The Basics of Roulette

Roulette is a game of chance where players place chips on a betting mat until the croupier (dealer) announces “No more bets!” Then they watch as a ball bounces around the wheel until it comes to rest.

Players can choose to bet on individual numbers or small groups of them. These bet types have lower house edges and higher payouts than outside bets.

Origin

Although there are many fanciful stories regarding the origin of roulette, it is believed that this game was invented in its primitive form by 17th-century French physicist and philosopher Blaise Pascal as part of his quest to create a perpetual motion machine. It was based on the older games hoca and portique which had already existed in France prior to Pascal’s invention of the roulette cylinder. The roulette table and wheel were then developed and introduced to the gambling world in Europe a century later by Francois and Louis Blanc. They were responsible for eliminating the double zero pocket and making the European version of roulette what we know today. It was popularized when gambling was illegal in France and the game spread like bush fire to the rest of Europe.

Bets

There are a number of betting opportunities on the roulette table. These include Outside Bets, which cover a range of numbers and pay out depending on the odds. One example is the Dozens bet, which covers 12 numbers and pays 2-1 if you guess correctly. Another is the Voisins bet, which costs 9 chips and covers 17 numbers, including streets, splits and corner bets. This bet pays out between PS18 and PS24. This is a fairly risky bet to place.