Roulette, which means little wheel in French, has offered glamour, mystery and excitement to casino-goers since the 17th century. Its rules are simple enough for novice players to understand, and it has a surprising depth of strategy for serious betters. Its popularity has made it one of the most played games in physical casinos around the world and on online platforms.
The game’s modern form evolved from the older games hoca and portique, with contributions from the 17th-century mathematician Blaise Pascal. The game spread from its origins in France to the gambling dens of New Orleans and then to the United States, where it was adapted to suit American-style play. The French double zero wheel was replaced with a single zero pocket to make it more appealing to gamblers.
A Roulette wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape, with a metal perimeter, or frets, that holds thirty-six compartments painted alternately red and black and numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36. On European-style wheels a 37th compartment, painted green, carries the number 0. On American roulette wheels, two additional green pockets on opposite sides of the wheel carry the numbers 0 and 00.
Each player at a table is given a color of chips to distinguish them from the other players. The dealer then clears the losing bets and pays the winners before beginning the next round. Players may also place “outside bets” on groups of numbers instead of individual digits, which are typically cheaper and have higher odds of hitting.
There are many variations of the Roulette game, but most players should start with European roulette, which has a lower house edge than its American counterpart. The house edge is the percentage of the player’s total bet that the casino will keep. A lower house edge makes the game more profitable for the player, and increases the chances of winning.
The Roulette game is a fast-paced and exciting casino game, which attracts many players due to its high payouts and easy rules. The best way to win at roulette is to place outside bets, which are based on groups of numbers rather than individual digits. Some of the more popular outside bets include the first, second, and third dozen, odd-even, and red-black.