The Basics of Roulette
If you’ve ever played roulette at a casino, then you’ve experienced the glamour, mystery, and excitement of this game. It’s a popular casino table game that offers a surprising level of depth for serious betters and can be quite lucrative if correctly played. But if you’re new to this game, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the rules before betting your hard-earned money all on black.
A roulette wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape with 37 divisions or pockets (called frets by croupiers) painted alternately red and black. A second green compartment, numbered 00, is added on American-style wheels. The spin of the ball and the rotation of the wheel determine where the ball comes to rest.
While a number of fanciful stories about the game’s origin claim that it was invented by 17th-century French mathematician Blaise Pascal, a more plausible explanation is that it evolved from older games such as hoca and portique. Its current form, with the curved wheel and betting layout, was developed in France in the 18th century.
The most popular version of the game, both in physical casinos and online, is European roulette. This version has a lower house edge than its American counterpart and is considered a more rewarding game for novice players. But if you’re planning to play this version, it’s important to understand the differences between European and American roulette before placing your bets.
A defining characteristic of the game is the betting table and its various bets. There are two types of bets, even and odd. Both bets are placed by dragging your chips into the desired position on the betting table, and both pay out if you win. Even bets pay out when the ball lands in a slot that has a number matching your bet. Odd bets pay out when the ball reaches a space that has an alternating color (such as black or red).
The payout for this bet is 392 chips. If you’re a beginner, we recommend starting out with even bets. This will help you stretch out your bankroll and experiment with different strategies without worrying about running out of chips. Remember, though, that the odds of winning are the same whether you place your bets on a single or multiple numbers.