Roulette is a gambling game in which players bet on the number or type of numbers that will appear when a ball drops into a compartment on a revolving wheel. You place your bets by placing chips on a betting mat, the precise placement of which indicates your bet.

There is no skill involved in a roulette bet and it’s completely down to luck. But there are some things you can do to improve your chances of winning.

Origin

The origin of roulette is not entirely clear, with fanciful theories ranging from 17th century French mathematician Blaise Pascal inventing the wheel as part of his attempt to produce the world’s first perpetual motion machine (the word ‘roulette’ means little wheel) to the Dominican monks who brought the game to Europe from China. The truth is likely to be a little more mundane, with the game evolving in 17th century France from older games such as Roly Poly and Even Odd, which also involved betting on the outcome of a spinning wheel. The first written reference to roulette dates back to 1758, in a document outlining gambling regulations.

Variations

Roulette games have different variations depending on the rules, betting options, and payouts. Some variants are easier to play and offer a friendly house edge while others are more complex with additional bets or special betting rules. If you are a beginner, you should steer clear of roulette games with special rules and bets. Instead, try to play the European variant of roullete that follows the standard European format and offers a low house edge of 2.7%. You can also opt for a game like Lighting Roulette from Evolution Gaming that offers a high payout of 1:12,000 for its straight bonus win.