Roulette is one of the most popular casino games in the world and for good reason. It’s simple to learn and provides a surprising amount of depth for serious players. It’s all about correctly guessing which number or type of bet will appear when the ball hits the revolving wheel. There are many different variations of the game and each has its own unique rules. However, the best version of the game is European roulette. It features a single zero and lower house edge which increases your chances of winning.
Before the game begins, players place their chips on a betting mat. They are then arranged in a variety of ways. Each bet has a different payout depending on how far the ball lands from the number you placed your chip on. Outside bets are more lucrative, but they also have a higher house edge. Inside bets have a lower house edge but are more difficult to hit.
The earliest version of the game featured a double-zero wheel and was played in illegal gambling dens in France. In 1843, French siblings Louis and Francois Blanc introduced a single-zero pocket to the wheel which massively increased its appeal amongst gamblers. The popularity of the new game spread rapidly to Europe and then the US.
European roulette is the most common version of the game found at physical casinos and online platforms. The wheel consists of thirty-six divisions that are alternately red and black and are numbered in a non-consecutive pattern from 1 to 36. There is also a green compartment on the American version of the wheel that carries the number 0.
The game has several variations but European roulette is by far the most popular. Its coveted 2.7% house edge is significantly lower than the American version’s 5.89% edge. Other than that, the only other difference is that when a zero hits in an American roulette game, all bets on the outside are lost. In European roulette, a zero only affects the inside bets.