Roullete, or simply roulette, is one of the world’s most popular gambling games. It is played by placing bets concerning which red or black numbered compartment the ball will enter as it comes to rest on a revolving wheel. The game originated in Europe in the 18th century. It offers a high degree of excitement and glamour to casino-goers, but its rules are simple enough for any novice to understand.
Before you begin playing, it’s a good idea to set a budget. Each table carries a placard that explains the minimum and maximum betting amounts. Once you’ve established a limit, choose a table within that range and bet according to the bet types explained below.
After all players have placed their bets, the dealer spins the roulette wheel in one direction and rolls a small ball in the opposite direction around a tilted circular track on the outer edge of the wheel. As the wheel slows down, players can continue to bet until the dealer announces ‘no more bets’. This lockout prevents cheating by preventing players from placing chips on the table after the ball has come to rest and is about to drop into one of the compartments.
Once the croupier announces no more bets, the winning chips are cleared off the table and paid. This process takes about a minute. Players should not dip into their winnings to make further bets, as this can significantly increase the house edge.
If you’re a beginner, it’s best to start with outside bets, which are groups of numbers rather than individual digits. These bets are cheaper and offer a lower payout but have a better chance of hitting. Once you’re comfortable with these, you can move on to the more complicated inside bets, which require more skill and offer higher payouts but a much lower probability of success.
The Dozens Bet (also known as douzaine in French) is an even-money bet that wagers the winning number will be in either the first dozen (1-18), second dozen (19-36), or third dozen (31-64). If the ball lands in the 0 or 00, you lose.
The Split Bet (also called a cheval in French) is similar to the Street Bet but offers different odds of winning. This bet requires you to place your chip(s) to straddle the line between two numbers on the layout and pays off at 17-1.