Roulette, a game of chance played in casinos, has been around for hundreds of years. Its origins are disputed, but it is thought to have emerged from a combination of Roly Poly and Even Odd, two games that involve betting on the outcome of a spinning wheel.
The Rules and Play:
In roulette, a ball is spun in a wheel, which contains a series of compartments that are divided into colored sections. The croupier spins the wheel and watches it as it moves across the table and settles in a pocket marked with a specific number.
Before the spin, you place your bets on the numbers you want to bet on. You can make these bets on individual numbers, groups of numbers (called outside bets), or groupings of numbers and colors.
The Roulette Wheel:
The roulette wheel has a circular rim made from solid wood. It is surrounded by metal partitions known as frets, which are painted red and black. The wheel has 36 slots, numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36 on European wheels and 0 and 00 on American ones.
A croupier spins the wheel with a special ball that is attached to the spindle of the wheel. When the ball stops, the wheel is removed from the table and a marker is placed on the winning number or chip.
Once the marker is placed, the croupier announces “no more bets.” This signifies that no new bets are allowed. During this time, players can still place bets on their existing bets or wait for the dealer to finish her next decision before they cash out.
Before you place a bet, read the betting board carefully. It will indicate the payouts and odds for various bets, including straight-up bets, combinations of numbers, and outside bets.
There are also many different types of bets in roulette, and each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, straight-up bets have a higher house edge than combinations bets. However, the payouts on combination bets are much lower than on straight-up bets.
Corner Bets or Square Bets:
The corner bet is a bet that the winning number will be one of four numbers in a single square on the roulette board. This bet is made by placing a chip on the point shared by all four numbers. The payout is 8-1 if any of those four numbers win.
Six Line Bet:
The six line bet is a bet that the six numbers on the table will be consecutive. This bet is made by placing straddling chips along the line between two adjacent rows on the table map. The payout for this bet is 5-1 if any of the six numbers on the board win.