain the same as European Roulette, but the expanded number of outcomes significantly alters the player's odds.
This higher house edge makes American Roulette less favourable for players seeking longer gameplay or better theoretical returns. The 'Five Number Bet' on American Roulette is an exception, carrying an even higher house edge of 7.89%, making it the least recommended wager.
36 Instead of 37: The Math Behind 35:1
The standard payout for a Straight bet in Roulette, paying 35:1, is mathematically derived from the 36 numbered sectors (1-36) that are typically considered for such wagers. This payout structure is consistent across European and French Roulette variants.
In European Roulette, the presence of a single zero (0) creates a house edge of 2.70%. The payout of 35:1 on a Straight bet means that for every 37 possible outcomes (36 numbers + 0), a winning bet returns 35 units plus the original stake. This results in a constant edge on all bets.
While the odds seem to favour the player with a 35:1 payout, the inclusion of the zero sector means that if the ball lands on 0, all bets on single numbers lose. This single sector's presence is what creates the house edge, ensuring the casino maintains profitability.
Which Bets Count Towards 10 Percent?
When utilizing a welcome bonus, table games contribute 10% towards meeting wagering requirements. This applies to games such as Roulette and Blackjack, where players can place various types of bets.
For example, in European Roulette, an outside bet like Red or Black pays 1:1. If a player wagers 10 EUR on Red and wins, they receive 10 EUR plus their stake. However, only 1 EUR (10% of the 10 EUR wagered) will count towards the bonus turnover.
Inside bets, such as a Straight bet paying 35:1, also contribute 10% of the wagered amount. Therefore, a 10 EUR Straight bet wagered would contribute 1 EUR to the bonus turnover, regardless of whether it wins or loses, adhering to the 10% table game contribution rule.
Payout Table from 35:1 to 1:1
Roulette offers a diverse range of payouts, starting with the highest for a Straight bet at 35:1. This bet covers a single number on the wheel and is a fundamental wager in all roulette variants.
Moving down the payout scale, Split bets (two adjacent numbers) pay 17:1, Street bets (three numbers in a row) pay 11:1, and Corner bets (four numbers) pay 8:1. Further down, Six Line bets (six numbers) offer a 5:1 payout.
Finally, bets covering larger groups of numbers, such as Dozen or Column bets, pay 2:1. The simplest bets, known as even-money bets, including Red/Black, Odd/Even, and High/Low (1-18/19-36), all pay 1:1, returning the stake plus an equal amount in winnings.