Roulette is a game of chance that involves the spinning of a numbered wheel. A small ball is thrown onto the wheel and, if it lands on a number that you had bet on, you win. The game originated in France and became popular in casinos and gambling houses throughout Europe. There are many fanciful stories about how the game was invented, including by 17th-century French mathematician Blaise Pascal and by Dominican monks, but it’s clear that roulette evolved from older games like hoca and portique.
The wheel:
The roulette wheel consists of a solid, slightly convex wooden disk with 38 pockets or compartments, ranging from 0 to 36 (on American-style wheels, there are also two green compartments marked 0 and 00). The compartments are alternately colored red and black, except for the zero and 00, which are both green. The numbers on the wheel are randomized and don’t appear in any sequential order.
Bet types:
There are two main categories of bets in roulette: outside and inside bets. Outside bets cover a category of numbers and have a lower house edge but offer smaller payouts. Inside bets, on the other hand, are more specific and have a higher house edge but pay out much larger amounts. It’s important to understand the different bets before placing your chips.
La Partage:
This rule, which is only in effect on European-style roulette games, cuts the house edge by halving it from 2.70% to 1.35%. Basically, it allows players to keep half their even-money bets when the ball lands on zero. This is a great way to improve your chances of winning and reduce the impact of losing on a long run.