Roulette is a game of chance, where players place bets on what number the ball will land in. Each bet is placed by laying chips on a betting mat.
The dealer then spins the wheel and throws a small ball around it. Before the ball lands, the dealer announces “no more bets!” This prevents players from trying to predict where the ball will land and gaining an unfair advantage.
Origins
The origins of roulette are a bit of a mystery. Various stories abound, some of them quite far-fetched, but the truth is that no one really knows how the game started. The most popular story is that it was invented by 17th-century French mathematician Blaise Pascal as he was working on his perpetual motion machine. While he failed in his quest for perpetual motion, he did come up with a wheel with slots that eventually became the game of roulette as we know it today. Other tales abound, including the claim that it was developed by Dominican monks who brought it back from China. The reality is that games similar in structure were already in existence a century before French roulette achieved its current form. These games included portique, hoca, and even-odd.
Variations
Roulette variations are a great way to spice up the game and add variety for players. They often introduce new betting options, rules and paytables. They can also offer prizes from additional bets that complement regular wagers such as inside and outside bets. Some variants even make use of a double-action wheel, which multiplies winnings for each spin of the ball on a number.
While some variations have a higher house edge than the original European version, others are just as fun to play and have friendly house edges. It’s a good idea for beginners to stick to the European Roulette format, which features a 38-pocket single-zero wheel.