The Basics of Roullete
Roullete is a casino game in which players place bets on which red or black numbered compartment of a rotating wheel the ball will enter as it comes to rest. The game evolved in the 18th century in Europe from earlier games like hoca and portique, and it eventually gained widespread popularity. The modern roulette game has a number of rules and betting options that allow players to place bets on individual numbers, various groupings of numbers, whether the number is odd or even, and whether it’s high or low.
During a roulette spin, the croupier (that’s what they call the dealer in roulette) will clear all winning and losing bets from the table before throwing a white ball into the spinning wheel. While the other players continue to place bets, the croupier will spin the wheel, and when the ball comes to rest in one of the numbered slots on the wheel, those who made winning bets win!
The wheel consists of 38 numbered pockets, ranging from 0 to 36; on some American tables there’s also a 00 pocket. The pockets are evenly spaced around the circumference of the wheel and alternate between red and black. There are also a couple of green pockets, called the ‘0’ and ’00’ pockets, which don’t count for the house edge because they aren’t either red or black.
Inside bets, which are placed on the numbered portion of the table, have a lower house edge than outside bets, and pay out higher amounts for winning bets. However, they are more difficult to make. The most common inside bets include the straight bet, which covers a single number; the split bet, which places chips on two adjacent numbers; and the street bet, which places chips along the edge of a row.
The Dozens Bet, or ‘pairs and dozens’ in French, is another even-money bet; it’s wagering that the winning number will be among the first 12 (or ‘first dozen’) or the last 18 (or’second or third dozens’). If the ball lands on a 0 or ’00’, all outside bets lose.