Roulette is one of the simplest games to learn in online casinos, but it also includes immense hidden depth.
There are countless ways to manage your bankroll, different wheel types and, with them, different rules might apply.
It is the case with one of roulette’s special rules, En Prison.
With this guide, you’ll understand everything you need about the En Prison roulette rule, including:
- The origin of the name
- How does it work
- Where can you use it
- Whether it affects the odds or not
Let’s get into it right away.
What is the En Prison Rule in Roulette?
The name of En Prison is taken from French, literally translating to “in prison”. The name makes sense, as it consists on a lockdown placed on a play, which we’ll cover below.
Originally developed for european roulette, this rule was developed to provide more opportunities for the player to come out ahead, as a ball dropping on the 0 pocket is not necessarily a loss.
But who is “in prison”? It’s your play. More on that now.
How Does En Prison Work?
The roulette En Prison rule begins as players make a prediction. While automatically applied to tables where it’s available, it only comes into play on even-odds spins. Even-odds spins are those that offer 1:1 odds, which in roulette are high/low, even/odd, and red/black. En Prison will not function with any other types of roulette spins.
The 0 pocket is what gives the online casino a roulette house edge of 2.7% in french and european versions, otherwise there would be no reason for casinos to exist. When a ball drops in the 0 pocket, players usually lose the play.
That’s for roulette wheels without this rule. With En Prison, the player doesn’t lose their play – it gets locked in prison instead.
Following imprisonment, another spin plays out with the same play amount from the last round still on the table, called “letting it ride”. If this following spin results in a win, then the player has their spin returned in its initial amount. If this following spin results in a loss, then the play amount is gone.
If any of this seems confusing, then let’s break it down into individual steps with an example.
- The player makes a prediction of 10 on red (an even-odds play).
- The spin begins, and the ball lands in the zero pocket (which would usually act as a loss).
- The Roulette En Prison rule is applied, so the amount is kept on the table for another spin.
- If the next win lands on red, the player has 10 returned. If the next spin lands on black, the 10 is lost.
Different tables and casinos can also have different rules about what happens if another zero is landed after the first. Some tables will count this as a loss, while others will continue with En Prison until a number outside of zero is landed.
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How Does En Prison Affect Your Chances of Winning?
In a standard game of european roulette, the house edge would reach 2.7%. This is still low compared to many games, but the En Prison roulette rule can take it even lower.
Since En Prison essentially offers zero-pocket losses another chance, in theory it cuts the house edge in half to 1.35% (depending on what the wheel contemplates depending on landing on 0 again or not).
This reduction is a significant help to the player, offering a real sense of relief if the zero pocket does end up coming into play.
Of course, the rule will only affect the odds of players who stick to even-odds spins. If you prefer placing different predictions, such as line spins or dozen spins, then En Prison won’t affect your odds at all.
Players also need to account for how the ultimate result of roulette is up to luck. While the En Prison rule can be an immense help, it’s not a guarantee of safety.
In other words, the En Prison rule is extremely helpful, but only in the following circumstances:
- If you make an even-odds play
- The ball lands in the zero pocket
If these criteria are met, then the best a player can hope for is a return of their play, since the second spin cannot build on top of the play.
Where is En Prison Available?
The availability of En Prison depends on the type of table and the online casino itself. Generally, it is offered in french roulette and some european roulette tables.
American roulette doesn’t usually offer En Prison, or other special rules like La Partage. Speaking of La Partage, do you want to know the difference next?
How is En Prison Different from La Partage?
En Prison and La Partage are similar in that the ultimate goal is to help the player reduce losses in french roulette wheels and some european ones. Just like the En Prison refers to what happens to your play, La Partage, translated to “share”, indicates what your play will be shared with the casino.
La Partage is most commonly available on French Roulette tables and is always enforced just as En Prison is. La Partage again applies to even-odds spins, like red/black, odd/even, and high/low. After a player makes their prediction, the spin begins, and La Partage is used if the ball lands in the zero pocket.
If this occurs, the player has half of their play returned to them. The other half of their play is lost, and the next round continues as normal. Technically, this means the odds of La Partage vs En Prison roulette are the same, though the actual rewards of hitting zero on even spins will be different.
For a closer look, consider the following play on a French Roulette table with La Partage active:
- A player plays 10 on red (an even-odds play)
- The wheel spins and the ball lands in the zero pocket
- The game ends, and the player is returned 5
If you’re still a little confused, the table below offers a more direct comparison between the two rules.
| En Prison | La Partage | |
|---|---|---|
| Table Type | European (some) and French | European (some) and French |
| Applies When | The ball lands in the zero pocket | The ball lands in the zero pocket |
| Applies To | All plays on even-odds outcomes | All plays on even-odds outcomes |
| Results | The play is on hold for the next round. A win in next round returns the amount played to the player, a loss means the house claims it | Half of the play is returned to the player |
Conclusion
En Prison roulette is a special rule in some roulette wheels that gives players better chances. It is applied only to even-odds spins, and only when the roulette ball lands in the zero pocket. When this happens, the spin rides, and a win in next round gives the player the possibility of claiming the entire play again. A loss in this next round finally confirms the loss of the play.
En Prison is helpful to know, but it doesn’t require any special input from the player. And despite its name, roulette En Prison is a kind of get-out-of-jail-free card, which roulette players love to see played in their favor.
Acting as a cousin to La Partage, En Prison is just one of the intricacies that make online roulette such an appealing social casino game. Try it at McLuck social casino today, and experience the glamour of the spinning wheel.
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