Roulette is a game of chance. Players make money by correctly guessing the number the ball will land on after each spin. The odds of winning differ depending on the type of bet placed. Inside bets have lower odds of winning but higher payouts.

Players place chips on the desired spaces on the table layout. The dealer then spins the wheel and rolls a ball around it until it stops on one of the numbers.

Origin

There are a number of theories on the origin of roulette. One is that it was invented by the French physicist Blaise Pascal in the 17th century as part of his unsuccessful experiments with perpetual motion machines. Another theory is that it evolved from an old English game called Even-Odd or a French game called Biribi. Other games that may have been precursors to roulette include portique, hoca and bassette.

The first modern roulette wheels appeared in Paris in 1796. They had numbered slots on red and black backgrounds and were similar to the ones used in casinos today. The game returned to England in the late 18th century after a period in France. Hoyle’s 1875 edition describes roulette but does not mention Even-Odd.