Roulette is a casino game that involves spinning a ball on a revolving wheel. Players place bets on either a single number or various groupings of numbers. Different bet types have different odds and payouts.

The croupier then throws a ball into the spinning wheel. The winning player is then paid according to their betting odds.

Origin

There are a number of theories about the origin of roulette. Some say that it was invented by the 17th-century French physicist Blaise Pascal as part of his attempts to develop a wheel that could demonstrate perpetual motion, while others claim that it was developed by a Dominican monk or by a Chinese nobleman. Others suggest that it was derived from English games like Roly Poly and Even/Odd, or Italian games such as Hoca and Biribi. Regardless of its actual origin, roulette emerged in the 18th century and quickly became a popular game in casinos and gambling houses throughout Europe. Its name is derived from the French word for ‘little wheel.’ Today, it is one of the most popular casino games worldwide.

The modern American roulette wheel has 38 (or 37 on European/Latin American tables) pockets, which are divided into red and black sections as well as numbers.

Variations

There are many roulette game variants available. While some of these variations are more complex than others, they all share the same basic rules. The most common variation is European roulette, which has 38 pockets and a single zero. This game is easy to play and offers a friendly house edge. There are also variants that use a double-action wheel, which has two concentric rings. These bets have different payouts and require more knowledge of the game’s rules. Other roulette games include French and American roulette, which differ from each other only by their betting options. They both offer special bets, such as Orphelins and Tiers du Zero.