In short: Surrender, la partage and en prison are zero rules for even-money bets. On a single-zero wheel, la partage returns half the stake when zero hits and en prison holds the bet for the next spin, cutting the house edge from 2.70% to about 1.35%. On a double-zero wheel, surrender returns half the stake on 0 or 00, cutting the edge from 5.26% to 2.63%.
Some roulette tables offer special zero rules for even-money bets. These reduce the expected loss on eligible bets; they do not guarantee profit. Availability depends on the table’s published rules, not simply its country or name.
As we have already said, by placing outside bets a player may dispose of either 2 to 1, or even-money payoffs. The specific rule is valid only for outside bets, which pay even money – bets on color, bets on even or odd numbers, bets on low or high numbers. This is the time to note that the rule comes in three variations, depending on the region and the wheel used. These variations are known under the following titles ”en prison”, ”le partage” and ”surrender”.
En Prison
En prison can apply to eligible even-money bets on a single-zero table. It holds the stake after zero rather than immediately settling it as a full loss. Its exact house edge depends on how later zeros are treated.
If zero appears, an eligible even-money stake is imprisoned. A subsequent winning nonzero outcome releases the original stake without profit; a losing nonzero outcome forfeits it. A choice to take half back instead exists only if the table offers that option.
For example, a $120 bet on red is imprisoned after zero. A subsequent red releases $120 with no winnings; black loses the $120. Check the rule for another zero separately.
This rule, in fact, provides the player with a second chance, if he/she has lost due to the single zero on the wheel.
Additional complication
Repeated-zero rules vary. If an imprisoned bet stays in prison through further zeros until a nonzero result settles it, the initial bet’s house edge is 1/74, about 1.35%. If the first repeated zero instead loses the imprisoned stake, the edge is 19/1369, about 1.39%. Do not assume the player can choose a winning settlement.
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Le Partage
The partage rule returns half of an eligible even-money stake immediately when zero appears. It is a table rule, not a feature exclusive to one country.
On a single-zero table with this rule, zero costs half the stake, while the other 36 outcomes balance wins and losses. The resulting house edge is 0.5/37, about 1.35%. It applies to the eligible even-money bets, not to all roulette wagers.
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Always check whether the table offers partage, en prison, a choice between them, or neither.
Surrender
A double-zero table may offer surrender, returning half of an eligible even-money stake on either 0 or 00. Under that specific rule, the house edge is 1/38, about 2.63%, rather than 5.26%. Ordinary double-zero rules lose the whole stake on both zeros, and columns and dozens do not receive this half-back benefit.
Further reading: Gambling Commission standards for accessible game rules.
