Roulette is a fast-paced game where players place chips on a number or group of numbers. If the ball lands on your bet, you will receive a payout based on the odds.

To play, place your chips on the table until the croupier announces ‘no more bets!’ Then, spin the wheel and watch as the ball bounces around until it stops on a number.

Origins

The exact origin of roulette is unknown. However, the game is widely believed to have been invented in France in 1655 by French mathematician Blaise Pascal while he was trying to develop a perpetual motion machine. He succeeded in creating a spinning wheel with slots marked even and odd, but did not understand the principles of probability at the time.

It is also possible that the game was based on similar games from China, which were brought to Europe by Chinese monks who traveled throughout the world. Other theories suggest that the game was derived from a carnival-style game that featured a wheel and was popular in the 1500s. These games did not have anything in common with modern roulette beyond the use of a wheel.

Variations

Many different variations of roulette exist, each with its own rules and payouts. Some are more popular than others, but all of them have the same house edge of 2.7%. The differences between these variations mainly lie in the make-up of the wheel. For example, the European Roulette variation uses only 38 pockets and has a single zero, which makes it a simpler game to play. This variant is also known for its lower house edge and higher odds of winning. Other variations include Double Ball Roulette, which uses two balls and offers all the same bets as traditional roulette. Astro Roulette is another version of this game that replaces the standard numbers with zodiac signs and offers unique astrology-based betting options. This variation is not as popular as European Roulette.