Street

Placement

ChipmoneyChipA token representing a fixed amount, placed on the layout to make a bet. Also: check.Read full → on the outer edge of the row, at the line nearest the dozensbetDozen1–12, 13–24 or 25–36, pays 2:1.Read full → boxes (or, on a double-ended French layoutequipmentLayoutThe printed betting grid on the table. Also: table, felt, cloth.Read full →, on either outer edge). There are twelve ordinary streetsbetStreetThree numbers in a row of the layout, pays 11:1. French: transversale.Read full →, 1-2-3 through 34-35-36, plus two with zerowheelZeroThe single green pocket that no even-money, dozen or column bet covers; the source of the house edge. Also: single zero, 0.Read full →: 0-1-2 and 0-2-3, placed at the cornerbetCornerFour numbers sharing a corner on the layout, pays 8:1.Read full → where zero meets the first row. The chip must sit on the boundary line; inside the row it would be read as a straight upbetStraight upA single number, pays 35:1.Read full → on the edge number.

French Roulette

Payout and expectation

Fair odds against three numbers are 11.33 to 1; the table pays 11. A $10 street that hits returns $110 of winnings. Across 37 average spins: three hits (+$330), 34 misses (−$340), net −$10 on $370.

Character

A straight up that wins three times as often and pays a third as much. Streets are a favorite of players who like to “cover a row” around a lucky number without the 36-spin droughts. Expect a hit roughly every 12 spins and a dry run of 25 spins or more about once a session.

Streets and dozens

Four streets make a dozen. Four $10 streets on 1-2-3, 4-5-6, 7-8-9 and 10-11-12 cost $40, win $110 − $30 = $80 when the first dozen hits and lose $40 otherwise. A $40 dozen bet wins $80 and loses $40 in exactly the same cases. They are the same bet in two shapes; the dozen takes one chip.

Terminology

TransversaleFR · streetTransversaleFrench for street (transversale pleine, 3 numbers) and six line (transversale simple, 6 numbers).Read full → pleine in French (“full cross”), “row” or “three-line” to British dealers, “street” in the United States and online. The six-line is a transversale simple, confusingly the one with more numbers.

Questions