Roullete, from the French for “little wheel,” is one of the world’s most popular casino games. Its simple rules make it easy for new players to understand, but it also provides a surprising level of depth for serious betters. Read on to learn everything you need to know about this classic game.

The game involves spinning a numbered wheel into which players may place bets on a single number, various groupings of numbers (such as red or black), the color of the number (odd or even), or whether it falls within a particular range of values. If the ball stops in a number that is bet on, the player wins.

Fanciful legends claim that roulette was invented by 17th-century French mathematician Blaise Pascal and by a Dominican monk, but it was probably derived in France from older games like hoca and portique. Its present layout and wheel structure were developed in the 18th century.

Before betting, choose a table within your budget. Each roulette table carries a placard listing the minimum and maximum bets allowed. Look for tables with a $5 minimum and $500 maximum for outside bets, for example.

Once a bet is placed, the dealer clears off losing chips and places a marker on winning ones to signal the beginning of a new round. A ball is spun and, when it hits a winning bet, the dealer pays out the chips to the winner. Those chips remain the property of the winner, but it’s best to cash them out as soon as possible so that you can continue playing with your predetermined budget.

During the course of a round, players should avoid bets with higher house edges (which tend to increase the amount of money the casino keeps) and stick with low-risk wagers, such as outside bets on the second or third columns or the odd/even numbers. Some players watch the other players, hoping to pick up hints about what’s likely to happen, but this is unlikely to improve their odds more than coincidentally.