Roulette is an iconic casino game, casino instantly recognizable by its spinning wheel and the small white ball that determines players' fortunes. Its name means "little wheel" in French, and the game is one of pure chance, making it accessible and exciting for beginners and veterans alike.
Understanding the Roulette Wheel
The core of the game is the roulette wheel, which is divided into numbered pockets. There are two main variations of the wheel:
Single-Zero Roulette: It features numbers 1 through 36 plus a single green zero, for a total of 37 slots. This version offers better odds for the player, with a house edge of 2.7%. American Roulette: This variant is identified by its 38 pockets, which include both a "0" and a "00". This additional slot nearly doubles the house advantage to 5.26%.
Your goal is to correctly guess the final resting place of the ball.
Types of Bets in Roulette
The bets you can make are split into two groups: Inside Bets and Outside Bets.
Inside Bets
These are bets placed on specific numbers or casino small groups of numbers on the inside of the betting layout. They have higher payouts but lower odds of winning.
Straight Up: Betting on one specific number. The highest payout in the game. Split: A two-number bet that pays 17:1. Street: A bet on a row of three numbers. Payout is 11 to 1. Corner: A four-number bet that pays 8:1.
Outside Bets
These are wagers on general outcomes and have better odds with lower payouts.
Red/Black: Betting on the color of the winning number. Odd/Even: Betting on the number being odd or casino even. High/Low: A bet on whether the number will be in the low range (1-18) or the high range (19-36). Payout is 1 to 1. Dozens/Columns: Betting on a group of 12 numbers.
Can You Beat the Wheel?
Because roulette is a game of pure chance, there is no strategy that can guarantee a win or overcome the house edge in the long run. While popular, betting systems like the Martingale are flawed and can wipe out your funds in a short amount of time. The only effective strategy is good bankroll management and choosing the game variant with the lowest house edge.