Roulette is a casino game of chance where players bet on either single numbers, a series of groupings of numbers or the color red or black. The game was first played in France and quickly spread across the globe to New Orleans, where it became known as American roulette.
The wheel
A roulette wheel consists of a rotating wooden disk with divisions around its edge. The divisions are painted alternating red and black. They are numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36 with a green division numbered 0. In European roulette, there is also a 37th compartment that is painted green, and on American wheels there are two green divisions on opposite sides of the wheel marked 0 and 00.
Before the ball is spun, you place chips on the betting mat, indicating where you want your bet to go. Once the ball is rolled, you will see a small symbol, which is called a buck or puck, on the table to indicate which number you won.
There are a number of roulette variations available at casinos today, including French, Double Ball, Multi-Wheel, German, and English. Regardless of the variation, it’s important to understand the rules of the game.
In French roulette, there are only six inside bets and 12 outside bets. There are also a number of side bets, which vary in size and pay out differently.
The house edge is low on European roulette, which scales down to a coveted 2.7%. This makes it one of the best roulette variants to play, and a favorite among online and brick and mortar casinos.
A bet on zero is 17 chips, while a bet on number 1 costs 27 chips and a bet on number 3 costs 36 chips.
Some roulette versions include multiple betting options and automated betting systems. These versions are often more fun and interesting than the traditional ones. They can be a bit intimidating for novices, so make sure you learn the rules well before getting started.