Roulette is a gambling game that involves spinning a ball in a rotating wheel. Bets are placed on which red or black numbered compartment the ball will fall into when it comes to rest.
The odds of winning a straight bet in roulette are 18-in-37. Outside bets have lower odds, but they offer higher payouts.
Origins
The exact origins of roulette aren’t entirely clear. Some suggest it was inspired by a game that was played by Roman soldiers using shields with symbols on them. However, this game has little in common with modern roulette other than the use of a wheel. Other theories suggest that the game was invented in China and was then brought to Europe by Dominican monks.
Others say that the game was derived from the Italian board game biribi, which has more in common with roulette than some of the other games mentioned above. Whatever the case, roulette as we know it today was born in 18th century France. It was probably influenced by older games such as portique and hoca. Its name likely derives from the French word roelete, which means “small wheel.” It also probably takes its name from the fact that the betting area is placed on a table with a small rotating wheel.
Variations
While the game of Roulette remains the same, there are a number of variations that have been developed. These include the Double Ball Roulette, a game that uses two balls instead of one and offers the same types of bets as European Roulette, but with lower payouts. There are also variations that offer bonus games and other features that can increase the chances of winning. For example, Lightning Roulette from Evolution Gaming offers players the chance to win up to 500x their bets, while IGT’s Triple Bonus Spin Roulette has a payout of 1:12,000 for a straight bonus win. Some roulette variants have different house edges, so choosing the right one depends on your skill level and experience.