Roulette is one of the casino’s most popular games, providing glamour and excitement to players since the 17th century. It’s easy to understand, yet has a surprising depth for serious betters who have the right strategy. It is also extremely easy to play, both online and in land-based casinos, and you can bet as little or as much as you want.

Roulette has been played in France since the late 1700s and spread throughout Europe, and then to other parts of the world. The game was brought to the United States by French sibling gamblers and quickly became popular in illegal gambling dens across the country. Its popularity continued to grow as the wheel was modified and a single-zero pocket was added, making it a more appealing option for gamblers who wanted to increase their winning odds.

A roulette wheel consists of a solid, slightly convex wooden disk with 36 compartments – or pockets – around the edge that are painted alternately red and black. A 37th compartment is green and carries the number 0. The American version of the game adds a second green compartment labelled 00. Each of these compartments has a specific probability of being hit by the ball based on the type of bet made.

When you place a bet, you do so with roulette chips that are specially colored to help differentiate between different bettors. You should always bet with your own chips and not those of another player. In fact, even spouses are recommended to play roulette separately to prevent confusion and conflicting betting patterns. When the wheel is spun, the dealer will clear all losing bets and then place a marker on the winning number or grouping of numbers. The winner’s chips are then removed from the table and returned to the player as normal casino chips.

There are many variations of the game, each with its own house edge and payouts. The most popular of these is European roulette which has higher winning odds than the American version. It is the preferred version of the game at both physical and online casinos, and it is very simple to learn. You can try out the free versions of the game to get a feel for it before you make your first real money bet.