Roulette is a casino game played on a spinning wheel with numbered compartments. It is a popular game in casinos and gambling houses around the world. A ball is thrown onto the rotating disk and it falls into one of the compartments, which are alternately colored red and black. The wheel also has a green division, marked with the letter 0 on European wheels, and two green compartments labeled 00 on American ones.
A player places a bet on which number or grouping of numbers the ball will land by placing chips on a betting mat, with their precise location indicating the bet being made. Bets on six or fewer numbers are called “Inside bets”. Bets on 12 or more are known as “Outside bets”. Generally, the higher the bet the greater the payout.
In addition to placing bets on the individual numbers, players can also place bets on the colors red or black and whether a number is odd or even. Some bets, such as the Dozens and Columns, pay out 2-1 despite having odds that are lower than the overall house edge.
While there are many theories on the origin of roulette, most agree that the game was first developed in France around the end of the 17th century. The French mathematician Blaise Pascal is credited with the invention, although it was probably derived from earlier games such as hoca and portique. The game spread to the Americas, where it was modified in the gambling dens and eventually evolved into the form seen today. Its popularity continues to grow worldwide. Despite its relatively low house edge, it draws far more players than any other casino game except for baccarat, and is a key attraction at Monte Carlo and other European casinos.