The game of roulette, and the many variants therein, have inspired countless scientists, mathematicians, physicists and engineers to try their hand at devising systems that can predict the outcome of each spin. The results of these experiments have been a mix of failure and success, and they continue to inspire new generations to explore the limits of chance.
The name “Roullete” comes from the French for little wheel, and the game’s popularity has spread from its home in France to every gambling den and casino across the globe. The game’s fame skyrocketed in 1843 when the single-zero wheel was introduced, dramatically cutting its house edge and boosting winning probabilities for players.
While there are no definitive strategies that can guarantee you’ll win at roulette, the best strategy for any player should be based on their risk aversion, bankroll size and other personal factors. Regardless of how skillful you are at playing, it’s important to remember that roulette is a game of pure chance, and there are no ways around the built-in house edge.
A typical roulette wheel is a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape with 37 compartments, which are painted alternately red and black and called ‘canoes’ by roulette croupiers. Each compartment is numbered non-consecutively from 1 to 36, with two green ones on American-style wheels that carry the symbols 0 and 00.
Players bet on one or more of the thirty-six pockets with coloured chips that are distributed to them by a dealer. Each person receives a specific color to differentiate themselves from the rest of the table and to make it easier to identify their bets. During each turn, the ball drops in a pocket, and the croupier places a marker on it to indicate the winner. The losing bets are then cleared away and the winning ones paid.
The most popular variant of the game is European roulette. This version has a lower house edge than the American version and offers a higher payout for a straight bet. Some people choose to play a combination of inside and outside bets, with the goal of covering as many numbers as possible. Inside bets cover anywhere between one and six numbers in total and pay out up to 35:1 if the number hits.
Organizing coffee and lunch roulette sessions for the entire office or remote employees can help build team relationships that are more productive and less siloed. They can also facilitate meaningful discussions about failure and success and contribute to a more sustainable definition of success in the workplace, where resilience and collaboration are rewarded over individualism and burnout. Creating a coffee or lunch roulette on Zavvy is easy – just select the template, customize it and set your options. You can even repeat the session to maximize its impact!
