Roullete, meaning ‘little wheel’ in French, is a casino game in which a small ball is spun around a numbered wheel until it comes to rest on a number. The player can then choose to bet on the number – or various groupings of numbers, the color red or black, whether it’s odd or even, and in some cases whether the number is high (19-36) or low (1-18). The game has a variety of betting systems and strategies, some simple and some complex.
The roulette wheel consists of a solid, slightly convex wood disk with a rim lined with metal frets or compartments (called canoes by croupiers) that are painted alternately red and black. There is also a 37th compartment, painted green and carrying the ‘0’ sign on European-style wheels, and two green compartments on American-style wheels that carry the ’00’ signs.
After the dealer has cleared the table and paid winning bets, players begin placing their chips on the desired number slots. A common strategy is to place “outside bets” on groups of numbers, which have a lower house edge and higher odds of hitting than single digit bets.
The rules of the game are regulated by the casino, and players are forbidden to use devices designed to cheat or gain an unfair advantage. Despite this, there are still many myths about how to win at roulette – including the claim that it can be beaten using a computer programme. In truth, however, the only way to beat the odds is to understand the house edge and bet types, and to have a clear idea of what you’re aiming for. Otherwise, roulette is just a game of chance.