Roullete is a casino game in which players place bets on the outcome of a spin of the roulette wheel. The game is characterized by its glamour, mystery and excitement. It is also relatively simple to understand and play, although it offers a surprising amount of depth for serious gamblers who use a sound strategy.
The game consists of a spinning roulette wheel and a small ball that is dropped onto the spinning wheel by a croupier. The dealer then places a marker on the winning number and clears all losing bets. Each table carries a placard listing the minimum and maximum bets. Most roulette tables have a $5 minimum inside bet and a $1,000 maximum outside bet. In addition, each bet type has a different house edge. For example, an inside bet on a single number or on various groupings of numbers has a much higher house edge than a bet on red or black or on odd or even.
In the early 19th century, roulette gained popularity in the illegal gambling dens of Paris, France. At that time, the roulette wheel was double-zero, with the compartments on it numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36. In 1843, French siblings Louis and Francois Blanc introduced a version of the game with a single zero, which is the format now used in most casinos and gambling houses. This reduced the house edge dramatically, boosting its popularity.
A fanciful story of the origins of roulette has it being invented by 17th-century French mathematician Blaise Pascal, or by Dominican monks who traveled to China and then back to Europe. In truth, the game is a descendant of older games such as hoca and portique, which were popular in the 17th century.
In order to play the game, a player must place chips on the roulette table, indicating which bet type they are making. The roulette wheel contains thirty-six numbered compartments that are alternately colored red and black. A small, green compartment with a 0 on it (and a second one on the American version) represents the zero. The other 35 compartments are numbered consecutively from 1 to 36. The odds on each bet depend on whether it is an outside or an inside bet, the color of the bet and if it is high or low. All other bets are fair and pay out according to their odds: Red-black bets pay even money, columns and thirds pay 2:1 and so on. The house bankrolls all bets placed on 0 and 00, however, thereby making those bets “not fair.”