Roulette 101
Roulette is one of the most popular games in casinos worldwide. At first, to the casual gambler, the game may appear daunting with its quickly spinning wheel and often loud and excited crowd. But don’t worry, roulette, like most casino games, can easily be understood after learning a few simple rules. To master the game of roulette, however, will take experience and a good deal of luck.
The American roulette wheel is divided into 38 slots, abroad there are only 37, and this is due to the addition of double zero slot. To play, you must first receive individually colored roulette chips (which helps avoid confusion when all the chips are on the table). Then, you will place a bet on one or more of the numbers represented by the black or red slots. To win, the ball placed into the wheel by the croupier, or the dealer, must land in or near your selected number; this distinction of in or near is due to the fact that you can place multiple types of bet, which is where the real intricacies of roulette come into play.
There are six primary bets. The standard is the straight bet; simply betting on one number to win it all. If the ball lands in that slot, you win at the maximum odds; 38 to 1. To expand your chances you can make a split bet, where you place your bet on two numbers. However, this also splits your winnings, so remember to take that into account before dividing up your bet. There is also the street bet. This is when your bet is placed at the edge of where six numbers meet. As expected, this lowers your winnings to 6 to 1 odds. For a slight increase at 8 to 1 odds, you can place a corner bet, which is betting at the intersection of four numbers. And finally you can place a row bet. This is when a player bets on the edge of a row of three numbers; the payoff for this bet is 11 to 1.
Finally, remember that there is no sure-fire method to winning roulette. A great deal of luck is involved with every spin, and while paying attention to past spins will increase your odds, you’re still playing at the hands of Lady Luck. So have fun, pick a few lucky numbers, and good luck!
