Roulette is one of the most popular casino games in the world. It is a game of pure chance, and players simply have to guess where the ball will fall when the roulette wheel stops spinning. The odds of hitting a particular number are high, so it is easy to understand why this game is a crowd-pleaser at online and land casinos worldwide.

The Roulette Wheel

The roulette wheel is a wooden disk, slightly convex in shape with a metal rim around which are fitted 36 compartments painted alternately red and black. On European-style wheels, a 37th compartment, painted green, carries the sign 0; on American-style wheels, two green compartments carry the signs 00. The croupier (dealer) spins the wheel and throws a ball into it; as the wheel stops spinning, if a player’s bet is a winner they will be paid according to their betting odds.

Outside bets are those that cover a larger area of the table than a single number. They include all of the numbers on the outside edge of the wheel, plus a grouping of odd and even, as well as red-black, and first, second, and third dozen bets. The croupier also allows players to place a bet that covers half of the table, called a basket bet.

Roulette is a classic casino game that has many variants and strategies, but it is ultimately a game of luck. In the long run, only a small percentage of players can win consistently. The rest are destined to lose. The best way to beat the house edge in roulette is to play only on days and times when you have a good feeling about your chances of winning.