Roulette is a game of chance that has offered glamour, mystery and excitement to casino-goers for centuries. It’s easy to learn, but also offers a surprising level of depth for serious betters. This article will take you through the basics of the game so that you can feel confident at the roulette table and know that you’re playing the right way.
In Roulette, a player places bets on various groupings of numbers, the color red or black, and whether the number is odd or even. The wheel is spun and a ball then comes to rest in one of the 37 or 38 compartments on the wheel. Players then place bets on the number or grouping they believe will win. In most casinos, the payouts for outside bets are lower than inside bets because they don’t win as often.
The game originated in France around the 17th century and has since become a staple at many casinos and gambling dens throughout Europe. Though fanciful stories of its origin are widespread, the earliest known reference to the game under this name was in a book published by the mathematician Blaise Pascal in the 17th century.
A roulette wheel consists of a solid, slightly convex disk with a rim that contains metal partitions. Thirty-six of these compartments, painted alternately black and red, are numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36; a green compartment on European wheels carries the sign 0 while the two green compartments on American wheels carry the sign 1.
Each player gets a set of colored chips that correspond to their own betting selections. The dealer will keep track of the player’s chips and make any necessary adjustments to the bets. At the end of a session, the player’s winnings will be paid out by the dealer. Each number has its own specific value, and the total amount won depends on how many chips are bet on it. For example, a straight-up bet on number 11 costs 40 chips and pays 392 chips.