Roulette has offered glamour, mystery, and excitement to casino-goers since the 17th century. While its rules are simple and the game is mostly based on chance, there is a surprising amount of depth for serious betters. The proper strategy can significantly improve your odds of winning.
The wheel of Roullete consists of a solid disk slightly convex in shape, with thirty-six compartments around its edge that rotate as the ball travels. The compartments, called frets by croupiers, are painted alternately red and black, with the exception of a green division marked 0 (on American tables there is an extra green division marking 00).
A spinning ball eventually comes to rest in one of the compartments. A croupier then announces the winning number and payouts are made. Winning bets are cleared off the table and the dealer begins a new round. Depending on the game and the house edge, different bet types have different odds of success. It is important to choose a bet type that you are comfortable with and understand the odds of.
To maximize your chances of winning, start by placing outside bets, which cover groups of numbers. These bets tend to have a lower house edge than inside bets. However, their payouts are typically smaller. Outside bets include Dozens, Columns, and Red/Black. To make these bets, place chips on the end of the corresponding row on the table map. The Dozens bet, for example, covers the first 12 numbers in a horizontal line and pays 2-1.
Another way to play the game is to cover the entire wheel with bets. The simplest way to do this is to put chips on all the red and black numbers and the 0 and 00, if applicable. This bet, known as a cover all bet, pays 37 to 1 (or 38 on double zero wheels).
In addition to the table map, there is often a tracking board for each spin of the wheel that shows a live history of the results. This can help you identify trends and patterns that may be present in the game. For example, a green number is likely to appear after several consecutive red or black numbers. This information can help you predict the outcome of a future spin.