Roulette is a game that has brought glamour, mystery and excitement to casino-goers since the 17th century. It’s a simple, easy to learn game that offers a surprising depth of strategy for serious players. In this article, we’ll break down the basics of Roullete so you can be confident placing your chips on the right spots at the table.
The Wheel
A roulette wheel is a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape. It has a spinning spindle in its center and a number-marked layout that goes around it. On a European-style wheel, thirty-six colored compartments are arranged nonconsecutively and numbered from 1 to 36. On American-style wheels, a second green compartment carries the number 0 and two red ones carry the numbers 1 and 2.
Each player buys a colored chip from the dealer (also known as a croupier). They choose what denomination they want to assign to it, and the dealer gives them a value equivalent to the table’s minimum bet. Players do not place bets with regular casino chips, but instead use these special roulette chips, which have different colors to help differentiate them from other players’.
Outside Bets
Outside bets are broader wagers that cover an entire category of numbers on the roulette table. They offer a higher chance of winning, but a lower payout. They’re perfect for newcomers to the game because they’re less risky, and they can be placed quickly.
Inside Bets
Inside bets are made by placing your chips on specific numbers or groups of numbers that are adjacent to each other on the roulette layout. These bets are also called propositions. They’re more conservative plays, but they can offer larger payouts if you win.
Split Bet
The split bet, or cheval in French, is similar to the street bet. It consists of placing your chips to straddle the line between two numbers on the layout. If either of those numbers wins, the payout is 17-1.
Dozens Bet
A dozens bet, or douzaine in French, is a wager that the winning number will be in one of the first 12, second or third dozen on the roulette layout. It pays out 2-1.