Roulette is a game of chance played at a table with numbered slots, one or two zeroes and several other sections affording players a variety of betting opportunities, around a revolving dishlike device called a roulette wheel. A small ball is spun to come to rest finally in one of the compartments of the wheel, which is tilted so that the segments containing the numbers are equidistant from each other and alternate between black and red. The game is also known as Rouge et Noir (red and black) or in some countries, simply, Le Wheel.
There are two main categories of bets in roulette, inside and outside bets. Inside bets involve betting on a single number or a small group of numbers and have lower odds of winning than outside bets but pay out higher payouts. Inside bets include Straight-up, Split, Street, Corner, and Six-line Bets. Outside bets include Red/Black, Odd/Even, High/Low, Dozens, and Column Bets.
Before you start playing, it’s important to understand the rules of roulette and what bet types have the best chances of success. Each roulette table carries a placard describing the minimum and maximum bets, but it’s a good idea to set a budget before you hit the tables so that you don’t spend more than you can afford to lose.
The game’s earliest roots date back more than 300 years, with French mathematician Blaise Pascal being credited with its invention in the late 17th century. His inspiration came from his research into probability, but the wheel was not used in casino games until much later.
When you’re ready to play, talk to the dealer (also referred to as the croupier) about buying a roulette chip. They’ll ask what denomination you want to designate for each chip, and then give you a colored roulette chips that correspond with that value. This helps you keep track of your bets and makes it easy for everyone at the table to differentiate their bets from the others’.
Once you’ve bought your chips, place them on the corresponding area of the table map. The dealer will then spin the wheel in one direction and roll a small ball in the opposite direction, around a tilted circular track that runs around the outer edge of the wheel. Once the ball comes to a stop, the dealer will clear off losing bets and pay out winners.
There are many different strategies for playing roulette, some of which are easier than others to master. The Martingale System, for example, involves raising your bet after each loss to recover previous losses and then decreasing it after a win. Other strategies include the D’Alembert System and the Fibonacci System, in which you increase your bets in a mathematical progression.
