Roulette has long brought glamour and mystery to casino floors, but this simple game also offers surprising depth for serious betters. The key is understanding that there’s a certain amount of prediction involved in betting, and that if you can predict correctly where the ball will land before it spins, you can win big.
Before a round begins, players wrap up their bets and the croupier (that’s what they call dealers in gambling houses) starts spinning the wheel. As the wheel spins, the croupier throws a small ball into the numbered slots, or pockets, of the roulette wheel. When the ball lands in a pocket that matches a number a player has bet on, that player wins.
The Roulette Wheel
The roulette wheel consists of a solid, convex wooden disk with metal separators around its edge. Thirty-six of these compartments, painted alternately red and black, are numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36. A 37th compartment, painted green, carries the sign of 0, and two additional compartments on American wheels are marked with the signs of 0 and 00.
Each table carries a placard describing the minimum and maximum bets allowed. Before you sit down, choose a table that’s within your budget and makes sense for the type of game you want to play.
Once the game begins, you’ll be asked to purchase chips from the dealer. These are different from regular casino chips, as they’re colored to indicate the value they hold. Roulette chips come in denominations ranging from $1 to $100, and each player receives his or her own color. This allows the croupier to easily identify players, even spouses.
The Outside Bet (Passe et Manque)
With this bet, you’re wagering that the winning number will be in the first 12 numbers on the layout (1-18), the second dozen (12-18), or the third dozen (18-36). If the ball lands in one of the 0s or 00s, you lose. This is an even-money bet, meaning that you’ll get back your initial bet plus the payout. This is a good choice for beginners, since it’s a relatively conservative wager with a low house edge.