Roulette is one of the most popular casino games. It combines the excitement of a card game with the thrill of a slot machine, making it ideal for players looking to have fun and win some real money. It’s also an excellent game for beginners and is a good way to practice your betting skills.

The Rules of Roullete

Before the ball is rolled, bettors place chips on a betting mat. The location of the chips on the mat indicates what type of bet they are making. There are two types of bets, those made on six numbers or less (called inside bets) and those placed on 12 or more numbers (called outside bets).

The Wheel

The roulette wheel is the central attraction of the game. It consists of a wooden spindle with divisions around its edge that revolves slowly. The ball is then spun around the wheel until it lands in one of the divisions, which enclose pockets that are painted red and black in European style wheels and green on American-style wheels.

Those who play the American version of roulette will find that the house edge is lower than in the European version. This is due to the presence of an extra 00 green pocket on the wheel.

When a player wins, the winning chip is then dropped onto a special marker on the table. This is where the dealer will make the next bet. After that, the winnings are paid out and the losing bets are cleared off the table.

In addition to the traditional bets, there are also a number of other betting options available for players. These include:

Single Number Bets

In the United States, single-number bets on the first six rows of numbers on the table are called “street bets.” These pay out at odds 5:1 if the ball lands on that row. A player can also place a bet on a number by placing a chip on a street in the same row as the number being bet on, or by placing a chip on the end of a column of numbers on the table map.

Line Bets

A line bet on the dividing line between the zero and the red and black pockets is another betting option in European roulette. This bet pays out at 6 to 1 and gives the player a higher chance of winning than the other types of bets.

Dozens and Columns

In European roulette, a player can also bet on the three dozens found on the roulette board. These are called ’12 P’, ‘12 M’ and ‘12 D’.

Those who play the French version of roulette can bet on all the same bets as in the American game but will also have access to the ’En Prison’ and ’La Partage’ rules, which protect even-money wagers from loss when the ball lands on 0 and allow the player to keep half their original wager if they win.