Invented in the mid-17th century, Roulette, which translates to “a little wheel” in French, is a casino classic loved by many.
But if Blaise Pascal, the man who invented it, would resurrect today, he would still recognize it. Nothing much has changed about the game. For ages, its rules and gameplay have remained intact.
With the advent of the internet and mobile phones, the various versions of this casino classic have bursting popularity. People can now play them wherever they are, at home and on the go.
Types of Roulette Games
There are several variants of this game, but three are the most common:
a) European Roulette, which is the original French version
b) American Roulette; and
c) French Roulette
As the name “Roulette” suggests, the game includes a ball, wheel, and 12-row bet table.
The wheel has marked alternating slots of red and blacks, numbered from 1 to 36, and a green pocket numbered “0.”
The American Roulette, nonetheless, has double green slots numbered “0.” So, it has 38 slots, one more than the original French version.
The French Roulette and European roulettes have similar wheels but part ways on the rules. The French game implements the ‘la partage’ and ‘en prison’ rules, which are not present in the latter.
La Partage recoups half of your stake if you bet on an Outside Bet, but the ball lands on the zero. On the other hand, En prison gives you one free spin to win your stake back, failure to which the house claims your stake.
Knowing how to differentiate the various types enhances your chances of winning.
How to Play Roulette
The premise of the game at both physical and online casinos remains the same – guess where the ball lands after a spin. Back your prediction with a bet on the bet table, and spin the wheel. You either win or lose the spin depending on where the ball lands.
For physical casinos, everything unfolds before your eyes. In an online casino, though, the game uses complex algorithms to produce a sequence of numbers, randomly pulling the number that the slot ball settles.
Online Roulette keeps the visual representation intact. The only difference being the underlying mechanics. As it’s the case with most online casino games, it determines the winning number using a random number generator (RNG).
Roulette Bets and Rules
There are different bet types in a roulette game, confusing most players. These bets fall into two major categories, inside and outside Bets.
a) Inside Bets
These are bets made inside the betting area of a roulette table. They include:
● Straight Bet – A bet on a single number, paying the highest value, 36 to 1.
● Split Bet – A bet placed on the line between the two numbers, predicting the ball to drop on one of the two chosen numbers. It pays 17 to 1.
● Street Bet – A bet on one row. The payout is 12 to 1.
● Corner Bet – A bet on four numbers, often located at the corner. It pays 8 to 1.
● Double Street Bet – A bet on two rows, paying 5 to 1.
b) Outside Bets
The outside bets allow you to make bets on multiple groups of numbers with a single wager. However, they pay less than the inside bets. They include:
● Low/High Bet – It may require a minimum amount, but it’s a bet on the ball to either settle on 1-18 or 19-36. It pays 2 to 1.
● Red/Black Bet – You bet on the winning colour to be either black or red. It pays 2 to 1, too.
● Even/Odd Bet – Like the other two, it’s a 50/50 bet. You bet on the ball to settle on either an even or odd number, with zeroes as losers.
● Dozen Bet – Groups the numbers into three, 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36. The payout is 3 to 1.
● Column Bet – Bet on any of the three columns of the 12-rows. Like the dozen bets, it pays 3 to 1.
Roulette game is a breathtaking game. But as simple as it may appear, it requires lots of strategies if you want to make some money from it.