Roullete (pronounced “roo-lay-tay”) is a casino game of chance that has offered glamour, mystery and excitement to casino-goers since the 17th century. Its rules are simple, and serious bettors can reap high rewards if they follow the right strategy.

Players wager on a single number, various groupings of numbers, the colors red or black, and whether they are odd or even. In addition, bettors can choose to bet on a corresponding grouping of twelve numbers called a “dozen.” A croupier spins a wheel and then places a ball into whichever compartment it lands in. The winning bets are paid out accordingly.

Roulette can be played in many different forms, with variations on the table and wheel layout affecting how much house edge there is for each type of bet. The most common versions are American, European and French roulette. The differences between these variations are small, but they affect the probability of losing a bet on each spin.

Each roulette table carries a placard with the minimum and maximum betting limits. Before entering the casino, set a budget for your gambling session. This way, you can decide how much to bet on each spin without going overboard. Also, remember to cash out any winning bets as soon as possible. Using your winnings to make new bets will increase your chances of losing more than you gain.

The roulette table consists of a square, flat-topped tabletop with a grid marked off in segments corresponding to the numbers 1 through 36. A curved metal rim surrounds the grid, and the wheel itself consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape with a circular groove around its perimeter. This groove contains thirty-six compartments painted alternately red and black. A further two green compartments on the wheel — one on each side — carry the numbers 0 and 00.

When a player is ready to bet, they give the dealer the amount of their desired stake by placing chips on the table in front of them. The dealer then gives them coloured roulette chips worth that amount. Between spins, players may give the dealer their money by putting it on the table and asking for “colour.”

There are numerous roulette strategies that promise to reduce the house edge, but none have proven consistently profitable. The Martingale system, which involves increasing your bet size after every loss until you win, requires a large bankroll to sustain the doubling process over the long term.