Roulette is a casino game that involves spinning a ball around a wheel. People bet on which number the ball will land in by placing chips on a betting mat.
The roulette wheel has thirty-six red and black compartments (called frets) and a green one that carries the sign 0. Generally, inside bets have higher house edges than outside bets.
Origins
Despite the fact that roulette is one of the world’s most popular casino games, it’s not known exactly how it came into being. Various theories abound, including the idea that it was invented in the 17th century by Blaise Pascal, the French mathematician and philosopher. But this is unlikely because the modern roulette wheel and layout was probably based on older games such as portique, hoca, and bassette, which were already being played in France around the same time. There is also a theory that it was derived from the Italian game biribi, which makes sense since this board game uses a numbered square to determine the winner. However, this has never been proven.
Some anecdotal evidence suggests that a version of roulette was first created in China and then brought to France by Dominican monks, who then spread it to other parts of Europe.
Variations
Roulette game variations offer players different experiences. While some of them are more fun to play, others come with a higher house edge. If you want to maximize your odds of winning, you should stick to European Roulette games that follow the single-zero format and have a friendly house edge. However, if you’re looking for something more exotic, there are also variants that feature unique betting rules and additional bets. These are usually more challenging to play but can be worth it in the long run.