Roulette is a game of chance where players place chips on a betting table. The ball then lands on a number, section or color and winners are paid out. The house edge on even money wagers is 1.35% when the La Partage rule is in effect.

Prior to spinning the wheel, players lay their bets on a betting mat, with specific terms written in French (or English) on the mat to indicate the type of bet being made.

Origins

While it’s impossible to know exactly where the game of roullete first originated, it’s generally agreed that it came from Europe. Many believe that it evolved from a game called Biribi, which was played in Italy in the 17th century. Others claim that the game was brought to France by Dominican monks. Once in Paris, the game became popular among the city’s elite, and it eventually made its way to America.

The most commonly accepted version of the roulette’s origin is that it was invented in 1655 by French math wizard Blaise Pascal, who used his invention to develop a perpetual motion machine. However, similar games had been around for much longer than that. These include portique, hoca, bassette, and even-odd, which were all played on a revolving wheel before the arrival of roulette in the 18th century.