Roulette is a game of chance that involves spinning a wheel and rolling a ball. It is played with special chips that do not have a denomination printed on them.
The wheel has 37 or 38 numbered compartments, alternately painted red and black and arranged nonconsecutively around the rim. In addition, on European wheels a green compartment carries the number 0.
Variations
There are several variations of roulette, with each offering different rules and payouts. Some have additional betting options, while others have a higher house edge. However, the basic game is the same in all variations.
Some of the more popular variations include La Partage, which allows players to get half their wager back if they place an even money bet and lose because the ball lands in the single-zero pocket. Another variation is En Prison, which allows players to lock their bets for the next spin if they lose on an even money bet.
When choosing a roulette game variant, it is important to consider your skill level and experience. The best choice for beginners is a European roulette game, which offers a friendly house edge.
Origins
There are a few theories surrounding the origin of roulette. The most popular is that it was invented by the French mathematician Blaise Pascal in 1655 as part of his quest to create a perpetual motion machine. Others believe that it originated in China and was brought to France by Dominican monks as a form of cultural trade. However, both of these claims ignore the fact that similar games with a rotating wheel were already in existence well before the end of the 17th century. These games included the English game Roly Poly and the Italian game hoca, which also featured betting areas identical to those on a modern roulette table. These ancestors are more likely to be the true antecedent of roulette than the monks or Pascal.