Roulette is a casino game in which you place bets on which slot of a rotating wheel a small ball will come to rest in. It is a game of chance, but there are a number of systems that can help you maximize your chances of winning.

A Roulette Wheel

A roulette wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape with metal partitions, or frets, around its rim. The compartments between these are painted alternately red and black, and numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36. On European-style wheels, there is also a green compartment carrying the sign 0.

In most casinos, play begins after the dealer clears the table of losing bets and pays the winners from the previous round. Then, the croupier (that’s what they call dealers) will spin the wheel and throw a small white ball into one of the pockets marked with the name of a particular number. The players then watch as the ball bounces around the wheel until it settles into a number pocket. If your bet was on that number, you’ve won!

The Street Bet/Three Number Bet/Side Bet/The Trio: You make this bet by placing your chip(s) to straddle the line between two numbers on the betting layout. If either number wins, you win. This type of bet is easier to understand than the others, but it offers a lower payout of 17-1.

Outside bets are wagers on groups of numbers instead of individual digits and offer higher payouts if you win. These are good bets for beginners who have little or no experience and aren’t ready to take on the risk of a single-number bet.

Some believe that roulette was invented by 17th century French mathematician Blaise Pascal in his attempts to create a machine that would demonstrate perpetual motion. Others claim that it was derived from older games like hoca and portique, or brought to France from China by Dominican monks. Whatever its origin, it is a simple, classic game of chance that can provide an adrenaline rush for those who choose to play. It is not an easy game to master, however, and even the best players lose sometimes.