Roullete, also known as roulette, is a casino game of chance that offers a surprising level of depth for serious bettors. The game has offered glamour, mystery and excitement since the 17th century and remains a popular choice in casinos worldwide. It’s easy to play, and with a little practice, it’s possible to gain an edge over the house.
Players place bets by laying chips on a betting mat. These bets are based on various groupings of numbers, the color red or black, whether the number is odd or even and if it’s high or low. The bets are then tallied up and the player is paid out for winning bets. The losing bets are removed from the table and new chips are placed for the next round.
The wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape. Around its rim are metal partitions called frets and compartments (also called “canoes” by rouletiers) painted alternately red and black, with one extra green division on American-style wheels that carries the number 0. The ball is spun around the wheel until it comes to rest in one of the compartments.
Depending on the outcome, the player’s bets can pay out up to 36 times the amount wagered. The most common bets are straight up, which pays out the maximum payout of 392 chips, and black or red, which pays out 2 to 1 (or a 2/13 split). There is also an optional basket bet that covers all numbers between the zero row and the row featuring 1, 2 and 3, which pays out 6 to 1.
The game began in France more than 300 years ago, and grew to popularity as it spread throughout Europe. Fanciful stories claim it was invented by French mathematician Blaise Pascal, by a Dominican monk, or even by the Chinese. However, the basic rules of the game remain unchanged. Whenever you win, be sure to cash out your chips quickly and not to dip into them for future bets.