Roulette is one of the most popular casino games around, offering glamour, mystery and high rewards for those who play it. Although it may seem like a game of pure chance, with the right strategy, it can be a very profitable casino game. In this article we will look at some of the basics of Roullete, including how to place your chips at the table, the payouts and how to manage your winnings.

Roulette, or ‘little wheel’, is a gambling game that involves betting on which red or black numbered compartment of a spinning cylinder the small ball will come to rest in. The game originated in Europe in the 17th century and was derived from earlier games such as hoca and portique. The house edge, or disadvantage to the player, of roulette bets can be quite substantial.

The roulette wheel is a solid, convex wooden disk with a metal rim and thirty-six numbered non-consecutive compartments (canoes) painted alternately red and black. On European wheels the compartments are labelled 1 to 36; the American version adds two green pockets marked 0 and 00. The croupier spins the wheel and a small ball is dropped into one of the pockets. Winners are paid according to their betting odds.

Unlike most casino games, roulette is not as complicated to learn as it seems. There are only a few basic bets that can be made and once the player is familiar with these, it’s easy to play. However, as with all casino games, it’s important to set a budget before you start playing and to stick to it.

Before the game begins, players make their bets by placing chips on the betting mat which corresponds to the layout of the roulette wheel. The chips are then arranged to reflect the type of bet the player wishes to make. Bets on six numbers or less are known as “Inside bets”; bets on 12 numbers or more are called “Outside bets”. Once the game starts, the croupier places a marker on the losing bets to clear them from the table and then pays out the winners. After all the winning bets are paid out, the dealer will remove the marker and the table is ready for the next round of betting. It is important to cash out all your winnings as soon as possible and not to dip into them for future bets, as this will significantly reduce your odds of winning.