Roulette is a casino game that has brought glamour, mystery, and excitement to casinos since the 17th century. It is an easy game to learn, but it provides a surprising level of depth for serious betters who study and use strategy.
The Roulette wheel consists of a solid, slightly convex wooden disk with 36 compartments painted alternately black and red and numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36. On European-style wheels, one compartment is green and carries the sign 0. On American-style wheels, there are two green compartments marked 0 and 1.
The table (aka layout) consists of a grid where players place their chips to make bets. Each table carries a placard describing the minimum and maximum bets allowed. Typically, the table minimums are $5 for inside bets and $1,000 for outside bets.
Before the game begins, the dealer clears all losing bets from the table and pays winners. Then, players start placing bets on their desired number slots. It is best to begin with “outside bets” (groupings of numbers rather than individual digits) which are cheaper and offer higher chances of winning. It is also wise to start with a small bet and increase it as your confidence grows.
Among casino games, Roulette is one of the oldest and most popular, especially in Europe. It is a major attraction in Monte Carlo and other gambling meccas. However, in America, it has a smaller following than many other casino games such as slot machines, video poker, blackjack, and craps. It is still popular, though, and draws crowds in Paris, where it originated.