Roullete is a casino game of chance that combines simple rules with a surprising amount of depth for serious betters. It has offered glamour, mystery and excitement to casino-goers since the 17th century.
Roulette is played on a table marked off in sections affording the players a variety of betting opportunities. At the center of the table is a revolving dishlike device called a roulette wheel. Into this the ball is spun, and as it comes to rest it drops into one of 37 or 38 compartments numbered in consecutive order from 1 to 36. On European-style wheels, the thirty-six compartments are painted alternately red and black; on American wheels two green compartments (one 0, the other 00) are added.
Prior to the spin of the ball, players place bets on which number they think will appear by laying chips on a betting mat with precise locations indicated for each type of bet. Bets on six numbers or less are called “Inside bets.” Those on 12 or more are known as “Outside bets.” The odds for each type of bet are displayed at the table and are usually higher on Outside bets than Inside bets.
During the early days of roulette in the United States, cheating was rampant and the table and wheel were modified to prevent devices from being hidden inside or beneath them. It was also necessary to eliminate a symmetry between the high black and low red numbers on the wheel. To do this, the number 27 was removed and placed in a corresponding slot on the betting board. This created the second dozen, with a bet on it paying out at 2-1 odds.
The word “roulette” is derived from the French for “little wheel.” There are numerous fanciful stories about its origins, including that it was invented by 17th-century French mathematician Blaise Pascal as he worked on his perpetual motion machine. It was adopted in Europe as a gambling game around 1790, and it quickly gained popularity among casinos and gambling dens.
When playing roulette, make sure you cash out your winnings as soon as possible. This will help you to manage your bankroll, so you don’t end up dipping into your profits and risking more money than you can afford to lose. You should also avoid watching the other players, as this will most likely only lead to you copying their bets and not improving your own odds.