The Basics of Roulette

Roulette, or roulte (french for little wheel) is a casino game that originated in France in the early 18th century. It is believed to have evolved from earlier games such as hoca and portique. Roulette is played with a spinning wheel and a ball that is spun in different directions until it lands in one of the slots displaying numbers on the wheel. Players can place bets on a single number, various groupings of numbers, whether the number is odd or even, or on the colors red and black.

A standard roulette wheel consists of a solid wooden disk that is slightly convex in shape with thirty-six compartments, painted alternately red and black, and numbered 1 through 36. There is also a green pocket that on European wheels carries the symbol 0 and on American wheels two green pockets on opposite sides of the wheel that carry the symbols 00. A small ball is placed into the center of the wheel and a croupier spins it in one direction while pushing the ball in the opposite direction around a tilted circular track that runs around the outer edge of the disk.

Prior to the roll of the ball, a player places chips on the betting area of the table map. The chips are then swept off the table and rearranged into piles, each of which represents an individual bet. Each bet type has a different house edge and payout percentage, so it is important to choose a bet that fits your budget. Outside bets tend to have lower odds of winning but pay out more than inside bets, which have a higher house edge but pay out less money.

Once all bets have been made, the dealer announces no more bets! This prevents players from placing additional chips when the ball is about to stop, preventing any kind of cheating or other advantages. Then the dealer spins the wheel and a ball is rolled around it until it lands in a slot that corresponds to the bet that was placed on the table map.

When playing roulette, it is best to start with the bet types that have a lower house edge and then move on to the more complex bets. It is also important to avoid using grandiose or complicated strategies, as it is mostly a game of chance and luck. Also, be sure to always leave a few chips behind when you win in order to play again. This will help you maintain your bankroll. Good luck! –Joseph M. McCaffrey, Licensed Real Estate Agent, The Real Estate Store, LLC. All Rights Reserved.