The game of Roullete, or roulette in English, is a classic casino table game with a long and fascinating history. Various legends surround the game’s origin, but the fact is that roulette was developed in the 17th century and became a popular pastime in casinos and gambling dens across Europe. Roulette was later introduced to the United States, where it became a popular game in American-style gambling halls.
A Roulette wheel consists of a stationary bowl with 37 divisions that alternate between red and black and are numbered from 1 to 36, plus an additional green division labelled 0 (on American tables only). The spindle and the ball are placed inside the bowl, where the players place their bets by laying down chips on a betting mat. The chips indicate the type and quantity of bets being made.
The chips can be grouped into two categories: inside and outside bets. Inside bets are bets on specific numbers and offer a high payout, while outside bets are bets on groups of numbers. These bets pay out less, but are safer as they cover more of the table.
One of the most popular bets in roulette is the Straight Bet, which requires placing your chips on a single number. This bet pays out 35 to 1. Another popular bet is the Split Bet, which allows you to bet on two adjacent numbers by placing your chips in the center of a square. Another bet that offers even money is the Corner Bet, which is staked by placing your chips on the intersection of four adjacent numbers.
Other popular bets in roulette include the Odd or Even Bet, also known as impair et manque in French, and the Dozens Bet. With these bets, you are wagering that the winning number will belong to either the first dozen on the layout (the first, second or third), or the last dozen (the 19 – 36 numbers). This bet also has an extra green section labeled 00 and is responsible for much of the house edge in American roulette.
Some online casinos allow players to select the European version of roulette, which has a lower house edge than the American version. Others have a “la partage” rule, which means that an even-odds bet that loses to a zero only loses half its original bet. This lowers the house edge considerably. However, we recommend sticking to the European version of roulette whenever possible, as it will give you the best chance to win more.