Roulette is a casino game in which a ball drops onto a spinning wheel with numbered pockets and players place bets on which pocket the ball will land. There are a variety of betting options, including individual numbers, various groupings of numbers, the colors red and black, whether the number is odd or even, and whether it’s high (19-36) or low (1-18). In addition to the traditional bets listed above, some casinos offer special bets like the basket bet.
The roulette wheel consists of a solid wood disk slightly convex in shape with a series of metal partitions, known as separators or frets, and compartments (called canoes by croupiers) arranged around the rim. The compartments are alternately coloured red and black. There is also a green compartment on European wheels, numbered 0, and a second green compartment on American roulette wheels, numbered 00.
After the bets have been placed, the croupier spins the wheel in one direction and rolls a small ball in the opposite direction, around a tilted circular track that runs around the outer edge of the wheel. When the ball and wheel come to rest, the dealer announces ‘no more bets!’ This locks the layout and prevents any cheating or additional advantages.
Once the betting is closed, the dealer will pause for a few seconds to give everyone time to remove their losing chips and to pay winners. Then the dealer will spin the wheel and throw the ball, often announcing ‘no more bets!’ to signal that betting is closed for the current round.
When the bets have been placed, the dealer will spin the wheel in one direction and roll a small ball in the opposite direction, on a tilted circular track that runs along the outer edge of the wheel. The wheel has a numbered section, colored red and black, and a second numbered section, colored green, on the American version.
The house edge is the same for both versions of roulette, but the best option is to play European Roulette rather than the American version. The latter is more difficult to win, especially if you make an outside bet. The best way to beat the house edge is to use a winning strategy, which requires a good understanding of the game and how it works. In addition, it helps to choose an online casino that offers the game with a European wheel and the “en prison” rule. This reduces the house edge to just 1.35% and is ideal for outside bets. However, some casinos do not offer this rule.