A popular game in casinos and online, Roullete offers glamour, mystery and excitement to players who make the right bets. The game is simple enough for beginners to pick up, but provides a surprising level of depth for more serious players.
Roulette is a casino game of chance that is played on a table marked off with numbers from 1 to 36, one or two zeros, and several other sections affording the players a variety of betting opportunities. The center of the table has a revolving, dishlike device called a roulettewheel into which a small ball is spun to come to rest finally in one of the 37 or 38 compartments. The winning number is indicated on the wheel and on a corresponding betting chart.
The croupier (that’s what the dealer is called in the US) will clear the table of the previous round and then let the ball roll. Once the ball lands in a pocket, you’ll hear the croupier say “no more bets.” Then the players watch as the ball bounces around the wheel until it lands in a pocket that marks a specific number.
Before you play, decide how much you’re willing to spend on a bet. Every roulette table carries a placard that lists the minimum and maximum bets allowed. Choose a table that fits your budget. If you’re a beginner, start by placing bets on “outside” bets (groups of numbers instead of individual digits). These bets pay 2-1 and are safer than inside bets.
A Split Bet (or a Street/Three Number Bet/Side/The Trio): Place your chip(s) to straddle the line between two numbers on the layout. If either number wins, the payout is 17-1.
Odd or Even Bet (or Impair et Pair in French): You’re wagering that the winning number will be either one of the 18 odd numbers (1-18) or the 18 even numbers (19-36). If the 0 or 00 comes up, you lose. This is an even-money bet with a payout of 1:1.
The house gets its edge from the fact that the 0 and 00 aren’t red or black, and don’t count as part of the first or last dozen. In a European-style wheel, a green compartment containing the sign 0 and a blue one containing the sign 00 give the house an edge of 2.73%. In American roulette, the house edge is 5.26%. The advantage for the house is that only a small percentage of all bets win. That’s why the simplest bet is often the best. The more complicated bets are riskier, and offer smaller payouts.