Roulette is one of the most iconic casino games, offering glamour, mystery and excitement to players since the 17th century. The game’s rules are relatively simple and the payouts are high, but there’s a surprising depth of strategy for those who want to get more involved. Despite its popularity, there are a few common misconceptions about roulette that should be cleared up before you start playing.
The Wheel
The Roulette wheel consists of numbered pockets ranging from 0 to 36 (including the 00 on some American tables). The numbered slots alternate between red and black, except for the 0 and 00, which are green. The wheel is spun by a croupier, and the ball drops into one of the pockets. If you bet on a number, or grouping of numbers, the color, whether it’s odd or even, or if it is high or low, then you win.
Before you begin betting, choose a table within your budget and set a maximum amount of money to wager on each spin. Each roulette table carries a placard that describes the minimum and maximum bets. The dealer will then give you coloured roulette chips with a denomination equal to the table’s minimum bet value.
Outside Bets
The outer bets in roulette are generally less risky than the inside bets, but they also pay out lower amounts if you win. The simplest outside bet is the Straight Up bet, in which you place your chip(s) on the end of any of the roulette row. If you win, the payout is 18-1.
Another popular outside bet is the Five-Number Bet, which pays out 11-1 if you hit. Finally, there’s the Split Bet, which is known as a cheval in French. To make a Split Bet, you place your chip(s) to straddle the line between two numbers on the Roulette table map. If either number wins, the payout is 17-1. If neither wins, you lose your bet. The symmetry of the roulette wheel means that there are no other groups of numbers that offer this same sort of payoff. This makes it a good choice for those who are new to the game. As you play, you can upgrade your bets to the more risky inner bets once you’ve gotten some experience with the outside ones. However, be careful not to over-bet, or you could run out of chips and have to walk away. Aim to cash out your winnings as quickly as possible to avoid losing more than you’ve won. You should also avoid dipping into your winnings to bet on future spins.