Roulette is a game that relies on luck. It involves a wheel with red and black pockets and a single green zero pocket in some variations. When the ball lands on the portion of the table you bet on, you receive a payout according to the odds.

You can place bets on individual numbers, small groups of numbers, or colors. Outside bets offer lower payouts but better chances of winning.

Origins

While many people think of roulette as a modern game, it actually has a long and varied history. The first version of the game is thought to have been conceived in 1655 by French mathematician Blaise Pascal. He created it while he was working on a perpetual motion machine at the Port-Royal-des-Champs monastery, but it wasn’t intended to be used for gambling.

It wasn’t until the eighteenth century, however, that a true roulette wheel came into existence. While fanciful stories about the origins of the game abound, most historians agree that it developed in France in the early 1700s. It was then introduced to the rest of Europe and quickly became one of the most popular casino games in existence. It is believed to have been derived from the older games hoca and portique.