Roulette is a casino game that has offered glamour, mystery and excitement to players since the 17th century. The game is based on a simple principle: a spinning wheel with numbered slots into which a ball will eventually land when the wheel comes to a stop. Bets are placed on which numbers or combinations of numbers will appear, and the winning player is determined by the number that the ball settles into.
Each person who joins a roulette table receives a colored chip that represents their wager. Typically, the chips are valued at $1 to $100. The dealer, or croupier in this game, will ask what denomination you want to assign each chip (and what color). This helps the dealer and other players keep track of who has which bet. It is best to play roulette only with people you can trust not to bet against each other, or you could lose more than you win.
When the dealer has cleared off the table of losing bets, the player can start betting by placing their chips on the number slots they wish to win. A good strategy is to begin by wagering on “outside bets” that cover larger groups of numbers rather than individual digits, as these are cheaper and have a higher probability of hitting. The Dozens Bet: Also known as douzaine in French, this bet is made by placing your chips on either the first dozen (1-18), the second dozen (19-36) or the third dozen (33-64). This bet pays 2-1. The Odd or Even Bet: This is the same as the Dozens bet except that if the winning number is zero or 00, you lose. This bet pays 1-1.
Once all the bets have been placed, the croupier spins the wheel and drops the ball into one of the pockets that corresponds with the number the players have bet on. The player then watches as the ball bounces around the wheel and finally settles into a pocket. If the bet he or she made was a winner, the dealer will mark that number on the table map and pay out the winnings.
While it is tempting to try to predict where the ball will fall, this is not an effective strategy. The numbers on the roulette wheel are randomized and a single flaw in the design of the rotating disk or rim can affect results. The wheels are also heavily modified to prevent cheating, with the cylinder containing numbered pockets and a special compartment containing a metal plate that is raised above the rest of the wheel.