Roulette is a game of chance that originated more than 300 years ago. French mathematician Blaise Pascal is credited with its invention. The house edge is significantly lower on a European wheel with just one green zero, which includes the special “en prison” rule that returns your even-money wagers if the ball hits 0.
When playing roulette, choose a table within your budget and familiarize yourself with the different bet types. Also, learn about house edges and bet limits.
Origin
The origin of roulette is a mystery. Although many websites claim that it was invented by Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician who was trying to create the world’s first perpetual motion machine in the 17th century, this is unlikely. It is more probable that it evolved from the older games hoca and portique. The game was popularized in France, where it is still played today. A French version of the game was brought back to England around 1820, and it subsequently replaced E.O. The 1875 edition of Hoyle’s Scientific Library describes roulette but does not mention E.O..
The wheel used in roulette has 38 (or on European and Latin American tables, 37) numbered divisions that the player bets on by laying chips on a betting mat, each having a name of one of the bets. The ball then rolls into one of these divisions to win the bet.
Variations
Roulette games can be slightly different depending on the house edge and special betting rules. For example, the European version has only 38 pockets and a single zero, which makes it simpler to play and offers a more friendly house edge. On the other hand, French Roulette is a little more complex and has extra betting options. It also features La Partage, which means that players who lose money on an even-money bet get half their wager back.
Payouts
When playing roullete, payouts can vary widely depending on the type of bet you place. For example, a Voisins bet costs 9 chips and covers 17 numbers, but its odds are only 1 to 1. The same is true for a line bet, which straddles two rows of three numbers. The payout for a line bet is 5 to 1. Other bets, such as the Column Bet and Split bet are much more conservative plays that pay out just short of 1/3 of the roulette numbers.
Our roullete payouts calculator provides an easy way to calculate expected payouts from different bets. Simply select the bet and click on the button to see how much you’ll earn if you win.