Roulette has offered glamour, mystery and excitement to casino-goers since the 17th century. Despite its seemingly simple rules, the game offers a surprising level of depth for serious betters, and the right strategy can reap high rewards. Whether you’re trying to beat the house or just play for fun, you’ll need to know some basic rules to get started.
The game of Roullete involves betting on the color or type of number a ball will land in as it spins around a revolving wheel. There are 37 or 38 compartments on a European roulette wheel (American wheels have an extra green compartment marked 00). Bets can be placed on single numbers, various combinations of numbers, or the colors red and black. The player’s chips are placed on the table in areas that correspond with these compartments. A small ball is spun in the opposite direction of the wheel, and when it slows down and comes to rest, it drops into one of the compartments. If you have bet on the winning number, you are paid.
In addition to the standard bets listed above, a variety of special bets can be placed. These include the straight-up bet, which is a single number on the board; the split bet, in which you place your chip on the line between two adjacent numbers; and the street bet, in which you put your chip on three consecutive numbers on the table map. These bets pay off at higher odds than other bets, but they also come with greater risk.
When you’re ready to make a bet, the dealer clears the table of all losing chips and then places a marker on the winning number. Before the next spin, you’ll need to replenish your bankroll by depositing additional chips on the table. Be careful not to spend more than you can afford to lose, and don’t dip into your winnings for future bets — this is called “bankroll management.”
Many players try to gain an advantage by watching other players or by hoping the ball will hit the same number as a previous winner. However, these techniques don’t affect the odds more than chance. In fact, the American mathematician Patrick Billingsley once claimed that no betting system can turn a casino’s subfair game into a profitable enterprise.
