Roulette is a game of chance that has become a staple at casinos online and offline across the globe. The game’s popularity is largely due to the fact that it is based solely on luck and has no skill component. The game was invented in the late 1700s and has since spread to the point where it is hard to find an online or land casino that doesn’t offer it. However, the game has a few variations that every player should be aware of.
The roulette wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape with metal compartments called ‘canoes’ by roulette croupiers, which are painted alternately red and black and numbered non-consecutively from 1 to 36. There is also a 37th compartment on European-style wheels that carries the number 0 and two green ones on American-style wheels. A roulette croupier spins the wheel and a small ball is launched into one of the pockets. The ball either lands in a black or red compartment depending on whether it is an inside or outside bet.
There are a few rules within the roulette game that should be understood by players before they start playing. First up, there is the en prison rule which allows players to get back half of their even money bets on the table when the ball hits zero. This is a great rule for new players to use as it can cut the house edge down to just 1.35% (Vive le France).
Next, there is la partage which essentially allows players to share their even money bets between themselves and the dealer when the ball hits zero. This isn’t as good a strategy as en prison but it is still better than losing your entire bet. Then there are the other systems that players can use like the Martingale system which involves betting even money chips and doubling your stakes after each loss. There is also the Labouchere system which requires players to set a target win amount and then change their stake amounts to achieve it.