Roulette announce bets: why do they exist and does anyone use them

never got the real appeal of announce bets tbh. like, i get that for regulars and old school players, it’s kind of a tradition, but with all the options on the layout, why mess with extra call bets and memorizing those weird sections like voisins or orphelins? do people actually use them regularly at your local spot? i only ever see it when someone’s trying to show off they know their french or wants to look like a james bond extra.

when i deal poker, you see similar stuff, guys flexing obscure variations or side bets that barely anyone knows. but at least in poker there’s a little edge, maybe an angle. with announce bets on the wheel, feels like you’re just slicing the same randomness differently, unless there’s some edge i’m missing. guess it keeps the pace up at busy tables though. anyone here actually build a routine around them or is it mostly just for flair?