
Roulette is one of the most iconic casino games. It offers glamour and mystery, and the right strategy can reap high rewards. The basic rules are easy to learn, but the game has a surprising depth for serious betters. Whether you play online or at a live dealer table, the best way to make money is by correctly guessing the number or type of number where the ball will land when the wheel spins.
The game originated in 17th century France, possibly combining elements of Roly Poly and Even Odd, two other games that involved betting on the outcome of a spinning wheel, and Biribi, an Italian game that required players to guess which numbered ticket would be pulled from a bag. Unlike keno, in which the numbers are printed on tickets, the roulette wheel has individual compartments called pockets that are painted alternately red and black and numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36. There is also a 37th pocket, which is green and carries the number 0. The wheel is balanced perfectly on a spindle.
In 1843, French siblings Louis and Francois Blanc introduced a single zero pocket on the roulette wheel, drastically reducing the house edge and boosting the popularity of this already popular casino game. The new version spread expeditiously to gambling dens in the US, where it became known as American roulette. In Europe, the single-zero roulette wheel is still in use, and it is considered to be the best variant because of its low house edge.
Besides the single-zero variant, there are many other roulette game variations available at casinos and online. These can vary from the color of the wheels to different betting options and rules. Generally, it is recommended to start with the European roulette game. It is more affordable and offers a higher chance of winning.
You can also try out different strategies to improve your chances of winning. There are many roulette systems available on the internet, some of them simple and some complex. Some of them work and others don’t, so it is important to understand the basics of the game before trying out any system.