Roulette is a casino game that offers glamour, mystery and excitement for players. The rules are simple and the payouts can be high. The game has been around since the 17th century and has become a world-wide sensation in casinos and gambling houses. There are fanciful stories about the game being invented by 17th-century French mathematician Blaise Pascal and by Dominican monks, but it is a game based entirely on chance.
The croupier, who is in charge of the table, spins a wheel in one direction and then rolls a ball in the opposite direction, around a tilted circular track that runs around the edge of the wheel. When the ball stops on a number or color, players with bets on that area of the layout have won. There are a variety of bets, which can include individual numbers, various groupings of numbers, the color red or black, whether it is odd or even, and if the number is high (19-36) or low (1-18).
A Straight Bet: This bet involves placing chips on the outside border of the roulette table, covering one row of three consecutive numbers on the betting board. The payout for this type of bet is 35-1. The Line Bet/Six Number Bet/Sixline Bet: This bet is similar to the Street Bet but is placed by placing your chip(s) to straddle the horizontal line between two rows of numbers on the layout. The payout for this bet is 5-1.
Odd or Even Bet: This bet is placed on either the first dozen, the second dozen or the third dozen of numbers on the roulette layout. The betting chips are placed in a square, with the 0 and 00 counting as two even numbers. This bet pays 1-1.
The James Bond Strategy: The James Bond strategy is an effective system for winning at roulette, though it requires a reasonable bankroll. The basic idea is to establish a betting unit that you can use as your base for each session, and then use a percentage of that amount as your stake for each bet. This way, you can avoid dipping into your winnings for future bets and keep your odds of winning up.
The best version of roulette to play is European, which has a lower house edge than the American variant. Many online casinos offer both versions of the game, but it is recommended to stick with European. If possible, also try playing with an “en prison” rule, which means that an even-odds bet that loses to a zero only pays half of the original bet, not nothing at all. This dramatically improves the game’s chances of winning, but it may not be available at all online casinos. Be sure to check with the casino for this option before you sign up.
