The Basics of Roulette

Roulette is one of the most popular casino games in the world. Based purely on luck, the game is played at both online and land-based casinos worldwide. The objective of the game is to predict where the ball will fall on the roulette wheel after the spin. The payout for a winning bet is up to 35 times the amount staked.

A roulette wheel consists of a convex, slightly flattened solid wooden disk with a metal rim. Around the rim are thirty-six compartments, painted alternately red and black, with numbers from 1 to 36. A central slot, painted green, carries the number 0. In addition to the 37 regular compartments, there are two red and two green ones in American roulette wheels.

While many fanciful stories abound about the origins of Roulette, it is believed that the first formal wheel was developed by 17th century French mathematician Blaise Pascal. The game soon spread to the gambling dens of Europe and America.

Despite being one of the oldest casino games, Roulette is not as popular in America as it is in Europe. The game is a mainstay of European gambling establishments and still draws large crowds to Monte Carlo and other resorts. In terms of overall popularity, however, it ranks well behind the likes of slots, video poker, blackjack, and craps. There are a few players who are able to consistently beat the built-in house percentage of the game, but these individuals have a very slim margin of error.