Roullete is a casino game of chance, and unless you have exceptional skill — which almost no one does — there’s not much you can do to improve your chances of winning. However, knowing a bit about the different types of bets and their odds can help you determine which bets are best for your money.
Roulette is a wheel-shaped game with a red and black rim, divided by metal compartments called frets or separators. The compartments are numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36. A 37th compartment, painted green and carrying the 0 sign, is on European wheels; two additional green slots are on American ones.
After players place their bets, a dealer spins the wheel and throws a ball into it. The ball’s landing in a number, section or color rewards winners based on the betting odds they made. These bets are known as inside bets. Outside bets are the other type of bets; they include a grouping of numbers, the colors red and black, or whether a number is high (numbers 19-36) or low (numbers 1-18).
In America, roulette has a relatively small following, drawing nowhere near the crowds that fill baccarat pits or blackjack tables. But in Europe, it’s one of the main games at Monte Carlo and other top resort casinos. The game’s popularity is due to the fact that it requires little in the way of equipment or space, and the rules are simple. It’s also the only casino game where the house edge can be known in advance.