About Roullete
The game of roulette is a drain on your wallet, and it’s not just the house edge that’s to blame. The truth is that the payouts don’t pay what your bets are worth. The odds of hitting a single number on a straight-up bet are 37 to 1, yet the payout is only 35 to 1. The same goes for other types of bets and combinations, and that’s where casinos get their big advantage.
To understand why the payouts are so low, it helps to know a little bit about how the wheel and table are designed. The roulette wheel consists of a solid, slightly convex wooden disk with a metal perimeter. Around the rim are 36 compartments (called “canoes” by roulette croupiers) painted alternately red and black and numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36, plus two green compartments that carry the signs 0 and 00 on American wheels.
In front of the wheel is a green felt table with a variety of betting areas that correspond to different kinds of bets. Before each spin, the dealer gives players time to place their chips on the table. Whether you want to bet on a specific number, a group of numbers, or a color, it’s up to you. Then the wheel is spun, the ball drops, and all bets are locked in until the dealer announces “No more bets.” Inside bets typically have higher payouts but lower chances of winning. Outside bets, on the other hand, offer lower payouts but better odds at winning.