The Basics of Roulette

Roulette is a casino game based on a wheel with numbered holes. In the game, players bet on a single number, groupings of numbers, or the color red or black. The winner is determined by the dealer whose hand spins the wheel.

Roulette has a long and varied history, from its origins in 17th-century France to today’s widespread popularity in casinos worldwide. Its rules are relatively simple and easy to understand, but the game provides a surprising level of depth for serious betters.

A roulette wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape. Around the rim are metal partitions known as separators or frets. The compartments or pockets between these are called canoes by croupiers. The wheel is non-consecutively numbered from 1 to 36 on European wheels and from 0 and 00 on American ones.

The French version of roulette has a single zero wheel and the rules are different than the American version, in that outside bets are lost when the ball lands on a zero. The European game also has two symmetries, first that all low red numbers and low black numbers are on one side of the zero; secondly, that a sequence 29-7-28-12-35-3-26-0-32 contains no numbers between 13 and 24.

In the European game, the house edge is 2.70 percent while in the American version it is 5.26 percent. This is not a huge difference, but it does make a substantial difference to the player.

During the game, each bettor receives his or her own set of colored chips. Each chip has a specific value, which the dealer will indicate on a “wheel” and then parcel out to the player.

When a winning number is hit, the bettor can cash in his or her chips by placing them on a “buck” or “puck” or other small symbolised object sitting on the table. The dealer then removes the object, a marker, and re-applies the bettor’s chips.

A winning bet can be placed on any number slot on the table map, or in any street (row of 3 numbers). It can be made with a single chip, or by placing multiple chips on the same number.

The game can be played for a variety of stakes, ranging from a few dollars to thousands of dollars. The amount of money a player can win depends on how much he or she bets, the size of the wager, and the number of chips used.