Roulette has offered glamour, mystery and excitement to casino-goers since the 17th century. Its simple rules make it easy to learn and the game provides a surprising level of depth for serious betters. In order to win at roulette, the player must correctly guess which number or type of number the ball will settle on when the dealer spins the wheel. The number must be either odd or even, red or black and either high or low (1-18 or 19-36).
A small ball is dropped into a revolving dishlike device called a Roulette wheel. The wheel is divided into 37 or 38 compartments numbered from 1 to 36 and, in American roulette, an extra green pocket marked 00. Each of the compartments is alternately coloured red and black, except for the green zero (or two green pockets in American roulette). A croupier spins the wheel to set it in motion. The players place bets on the table markings that correspond to the compartments of the Roulette wheel and each bet is made against the house, or casino bank.
The roulette wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape, with a series of metal separators or frets around its edge. These are separated by two rims and contain 36 numbered compartments alternating red and black (plus the green 0 on American wheels) except that in American roulette there are a second additional green compartment, which makes the American version of the game more expensive to play than the European.
Whether you’re playing online or in person, the basic rules are similar. The dealer spins the wheel and a small ball is dropped into one of the pockets. If you bet on a single number, a Straight-Up bet, you win if that number appears. Likewise, if you bet on two numbers, a Split bet is the winner. A Corner bet, on the other hand, wins if all four numbers forming a square in the betting table are winners. If you’re not sure which bets to make, choose a table with a placard listing the minimum and maximum bets for that game, and stick to your predetermined betting budget. It’s a good idea to cash out losing bets as quickly as possible so that you don’t dip into your winnings to make further bets and increase your risk of a big loss. Similarly, be careful when placing inside bets against the house: they usually have lower payout odds and are more likely to lose than outside bets.