The Basics of Roulette

Roulette is a casino game in which a ball is spun around a revolving wheel. A bet is placed on which red or black numbered compartment the ball will come to rest in as it slows down and comes to a stop.

Players place chips on a betting mat until the croupier announces no more bets. Then the dealer spins the wheel and throws the ball.

Origin

Although there are many fanciful stories about the origin of roulette, most experts agree that the game originated in France in the 18th century. It is based on the earlier games hoca and portique. The game was first mentioned under its current name in 1716.

One story is that the game was invented by a French mathematician named Blaise Pascal as part of his search for a perpetual motion machine. Another is that it was derived from the Italian board game biribi, in which players bet on a layout of numbered squares similar to those in modern roulette.

Some believe that roullete was also influenced by a Roman soldier’s gambling game. This game involved spinning shields with symbols on them, and betting on the symbol that would stop in front of an arrow.

Variations

There are many variations of roulette and they all have a few things in common. The house edge, for instance, remains the same regardless of which variation you choose to play. However, there are some differences that you can take into account to improve your chances of winning. For example, Lighting Roulette from Evolution Gaming relies on multipliers to boost your payout potential while Triple Bonus Spin Roulette from IGT offers a payout of 1:12,000 for a straight bonus win.

Bets

There are a number of betting options available on roullete, including inside and outside bets. Outside bets are placed on the red or black numbers and pay out at a rate of 1 to 1. Inside bets are placed on a specific row or column, and pay out at a higher rate (usually 17 to 1), but carry lower odds. Specialty bets, such as voisins du zero, jeu zero, and le tiers du cylindre, are also available.