Roulette is a casino game in which players place wagers on individual numbers or groups of numbers on a spinning wheel. The game has been popular since the 17th century and is enjoyed by gamblers from all over the world.
The Basics
To play roulette, you must first purchase a set of roulette chips from the dealer. These are different than normal casino chips and have no value outside of the roulette wheel. Once you have enough chips, you must place them on the table.
The dealer will spin the wheel and then throw a ball into it. Then, the table will watch as the ball bounces around the wheel and eventually settles into a pocket that marks a specific number. If the number on the ball is the one you placed a bet on, then you win.
Originally, the roulette wheels in French casinos had red for the single zero and black for the double zero. However, to avoid confusion, green was adopted starting in the 1800s.
A Wheel and its Divisions
The wheel consists of a rotating disk with divisions numbered from 1 to 36 in a seemingly random pattern that alternates between red and black. It also has a green division numbered 0.
You can bet on any number or group of numbers, but you can’t bet on the same number twice. The most common bets are the High or Low Bet, which pays out 2-1; the Odd or Even Bet, which offers even money and is known as passe et manque in French; and the Dozens Bet, which pays 2-1 for the first 12 numbers, the second dozen, and the third dozen.
Other bets include the Split Bet, which involves placing your chip to straddle the line between two numbers on the layout; and the Street Bet, or Three-Number Bet, which consists of placing your chip on a row of three consecutive numbers. Both the Street Bet and the Three-Number Bet pay 11-1 if they win, while the Corner Bets or Square Bets pay 8-1.
Betting Strategies and Systems
Roulette is a game that can be a lot of fun, but it is also one that has a substantial house edge. This is a disadvantage for gamblers, but it doesn’t mean that you should not play the game.
Some professional gamblers have developed betting strategies for roulette to help them gain an edge on the house. These strategies are not foolproof and do not remove the house edge completely, but they are a good way to try your luck at winning.