Roulette is a casino game in which players place wagers on various numbers and combinations of numbers on a wheel. It has a long history in casinos and is still one of the most popular casino games worldwide.
The game begins when a dealer drops a ball into the spinning roulette wheel and spins it around the table until it stops. If the ball lands in a pocket marked with a number, you win.
A roulette wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape with metal partitions called canoes on its rim. The canoes are numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36 on European-style wheels and from 0 and 00 on American wheels.
Each of the canoes is painted either red or black, with the exception of two green compartments on opposite sides of the wheel that carry the signs 0 and 00.
The layout of the roulette board varies according to the type of game. European-style roulette tables use a single-zero wheel with green compartments, while American-style games have a double-zero wheel with red and black pockets.
There are three main sections on the wheel for announced roulette bets: Les Voisins du Zero, Le Tiers Du Cylindre and Les Orphelins. These bets are special betting combinations and should be played only when they are part of the rules of the game.
These are special bets that offer higher payouts than standard bets. They are most commonly featured on French Roulette, but are also found in online European Roulette variations.
Announced bets are a great way to increase your winning odds, but they require some knowledge and skill to play. There are a few different types of announced bets:
Split Bet (Chevalier)
This type of bet involves placing your chips on a line that straddles between two numbers on the roulette layout. If the two numbers end up in the same number, you win 17-1.
Street Bet/Three Number Bet/Side Bet/The Trio: This bet is very similar to the split bet, only that it places your chip(s) on a row of three consecutive numbers on the roulette layout. The payout is 11-1 if the three numbers land in the same order, and 5-1 if they don’t.
Outside Bets:
The house edge in roulette is much lower than in many other games, but it’s still a big drain on your wallet. This is because the true odds of hitting a single number on a straight-up bet are 37 to 1, but the house pays only 35 to 1. This discrepancy in payouts is what gives the house its advantage.