Whether it’s played in the casino or on the home computer, the game of Roullete is an alluring one that’s easy to learn and offers a surprising depth of strategy for serious players. It’s a popular game, and for good reason: it’s fun, fast-paced and exciting. Getting to know the basics will give you a good starting point and allow you to bet smartly.
The game’s roots are unclear, although Frenchman Blaise Pascal is often credited for its invention in the late 17th century. What is clear is that the game gained traction rapidly and quickly became a fixture in casinos and gambling dens across Europe.
Roulette is a game of chance involving a spinning wheel with numbered pockets (37 or 38 in European Roulette, and two green pockets on American wheels) and a revolving table that affords players many betting options. A croupier spins the wheel and throws a ball into the pockets. The numbers appear to be randomly distributed on the wheel, but the truth is that they are grouped in sets of pairs – odd and even, or red and black – with each group consisting of a single number and the 0 and 00 (on American roulette).
A winning number is determined when the ball comes to rest in a pocket with a matching set of numbers or groups. Bets are placed on the numbered portion of the roulette table, and each bet type has its own odds and payouts. Inside bets, which involve placing bets on specific numbered pockets or small groups of numbers, have lower house edges and higher payouts than outside bets.
In addition to the numbered pockets, the Roulette wheel contains several other compartments that afford players additional betting opportunities. These include:
The Roulette table has a grid with the same format as the number wheel and a separate box for bets on the numbers 0 to 36. Players place their chips on the table, and when the round ends, a dealer announces “no more bets!” or simply clears off losing bets and pays the winners. Then the table is reset for the next round.
Established in 1978 as a way for five recent graduates of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to make experimental art, Roulette became a crucial laboratory for downtown-music artists — among them John Zorn and Zeena Parkins — by providing them with space and resources to develop their work. Today, the venue continues to grow and evolve. Its current home is a 14,000-square-foot loft in Downtown Brooklyn. And while it’s sad to see Staley step down as artistic director, the venue has a rich legacy and a strong future ahead of it.