Roullete, a popular casino game since the 17th century, is easy enough for casual players to understand yet provides a surprising level of depth for serious betters. While it doesn’t boast the high house advantage and large payouts of other casino games, roulette still draws big crowds and is one of the most popular games in Monte Carlo.
The roulette wheel is a solid, slightly convex wooden disk with metal compartments (called “separators” or “frets” by roulette croupiers) that are painted alternately red and black. The compartments are numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36, with the addition of a green compartment on European wheels carrying a sign 0 and two green compartments on American wheels bearing the signs 00. The wheel is balanced on a perfect balance and spins smoothly with almost no friction.
In order to win at roulette, the player must correctly guess which number or type of bet the ball will land on when it is spun. This bet must be placed at the time the croupier clears the table between decisions and the dealer then places the chips on the appropriate part of the layout. If the player wins a bet, the winnings are paid by the dealer. If the bet is zero, it costs 17 chips to complete and pays 235. A bet on the number 1 or 3 costs 27 and pays 297 chips. The remaining wagered chips, however, are the property of the player and unless he requests otherwise remain up for the next spin.
A variety of betting strategies exist for roulette, many of which claim to be foolproof. While these systems are difficult to test, the best strategy for beginners is to start by making outside bets (groupings of numbers instead of individual digits) which are less risky and offer higher odds of hitting.
Choosing the right table is also important. Each roulette table carries a placard describing the minimum and maximum bets allowed. It is best to choose a table within your budget so that you can play longer and try out different roulette strategies without worrying about running out of money.