Roulette is a casino game that offers glamour, mystery and excitement. It is also a game that has surprisingly deep strategy for serious players who want to win big. The following tips will help you get started in this game, including how to place bets and how to handle your winnings.
Roulette has been around for a long time. The earliest known mention of it dates back to the 17th century, but the game did not take shape until much later. There are several theories regarding its origins, but most experts agree that it is a descendant of the older games of hoca and portique. The modern wheel and betting table were patented in the 18th century in France, where it soon gained popularity in gambling dens across Europe.
The game consists of a spinning wheel with numbered compartments, alternately colored red and black, and a single green division labelled 00. The croupier, who is the dealer in this game, spins the wheel and then drops a small ball into one of the compartments. The player bets on the number or grouping of numbers that the ball will land in, as well as on whether the color is red or black, odd or even. There are other bets as well, including the first, second and third dozen, or if it is high or low.
As the wheel spins, the croupier collects all of the bets and then places a marker on the winning number or grouping of numbers. The loser chips are then cleared off the table and the winner takes their money. As with all casino games, the house edge varies depending on the type of bet made and the rules that are in place.
The house edge for outside bets on the Roulette table ranges from 2-1 to 1-18, with the higher odds being associated with the first and second dozens, or the red and black numbers. The house edge for inside bets is lower, but still slightly higher than that of the outside bets. The odds of losing a bet are also affected by the La Partage and En Prison rules, which give players half their money back if they lose on an even or red/black bet. The house edge for the American game is much higher than that of the European version, due to the inclusion of the double zero. However, the chances of hitting a number on a single spin are identical for both types of Roulette. In fact, the payout for a straight-up bet is the highest of any bet in Roulette, at 392 chips. Frank Scoblete grew up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and spent the ’60s getting an education; the ’70s in theatre; the ’80s as a writer, editor and publisher; and the ’90s and 2000s in casino gambling. He now lives in Long Island. He has written 35 books and is a well known casino specialist. He also writes a regular column for Casino Gambling Online magazine.