Roulette is a table game with an old-world charm and a surprising level of depth that can be enjoyed by players at all skill levels. It’s easy enough for beginners to pick up, but offers plenty of betting options for more experienced players. In fact, you can find a roulette wheel in just about any casino that features table games.
Unlike the dice-based game of craps, the rules of roulette are fairly straightforward. The first step is to place your chips on the table map that’s located at the center of the table. The croupier (that’s what the dealers are called in this game) will clear the table of any previous bets and then allow players to place their bets.
After the bets are placed, the croupier will spin the roulette wheel and then roll a small metal ball around the inside edge of the wheel. The ball will eventually fall into one of the pockets that mark a number on the roulette board, and if your bet was placed on that number, you win!
There are several different variations of roulette, but most players recommend that newcomers play the European version. This game has a single zero and a lower house edge, which magnifies your chances of winning!
The Column Bet: This is a wager on any of the three ‘columns’ on the table. You can place your chip(s) on any of the ‘2 to 1’ squares to stake this bet, and you will win if the ball lands in any of the numbers on that particular column.
Line Bet/Six Number Bet/Sixain: This is a bet on a row of three consecutive numbers. You can make this bet by placing your chip(s) on the outside border of the row. If you win, the payout is 5-1.
En Prison / La Partage: These two rules are similar, but the main difference is that you can get back half of your even money bets if the ball lands on zero.
There are many strategies that can be used to try to beat the house edge of roulette. A few of the more common ones include the Martingale System, Labouchere System, and Reverse Martingale. These strategies require you to increase your bet amounts every time you lose, but if you stick with them, they can help you minimize your losses and maximize your wins.