The Basics of Roulette
Roulette, or Roullete as it’s known in French, has offered glamour and mystery to casino-goers for centuries. Its rules are simple and its payouts can be very high. It’s also a game that offers a surprising level of depth for the serious gambler.
There are many systems for playing (and supposedly winning) the game, some easy to understand, others more complicated, and still others obscure. A quick Google search will return thousands, possibly millions, of these systems, some of which have been promoted by well-known casinos or croupiers, and some of which have made the claim that they can beat the maths and beat the house edge.
In its original form, Roulette consists of a spinning wheel with numbered compartments ranging from 1 to 36, with an additional 0 on American wheels. Each compartment, painted alternately red and black, carries the number of the slot it occupies, except for the two green pockets on American wheels, which carry the numbers 0 and 00.
Players place bets by laying chips on a betting mat, the precise location of each chip marking the bet being placed. The bets are divided into groups based on the number of numbers involved, whether they are odd or even, and if they are high (19-36) or low (1-18). Each grouping is represented by an area of the table marked with specific words or coloured symbols. The table also contains a special bet called the Basket, which pays out 6 to 1, and is staked by placing chips along the outside of the row containing 0 and 1.
Before the wheel spins, each player places his or her bet on the number, grouping or other type of bet that he or she believes will win. The dealer then rolls a ball in the direction of the corresponding numbered pocket, and the winning bets are paid out.
The simplest bet is a Straight Up, which wins if the ball lands on the selected number. Other bets include Split and Street, both of which pay out if the ball lands on any of the three numbers they connect to. A Corner, which pays out if the ball lands on any four adjacent numbers, is also an option.
Depending on the type of bet, there are several different ways to play Roulette online, including Live Dealer Roulette. Live Dealer Roulette is similar to standard Online Roulette, except that it features a real human dealer who handles the wheel and the chips in real-time. This adds to the excitement and suspense of the game. It can be played on a desktop computer, laptop or smartphone.