A roulette wheel contains 37 compartments numbered from 1 to 36 and one green 0 (on American wheels there are two green compartments that carry the zero). There are various betting options, with inside bets covering smaller groups of numbers and outside bets providing wider options and lower payouts.
Knowing the rules and odds of roulette can help you improve your chances of winning. Choosing a game with a low house edge will also reduce your risk of losing.
Origin
The game of roulette is one of the most iconic casino games of all time. Its history is a captivating journey that spans across centuries and continents. While the game has changed significantly over the years, its roots remain firmly planted in Europe and the United States.
The true origin of the game dates back to 1655, when French mathematician Blaise Pascal conceived it during his experiments in creating a perpetual motion machine. He didn’t intend the device to be a gambling machine, but instead used it to study probability.
The modern version of the game was derived from older games like hoca and portique, which were already well-established in Europe at that time. A decree from New France in the early 1800s mentions both roulette and Roly-Poly, although it describes a different game than our modern favorite: Hoca, which does not use a spinning wheel or have a circular layout.
Variations
Roulette has many variations, some of which are more popular than others. The most common variation is European Roulette, which has 38 pockets and a single zero. This makes it a simpler game to play and has a lower house edge, making it more attractive to players. Another variation is La Partage, which allows players that place even bets to recover half their coins if the ball lands in the single-zero pocket. There is also the En Prison rule, which works differently.