Roulette has offered glamour, mystery, and excitement to casino-goers since the 17th century. While it is a game of chance, a sound strategy can help players maximize their winnings and minimize their losses. This article covers everything from the rules of play to how bets are placed on the table. Learn about the different types of bets, house edge odds, and how to cash out your chips when you’re ready to leave the table.
Before each spin, the dealer clears the betting areas of the previous round and pays winners. This gives players time to decide on how they want to place their bets. Bets are placed on either single numbers or small groupings of numbers within the main grid (1-36). They may also be grouped in various categories such as red or black, odd or even, or high or low. Outside bets typically have lower payouts but higher chances of winning, while inside bets offer the best odds.
The wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape, with thirty-six compartments painted alternately red and black and numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36. On European-style wheels a 37th compartment, painted green, carries the number 0, while on American-style tables two green compartments flanking the 0 are marked 00. The number arrangement on the wheel was carefully crafted to maximize the probability of hitting a specific number in a given area of the betting table.
The odds of hitting a straight up bet are 37 to 1, but the house only pays 35 to 1. This discrepancy is where the house gets its huge edge in roulette. There are many fanciful stories about the origin of the game, including that it was invented by 17th-century French mathematician Blaise Pascal or by Dominican monks. In reality, the game was derived from older games such as hoca and portique, and it achieved its current configuration about 1790. It became the game of choice in casinos and gambling dens across Europe.
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