Roullete is a casino game in which a little ball rolls around on a wheel and people make bets about what number it will land on. It’s a simple game with truly random results, which brings its own thrill to those who play it. In the United States, it has one of the smallest followings among casino games, drawing only a fraction of the crowds that flock to video poker or blackjack pits. Outside the US, however, it draws huge crowds in Monte Carlo and other European casinos.
The Roulette Table
The table (also called the layout) is where players place their bets. There are several different types of bets, each with its own payout if won. The most common bets are the Straight Up Bet, Split Bet, Street Bet, and the Dozens Bet. Straight Up and Split Bets are placed on specific numbers, while the other bets are on categories of numbers. The house edge for these bets is 2-1.
In the center of the Roulette table is the spinning wheelhead. This is a solid, slightly convex disk with a metal compartments or “canoes” (known as separators by croupiers) that are painted alternately red and black. There are also two green compartments labelled 0 and 00 on the American roulette wheel, while the European wheel has only one green zero.
Between spins, you give the dealer your money by placing it on the table and asking for “colour”. The dealer will then give you coloured chips valued at the table’s minimum bet. You can then bet with these chips on the next spin of the wheel. Once you’ve placed your bets, the croupier will toss a small white ball into the wheel and the action begins.