When you play roulette, you place bets on the numbers that will appear on the wheel. You make these bets by placing chips on a roulette table’s betting mat. The bets are divided into two categories – outside and inside. Outside bets cover large groups of numbers and pay out with lower odds.
Origin
While the exact origin of roulette is not known, there are a number of theories. Many people believe that it started in China and was later transmitted to Europe by Dominican monks. Others believe that it was invented in the 17th century by French mathematician Blaise Pascal as part of his quest to create a perpetual motion machine.
Other theories include that it was derived from English even/odd games and the Italian board game Biribi. Whatever the case, the modern version of the game was introduced in France in the late 18 th century. It appeared in gambling houses and featured a wheel with numbered slots and rules similar to those found today. This is the version of the game that most people recognize as roulette.
Bets
There are several betting options available on roullete. One of the most popular is the split bet, which requires players to place their chips on two adjacent numbers. This wager pays out at 17 to 1 if the player’s roulette prediction is correct, and the odds are high enough that this bet can pay off quite quickly. The next inside bet is the street, which involves placing your chips on three consecutive numbers in a row. This bet also pays out 11 to 1, and the odds are similar to those of a red or black bet. These bets are clearly marked on the roulette table.