Roulette is a game that’s found in every casino that offers table games. While it doesn’t have the following of games like blackjack or video poker, it still draws a considerable crowd. It’s also a game that is easy for new players to learn and has enough betting options for more experienced players.
In roulette, a small ball is released in the opposite direction of a revolving wheel and bets are placed on which red or black numbered compartment the ball will enter as it slows down and comes to rest. A variety of bets are possible, including single numbers, various groupings of numbers, whether they’re odd or even, and the color red or black. The wheel and betting layout of roulette were invented in the late 18th century and it became popular in casinos and gambling dens around the world.
The roulette wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape with a metal rail running around its perimeter and thirty-six compartments or pockets, called canoes by roulette croupiers, painted alternately red and black. On European-style wheels, a 37th pocket is painted green and carries the number zero; on American wheels two green pockets carry the numbers 0 and 00.
Each bet type has its own house edge, which you can see on our Table Odds page. It’s important to understand these odds before laying your chips down, and remember that the only way to beat the house edge is to win, which requires luck. But don’t be discouraged, because there are strategies you can use to improve your chances of winning. A quick Google search will return millions of systems for playing (and supposedly winning) roulette, many of which are complicated, well-described and sound completely foolproof. Ultimately, though, there’s no strategy that can overcome the house edge.