Roulette offers glamour, mystery, and excitement to casino-goers worldwide. This game of chance is simple to learn and can provide a surprising level of depth for serious betters. To make money playing this classic game, you must correctly guess which red or black numbered compartment the ball will enter as it comes to rest.
The roulette wheel consists of a slightly convex wooden disk with a metal compartments (called frets by the croupiers) arranged in rows and columns. Thirty-six of these compartments are painted alternately red and black, and they are numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36. There are also one or two green pockets, depending on whether you play American roulette or European roulette. The green pockets give the house its edge in the game, since they are more likely to be won than the other numbers.
After the dealer clears the table of losing chips, players place bets on either individual numbers or groups of numbers that share a common border or corner. These bets are called outside bets, and they pay off at higher odds than the individual number bets. There are several other bets, including the “street” bet (three numbers in a row), “corner” bet (four adjacent numbers), and “dozen” bet (a grouping of three consecutive numbers).
Before you head to the table, decide on the size of your betting unit based on your bankroll. Set a maximum betting amount for yourself and do not dip into your winnings to increase your bet size. Choose a roulette table within your budget, and be sure to read the placard on each table that describes the minimum and maximum betting limits.
Generally, the smallest bets have the highest payouts, so you should start with these and move up in size as your bankroll increases. Many players use a betting system to win at roulette, but these systems are usually unreliable and are only effective if you are lucky enough.
Another way to improve your chances of winning is to try the French version of the game. This variant has a unique rule known as “la partage” or “en prison” which reduces the house edge to only 1.35%, compared to 2.70% on the standard European roulette wheel. This is a huge advantage for players who are looking to maximize their profits with a roulette strategy.
