The Basics of Roullete

Roullete (pronounced roo-let) is an old-time casino game of chance that’s been around for centuries. While fanciful stories claim it was invented by 17th-century French mathematician Blaise Pascal, by a Dominican monk, or even by the Chinese, it actually evolved in France and spread from there to gambling dens across Europe. Today, roulette is one of the most popular casino games both at physical casinos and online.

Roulette is played on a flat table with either red or black chips and a circular wheel containing thirty-six compartments (or pockets) numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36. A croupier spins the wheel, and the ball is dropped into the compartment where it lands. If your bet is right, you win.

The game isn’t complicated, but there are some subtle rules you should know before playing. First, there are three main variations of the game: American, European, and French. The latter two feature additional rules that can improve your odds of winning.

European roulette is the most popular version in both physical casinos and online casinos. It features a single zero pocket, which lowers the house edge to a coveted 2.7%. The European game also pays out a player’s entire bet amount if the ball hits the green number. La partage (which translates to ‘in prison’) is another rule that offers players half of their original bet on even money bets when the ball hits zero. However, players’ bets are left on the table if they lose. The en prison rule is only offered in certain situations.