Roulette is a casino game that involves spinning a wheel and betting on a number. The ball then settles in one of the numbered pockets on the wheel. If your bet is correct, you win. The game is based on chance, but there are ways to maximize your chances of winning by choosing the right bet types.
The Wheel
A roulette wheel consists of 38 numbered pockets, ranging from 0 to 36 (in American roulette there is an extra 00 pocket). There are also two green compartments on the wheels that aren’t red or black and don’t count for either the high or low bets. The numbers are arranged in an alternating pattern of red and black. The wheel is slightly convex, with separators or frets forming the pockets around its perimeter. Each of these separators has a metal pin that supports the wheelhead and a separate section in which the ball track rests.
The wheelhead, which is mounted on the stationary bowl, spins in a clockwise direction while the ball track, with a grooved metal surface, spins counter-clockwise. The ball, pushed by the croupier, bounces in a circle around the wheelhead and, if it hits one of the numbers on the track, lands in that number’s pocket. The croupier then announces that the winning bet has been made and the player collects his or her winnings.
Bet Types
There are many different types of bets that can be placed in roulette, and players can choose to wager on a single number, various groupings of numbers, the color red or black, whether a number is odd or even, and more. The most common bets are outside bets, which cover an entire category of numbers, and inside bets, which place a wager on a specific number or small group of numbers. Outside bets generally have a lower house edge than inside bets, but they also tend to have lower payouts.
Before each spin, give the dealer your money and ask for “colour.” The dealer will then provide you with coloured roulette chips of the value you’ve given them. Then, place your chips on the table, corresponding to the slots on the wheel that you would like them to land in.
