Before a roulette round begins, the dealer clears losing bets and pays winners. After that, the dealer spins the wheel and throws a small ball into one of the 37 or 38 numbered pockets.

Bets can be made on individual numbers, groups of numbers, or colors. There are two main categories of bets: inside bets and outside bets.

Origins

Although it’s hard for most of us to imagine that gambling existed before Las Vegas, roulette is a game with a long history. The exact origins are a bit of a mystery, but it is generally believed that the game was invented in 1655 by French mathematician Blaise Pascal. He came up with the idea during a stay at a monastery while working on his quest for a perpetual motion machine. It is also possible that the game grew out of the older Chinese games hoca and portique, which were transmitted to France by Dominican monks.

Whatever the true story, roulette combines the best elements of scientific pursuit and recreational gaming into one amazing game. It’s no wonder that it continues to be such a popular casino game today.

Variations

There are several variations of roulette games. Some are more complicated to play, while others offer different rules and payouts. Some even have different betting options, such as “la partage”, which is where players get half of their money back if the ball hits 0. In general, European Roulette games are the most popular because they follow the standard format and have a friendly house edge. However, it is recommended that new players avoid games with special rules and bets.