Roulette is an iconic casino game, instantly recognizable by its spinning wheel and the small white ball that determines players' fortunes. Its name means "little wheel" in French, and the game is one of pure chance, casino making it accessible and exciting for beginners and veterans alike.
How the Game Works
The core of the game is the roulette wheel, which is divided into numbered pockets. There are two main variations of the wheel:
Single-Zero Roulette: The European version contains 37 pockets in total, with one of them being a green 0. This version offers better odds for the player, with a house edge of 2.7%. American Roulette: The American wheel adds a second green pocket, the "00", bringing the total to 38 slots. This additional slot nearly doubles the house advantage to 5.26%.
The objective is to predict which numbered pocket the ball will land in after the wheel stops spinning.
Types of Bets in Roulette
Roulette offers a wide variety of betting options, which can be divided into two main categories: Inside Bets and Outside Bets.
Inside Bets
Inside bets are wagers on the numbered section of the table. They offer big payouts but are harder to hit.
Straight Up: Betting on one specific number. The highest payout in the game. Split: A bet on two adjacent numbers. Payout is 17 to 1. Street: Betting on a three-number row. Corner: Betting on the intersection of four numbers.
Outside Bets
These are bets placed on broader categories of results on the outside of the layout. They have lower payouts but a much higher chance of winning.
Red/Black: A simple color bet that pays even money. Odd/Even: A bet on whether the number will be odd or even. Payout is 1 to 1. High/Low: A bet on whether the number will be in the low range (1-18) or the high range (19-36). Payout is 1 to 1. Dozens/Columns: Betting on a group of 12 numbers.
Can You Beat the Wheel?
As a game of independent random events, casino no betting system can alter the mathematical house advantage. While popular, betting systems like the Martingale are flawed and can wipe out your funds in a short amount of time. The only effective strategy is good bankroll management and choosing the game variant with the lowest house edge.