Roulette is a game of chance with different betting combinations bringing about different odds for winning and different payouts. There are also special bets called announced bets.

The European Roulette wheel has a single green 0 which significantly lowers the house edge. Moreover, the partage rule allows players to get half of their even-money bets back if they lose on zero.

Variations

There are a number of variations to Roulette. One of the most popular is European Roulette, which features 38 pockets and a single zero. This makes it a simpler game to play and offers higher odds of winning. Another variation is French Roulette, which maintains the rules of European Roulette but also includes the ‘En prison’ and ‘La Partage’ rules that reduce the house edge to 2.7%. Other games that differ from the classic game include Lightning Roulette from Evolution Gaming, which relies on multipliers to boost payout potential, and Triple Bonus Spin from IGT.

Origins

Roulette’s origins are shrouded in mystery. Some believe it was invented by 17th century French math wizard Blaise Pascal, who stumbled upon the wheel while working on his unsuccessful quest to produce a perpetual motion machine. Others believe it was derived from the Chinese board game hoca and the French games portique and roue. It is known that the game became the centerpiece of Paris’ gilded gambling parlours in the 18th century, where it was played by France’s upper class. The modern layout and wheel structure of the game was established in about 1790. Regardless of its precise origins, roulette quickly became popular throughout Europe.