Roulette is one of the gambling industry’s most iconic games. It offers a high level of elegance and intrigue and attracts a wide range of players. This game of chance has been around since the 17th century and is played worldwide in both land-based and online casinos. The rules are simple enough for newcomers to understand, but there is a surprising depth of strategy for serious bettors.

The Roulette wheel contains numbered pockets, and the objective of the game is to predict which pocket the ball will fall into when the wheel is spun. There are a few different types of roulette bets that vary in winning probabilities, with the most lucrative being a single number bet which pays out up to 35 times your stake. There are also several side bet options that pay out at lower rates but add a bit of fun to the game.

European Roulette

The most popular version of roulette at land-based casinos and on online platforms is the European variant, which features a single-zero wheel and lower house edge, allowing for higher winning probabilities. This is the version of roulette we recommend all beginners play to get familiar with the rules and strategy.

The game begins when the dealer clears the table and places a marker on the losing bets, and then parcels out the remaining chips to each player in their preferred denomination. There are no betting limits on the table, but be careful not to go overboard with your chips. You can cash out your chips at any time and the dealer will return them to you with normal casino chips. In between decisions, the dealer will place a “buck” or “puck” on the winning numbers to mark them and collect the winnings into the casino’s income.