Roullete is a casino game played on a wheel that has a single red and black striped segment and two green ones (or zeros). The game is primarily based on chance, with only a small amount of skill required to bet. Players can place bets on a number, groups of numbers, colors, odds of an odd or even number, or whether the number is high (19-36) or low (1-18).
The roulette wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape with metal partitions called frets around its perimeter. Thirty-six of these compartments are alternately painted red and black, and the remaining two green, carries the symbols 0 and 1. The roulette croupier spins the wheel in one direction and then throws a small ball into it. The ball then drops into one of the compartments and if players have bet on it, they will be paid according to their betting odds.
Depending on the type of bet, payouts range from 1 to 36 chips. In addition to the regular chips, there are also a number of specialized roulette chips. These are used to mark winning bets. The dealer places them on a special table – a buck or puck – and indicates how much the chip will pay, so that gamblers can see their bets are being properly placed.
Author Frank Scoblete, who is a well-known casino specialist, says the best way to improve your chances of winning at roulette is to play at crowded tables, so that you can make more bets per spin and have more opportunities to win. But he cautions that no amount of strategy can overcome the built-in house edge.