A casino game played on a table with betting chips of various colors. The croupier determines what each color will be worth and indicates this to the players.

Players bet on a single number, various groupings of numbers, red or black, odd or even, and high (19-36) or low (1-18). Inside bets have higher house edges than outside bets.

Origin

While roullete has its origins in ancient Rome and Greece, the game was most likely first developed in France. It is believed that the game was created by 17th-century mathematician Blaise Pascal, who invented the gaming wheel while searching for a perpetual motion machine. He combined elements of Roly Poly, Even Odd and Biribi, an Italian game similar to modern roulette.

While a number of fanciful stories exist about the history of roulette, most scholars agree that it is French in origin. Its name derives from its French meaning “small wheel”, and it is widely accepted to have emerged in 17th century France from the English games hoca and portique and the Italian game of Biribi. It became a popular casino and gambling game across Europe.

Variations

Roulette games have many variations, some with a different table layout, others with additional bets and special rules. However, the most popular variation is the European Roulette which has 38 pockets and a single zero on the wheel making it simpler to play and offer a friendly house edge. If you’re a beginner, avoid the variants that have more than one zero as these have a higher house edge. They’re also not as fun to play.