The Basics of Roullete

Roullete, French for “little wheel,” is a casino game in which a small ball is spun around a stationary numbered wheel. Players place bets on the table, corresponding to the pockets the ball can possibly land in. When the croupier spins the wheel and the ball drops into one of the slots, the player who made that bet wins. The roulette wheel consists of 38 pockets, numbered non-consecutively from 1 to 36 (plus the 0 on American tables). The compartments are colored red and black, except for the 0 and 00, which are green.

When a number comes up, players can make various bets on what it will be: whether it is high or low; whether it is red or black; or if it is odd or even. These bets are known as outside bets and give you a higher chance of winning, but they also have a lower payout if you win.

Inside bets, on the other hand, are more specific and offer a lower chance of winning but a higher payout if you do win. These bets include the Straight Up/Single Number Bet, which pays out at 35-1; the Split Bet (also called a cheval in French), which offers a payout of 17-1; and the Line Bet or Six Number Bet (called a six-line bet in French) which has a payout of 5-1.

There are also dozens and dozens of other bets to choose from. A quick Google search will return many (possibly millions) of different roulette systems, some easy, some complicated, and some promising to help you beat the house edge. But the truth is that no betting system can convert a game based entirely on luck into a profitable enterprise. The only way to increase your chances of winning is by choosing the right bets, and knowing the odds for each bet type.