Roulette is one of the most popular casino games around. The name is French for “little wheel,” and it’s true: the game features a circular wheel with 36 numbers and a 0 (or, on some American tables, a 00). A croupier then spins a small white ball that will eventually land in one of the numbers on the table. Players make bets on which number, section or color the ball will land in, and win according to their betting odds.
Before you play the game, however, it’s important to understand how the house edge works. The higher the house edge, the more the casino will lose on every bet you place. To reduce this, there are a few simple strategies that can help you maximize your wins and minimize your losses.
First, you’ll want to choose the right version of roulette to play. Each variation has different rules and betting options, which can alter your probability of losing a bet. For example, the American roulette wheel includes a double-zero pocket, which increases the chance of losing a bet. The European and French versions, on the other hand, have a single-zero pocket and lower house edges.
Once you’ve chosen your roulette table, talk to the dealer about buying chips. She’ll ask you how much you want to assign to each chip, and she’ll mark it with that value before she parcels it out to you. Roulette dealers often use colored chips to differentiate between bettors, so make sure you’re aware of the value each chip represents before putting it down on the table.
While it may be tempting to place your chips on a single number, you’ll be better off placing an ‘Outside Bet’ instead. These bets cover a large section of the wheel and offer relatively high odds (35 to 1 for red, 18 to 1 for black and so on). You can also make a ‘Cross Bet’ by placing your chip on either side of the line between two numbers on the table layout. This bet pays out at 17 to 1.
Once the ball lands on a winning number, the dealer will place a marker on it and clear the table. Then, you can place new bets. Remember to check the table minimums and maximums before you play, and be sure to exchange your color chips for value ones if necessary. If you’re looking for an even more immersive experience, consider playing a roulette game that incorporates a live dealer. These types of games blend the best of online and brick-and-mortar casino experiences. In addition to the added realism, they can add an extra element of social interaction and fun that you’ll never get with a standard casino game.