Roullete is a casino game where a ball is dropped into a revolving roulette wheel and players place bets on the number the ball will land in. The game was invented in a primitive form in the 17th century by French physicist Blaise Pascal. The modern version of the game emerged in Europe around 18th century, with Blaise’s invention gaining traction rapidly and transforming into an international hit.
The modern game of roulette is based on a spinning disk with numbered divisions that alternate between red and black, as well as one green zero. The American roulette wheel has an extra green 0 and it is this addition that makes the game a less lucrative proposition than the European version of the game.
Players place bets by laying chips on a betting mat, the precise location of which indicates the bet being placed. Bets on six numbers or less are termed “Inside bets”, while bets on 12 numbers or more are called “Outside bets”. The payouts for winning bets are clearly defined on the roulette table and are determined by the placement of the chips on the betting mat.
While some bets are easier to win than others, a player’s total payout is the same regardless of the outcome. This is because a winning bet pays out 35 to 1 odds. The best bets are those that include the number seven, because it is believed to be a lucky number. Also, bets on the number 13 and 17 are popular.
The simplest bet is the High/Low bet, where you place your chips on either the high (19-36) or low (1-18) option on the roulette table. There is also the Column bet, where you place your chips on any of the three ’12’ sections on the roulette felt. Finally there is the Dozen bet, where you bet that the ball will land on either the first, second or third ’12’ sections.
Traditionally, the roulette balls were made of ivory but today most professional ones are made from resin or Teflon. This change has a significant impact on the game, as a small and light ceramic ball makes more revolutions of the wheel and bounces more unpredictably before landing on a number than a larger and heavier ivory ball would.