Roulette is a casino game in which players bet on the outcome of a spinning wheel. It is a simple, yet thrilling game that has offered glamour, mystery, and excitement to casino-goers since the 17th century.
In the game of roulette, the croupier throws a ball into a wheel. The ball then bounces around the wheel and eventually settles into a pocket that marks a particular number. If a player makes the correct bet, they win.
A roulette wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape with metal partitions called separators or frets that surround it. The dividers are numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36, but on European wheels a 37th compartment is painted green and has the sign 0.
When the spin is complete, the ball rolls into the center of the wheel and lands in a slot. The winning number is determined by the position of the pocket in which the ball landed, and the croupier announces a winner.
There are several different types of bets in roulette, each with their own set of rules. The most popular are inside and outside bets.
The inside bets are bets on specific numbers or groups of pockets based on their position on the board. These can be made with single chips or multiple chips in the case of double-zero betting.
One of the most popular is the split bet, which allows a player to place two chips straddling a line between two numbers on the layout. This bet is the cheapest and pays the most, but it is also the most difficult to win.
Another type of bet is the dozens bet, which enables a player to bet on 12 or more numbers on the table. This bet pays 2-1 and is an excellent choice for those with a small budget but a big bankroll.