Roulette (or Roullete) is a casino game played with a wheel and a table. It allows players to bet on a single number, various groupings of numbers, the color red or black, and whether a number is odd or even. It’s a fast-paced, fun game that can be found in most casinos around the world.

Roulette is a game of chance and luck, but there are strategies that can help players maximize their chances of winning. Some are simple, such as avoiding bets on 0 and double-zero, and others are more complex, such as the Martingale or D’Alembert systems. All of these are designed to increase your odds of winning by lowering your risk of losing.

The roulette wheel consists of a solid wooden disk slightly convex in shape, with a grooved outer perimeter and a numbered inner surface. The compartments in the wheel are painted alternately red and black and numbered nonconsecutively from 1 to 36, except for two green pockets on American-style wheels that carry the signs 0 and 00.

Before each spin, the dealer gives players time to place their chips on the betting table. Players can bet on a single number, groups of numbers, or colors, and may also choose to make outside bets. Outside bets are placed on small number combinations within the main grid (1-36) and offer higher payouts than inside bets. All bets lose if the ball lands in the green pocket (zero or double-zero).

The game has plenty of variants, but the most popular is European roulette, with 37 pockets and one zero. The game is also available in variations such as French roulette, which offers unique rules like “La Partage” that can refund a portion of your bets if the ball hits 0. Regardless of what kind of roulette you play, it’s important to set a budget before you start. This will help you avoid getting caught up in the excitement and potentially running out of money too quickly.