Roulette is a game of chance. Players place chips on a betting mat and the wheel spins to determine if they have won or lost. The odds of winning a straight bet are 1 in 37.
Outside bets cover groups of numbers on the table and have a higher chance of winning but lower payouts. It is best to stick to European roulette if possible as it has a lower house edge.
Origins
There are a number of theories about the origins of roulette. One is that it was invented by the French mathematician Blaise Pascal in the 17th century while he was trying to create a perpetual motion machine. Another theory is that it was derived from the Chinese game of ya-la-mao or hoca, which was brought to Europe by Dominican monks. It is also possible that roulette grew out of games similar to it such as portique, roly poly and bassette.
The word “roulette” comes from the Latin rotella, meaning little wheel. However, this is not necessarily true as it could have referred to any circular object that rotated on an axis. The word was eventually adapted to mean any casino game. It was not until the Blanc brothers introduced a single-zero version of roulette in Monte Carlo that it gained its current name.
Variations
There are several variations of roulette, but most of them differ only in terms of the number of pockets on the wheel. European roulette, for example, features only one zero and is the most popular variation because it offers better odds for winning. Another variation is French roulette, which offers additional rules such as ‘En prison’ and ‘La Partage’. However, players do not only look at odds and house edge when playing casino games; they also seek out a pleasant experience.
If you want to increase your chances of winning, check out roulette games that offer the highest payouts. These include Lighting Roulette from Evolution Gaming, which uses multipliers to boost your payouts; and Triple Bonus Spin Roulette from IGT, which has a jackpot that pays up to 1:12,000 for a straight win.