The Basics of Roulette

Roulette is a popular game that has been played in casinos for centuries. In fact, the name “roulette” comes from the French word for “little wheel.” It has a number of different rules and is very easy to learn.

The basic rules of the game are that the ball spins around a wheel while players place bets on certain number slots. Those who lose get their bets cleared off the table and those who win are paid out.

Before the game begins, a betting mat is laid out that details the exact locations of chips to be placed. Each chip is worth a certain amount of money. You can also bet on various combinations of numbers, such as odd or even, black or red, high (19-36) or low (1-18).

When you’re ready to play, place your chips at the table. The dealer will then place a marker on the winning number (or winning chips) so that bettors can see which one it is.

After a few decisions, the dealer removes the marker and puts a “buck” or “puck” or other symbol on the winning number to indicate that it was hit. Then the winning bets are paid out and the game continues.

There are two main types of bets in roulette: inside and outside. During a normal game, players can choose to bet on six or less numbers called “inside” bets, or bet on twelve or more numbers called “outside” bets.

In American and European roulette, the betting board is divided into separate sections of six or more pockets, each painted a different color to denote its position on the board. There are a total of 38 divisions on the roulette wheel, which are nonconsecutively numbered from 1 to 36, plus a green division numbered 0.

The rim of the wheel is covered with metal partitions or canoes that separate the pockets from each other and the alternating compartments from each other. The rim of the wheel is slightly convex and the spinning disk that revolves around it has divisions on its edge, which are numbered from 1 to 36 in a seemingly random pattern.

On American wheels there is a second green division numbered 0; on European wheels there are no additional zeros.

When a ball is spun around the roulette wheel, it lands in one of the pockets on the spindle. The ball is then spun again until the wheel comes to rest in a pocket that has been determined by the previous spin.