Roulette is a game of chance in which a ball drops into a revolving wheel with numbered pockets. Players bet on which pocket the ball will land in. The odds vary from game to game. Some bets offer higher payouts, while others have lower ones.
Outside bets are wagers that the winning number will be in one of the first 12 or last 18 numbers on the layout. They offer a high payout but have a higher house edge than other bets.
Origin
The origin of roulette is a little murky. It is thought that the game evolved from older games like hoca, portique and roly poly. However, these earlier games did not use a revolving wheel and so the modern game of roulette differs from them in some respects.
Other theories suggest that the game originated from an Italian board game called biribi. This theory makes more sense because a similar game, involving only odd and even bets, was played in the 18th century.
What is known is that the Blanc brothers introduced a single-zero roulette wheel in their casino in Bad Homburg, Germany, in 1843. This change helped them compete with established casinos that were using traditional wheels with single and double zero pockets. The resulting game was a huge success and soon found its way to France.
Bets
The betting opportunities on roullete are numerous and varied. Players can choose from inside bets, outside bets and corner bets. The most risky bet is the Street Bet, also known as a cheval in French, which involves placing your chip(s) to straddle a line between two numbers on the layout. If you make a correct prediction, your bet will pay 17-1. Another option is the Three Number Bet, which also goes by the name of the Side bet or The Trio bet. This wager pays 11-1 and is a little more conservative than a Street Bet. It covers a total of 17 numbers.
