The Basics of Roullete
Roullete (French for “little wheel”) is one of the oldest and most popular casino games. Its rules are relatively simple and easy to learn, yet it offers a surprising depth of strategy for serious betters. It has a place in every modern casino, even though it doesn’t draw as many players as slot machines, video poker or blackjack.
The roulette wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape, with a metal spindle and thirty-six compartments painted alternately red and black (on American-style wheels two green compartments carries the numbers 0 and 2). A single metal ball is placed in the center and the wheel spun by a croupier. When the ball drops, it will land in one of the pockets. A winning bet will receive a payout according to its odds. Other bets, such as red-black, odd-even, and column and thirds pay out on a percentage basis, but are not based on the number of chips a player has won or lost.
Before the start of a game, players choose the number or colors they wish to bet on. Then, the croupier, or dealer, places a marker on the winning chip and clears all losing bets off the table. The winner is then paid, and the betting begins again.
When betting, be sure to set a budget ahead of time. Each roulette table carries a placard listing the minimum and maximum bets allowed. Usually, tables have a $5 minimum for inside bets and a $1,000 maximum for outside bets. Depending on the type of roulette wheel, house edges vary from 1.35 percent to 5.26 percent.
Most of the bets in roulette are fair, meaning that if the ball lands in a red or black number the player wins. The exceptions are bets on 0 and 00 which are neither red nor black, and the high-low and odd-even bets which require the player to correctly predict that the ball will hit either of these positions.